ż graduates sworn-in and serving in elected seats across the state of Minnesota.
ż congratulates our alumni who were recently sworn in and are serving their Minnesota constituents across legislative and judicial branches of government following the November 2020 elections.
“Our mission to educate women to lead and influence, combined with a liberal arts foundation across our degree programs, form the bedrock of the ż’s experience, which our students apply to all areas of life, whether their career field, or in service to others,” said ReBecca Koenig Roloff ’76, president of ż. “We are proud of all Katies who lead in our communities, states, and nations.”
As we prepare for a historic month in the history of women leading, ż recognizes the following alumni who carry forward some of the best examples of leadership:
U.S. Representatives
- Congresswoman Betty McCollum '87, first elected in 2000, was re-elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. McCollum represents District 4, which covers St. Paul, Ramsey County, and much of Washington County.
State Representatives
- Michelle Benson '91, a Minnesota state senator since 2010, was re-elected to serve District 31, which covers portions of Anoka, Isanti and Sherburne counties.
- Mary Kunesh-Podein '95 moved from her seat in the Minnesota House to represent District 41 in the Senate.
- Erin Murphy MAOL'05, won her bid to serve as senator. The former majority leader in the Minnesota House will represent District 64 in the Senate.
- Jessica Hanson ’18 won her first race, and is now serving as a representative of District 56A in the Minnesota House.
Minnesota Court Judges
- Margaret Daly ’77 was re-elected to serve the Minnesota 4th District Court.
- Joy Bartscher ’82 was re-elected to serve the Minnesota 2nd District Court.
- Anne Rasmusson ’96 was re-elected to serve the Minnesota 9th District Court.
County Leadership
- Mary Jo McGuire '78, a Ramsey County commissioner since 2012, was re-elected to serve her third term. She represents residents of District 2.
- Laurie Halverson '02 served as a Minnesota state representative for District 51B in Eagan since 2012. Starting in 2021, she will instead serve as a Dakota County commissioner for District 3.
At the municipal level, Elizabeth Kautz ’82 is now Burnsville’s longest-serving mayor. She was first elected to her seat in 1994.
City Councils
- Victoria Hebzynski Seals '01 was re-elected to the Orono, Minnesota, City Council.
- Pamela Axberg ’85 was elected to the New Brighton, Minnesota, City Council.
Katies Lead in Other States
- In Kansas, Barbara Wasinger ’80 was re-elected to the Kansas House of Representatives. She will represent District 111. Prior to serving in the Kansas Legislature, Wasinger made history as the first woman elected to serve as an Ellis County commissioner.
Katies Currently Serving
Even more Katies are currently leading across our local governments:
- Angela Conley ’13, Hennepin County Commissioner, District 4
- Kathleen Gearin ’67, Senior Judge, Minnesota State Court
- Cameron Gordon ’91, Second Ward, Minneapolis City Council
- Valerie Holthus ’90, Andover City Council
- Anne McKeig ’89, Associate Justice, Minnesota Supreme Court
- Lezlie Ott Marek ’80, Minnesota 2nd District Court
- Anita Pampusch ’60, Lilydale City Council
- Lucy Taylor ’83, Vice President of the Prairie Island Tribal Council
- Richelle Wahi ’97, Minnesota 1st Judicial District Court
- Terri Yellowhammer ’85, Minnesota 4th District Court
Did we miss other Katies who were elected or re-elected for public office this November? Let us know! We will update this list if we inadvertently missed someone. Email us at alumni@stkate.edu.