Civil rights attorney, advocate, hockey mom, and grandma.

I’m running for the Minnesota Senate in District 44 because every Minnesotan deserves dignity, opportunity, and a fair shot. For more than 30 years, I have worked as a civil rights and employment attorney, standing up for people whose rights were violated or whose voices were ignored. I believe in a Minnesota where everyone is respected, protected, and able to thrive.

Rooted in Community and Minnesota Values

I live in Maplewood with my husband, an electrician, and close to my son and stepdaughter and their growing families. I spent many years as a single mother, and I know how essential it is to have a community you can rely on. I grew up in a small town in South Dakota, where I learned the values of hard work, caring for your neighbors, and treating people with respect even when you disagree.

Public education shaped my life, and it shaped my son’s. I believe in fully funding our schools, supporting teachers, and making sure every child has opportunities that inspire them. I also worked my way through college with the help of student loans, and I know what it feels like to carry that burden, which is why I support accessible and affordable higher education, apprenticeships, and training programs.

My parents’ health challenges showed me both the compassion of our health care workers and the heavy costs families face. Every Minnesotan deserves high-quality health care without fear of financial ruin. I also serve on the Maplewood Area Historical Society Board because I believe that understanding our past helps strengthen our future.

A Career Committed to Justice

Throughout my career, I have represented workers and families in discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, wage theft, and civil rights cases. I have never been afraid to speak truth to power, whether in courtrooms, boardrooms, or community spaces.

My work has been recognized with:

• Attorney of the Year, Minnesota Lawyer (2022, 2016, and 2012)

• A community justice award from the National Center for Lesbian Rights

• Repeated selection to the Super Lawyers list for over a decade

I have held leadership roles in organizations that defend employee rights and have volunteered my legal skills to Lambda Legal, the Minnesota AIDS Project, and the Employee Lawyers Association- Upper Midwest. I am also a long-time advocate for carbon monoxide safety after seeing how preventable tragedies occur when basic protections are ignored. Keeping Minnesotans safe is a responsibility I take seriously.

The Values That Guide My Service

At the heart of all my work is a simple belief: Minnesotans share a common future, and we each have a responsibility to help shape it. The values that guide me are the ones I was raised with, the ones I taught my family, and the ones that ground my work as an attorney and as an active community member.

I believe in:

• Dignity and stability for every family
  Safe housing, affordable health care, and fair wages.

• A strong public education system
  Fully funded schools, supported teachers, and opportunities for every child.

• Civil rights and personal freedoms
  Protection of reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ rights, and equal treatment under the law.

• Stewardship of our environment
  Clean air, clean water, and a livable planet for the next generation.

• A healthy and inclusive democracy
  A government that listens to people, respects their voices, and earns their trust.

These values shape every decision I make. They guide my leadership and my commitment to this district.

Our communities deserve a strong, steady, principled voice in the Minnesota Senate. Someone who listens. Someone who leads. Someone who fights for solutions.

That is the leadership I hope to bring to the State Capitol. And I hope you will join me in building a more just and more hopeful future for all Minnesotans.