Candidate Forum-MN State Senate District 53
Date and Time
Thursday Oct 1, 2020
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CDT
Thursday
October 1, 2020
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Location
View livestream here: https://youtu.be/HMWDzR3ydRo
Website
Candidate Forum-MN State Senate Distr...
Description
2020 Candidate Forum: MN State Senate District 53
The Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting an election forum for Woodbury Minnesota State Senate candidates on Thursday, October 1, 2020 at City Hall from 3 – 4:00 pm. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we will only allow the candidates, moderators and the film crew from South Washington County Cable in the council chambers. The event will be live streamed and a link will be on our website for those who prefer to watch at a different time. There will be no fee for any members or residents to view the forum..
Minnesota Senate District 53 Candidates
Senator Susan Kent, Incumbent
Senator Susan Kent is running for a third term in the Minnesota Senate representing District 53, which includes Woodbury, Landfall and parts of Maplewood and Oakdale. Senator Kent has more than 20 years private sector experience in strategic marketing and communications working with corporations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations in a range of industries and sectors. Prior to her election in 2012, she was active in her community, serving several roles in school district working groups and PTA, and as a volunteer prenatal counselor for high-risk women. Currently, Senator Kent has been elected by her colleagues as Minority Leader in the Senate DFL Caucus. Previously, she served as Ranking Member on the Education Policy committee and Vice Chair of the Transportation Committee. Her legislative priorities include a quality education for all Minnesota students, a comprehensive transportation system to provide economic mobility, access to affordable and quality health care, and support for small businesses and workers during the pandemic. In 2016, she passed the first successful effort in many years to reverse Minnesota’s bottom-ranked investment in critical student support staff, including school counselors, psychologists and social workers. If re-elected for a third term, Senator Kent will maintain her focus: building a strong, bright and healthy future for all Minnesotans. susank@senate.mn
Mary Giuliani Stephens, Candidate
Mary grew up in Rochester, Minnesota where her father served patients as a doctor at the Mayo Clinic and her mother raised six children and volunteered in the community. She attended the University of Michigan, where she received her bachelor’s degree in political science and speech communications. Mary went on to earn her law degree from William Mitchell College of Law and went to work for Moore, Costello & Hart, eventually becoming a partner specializing in construction litigation. She also worked as an arbitrator and mediator with the American Arbitration Association and as president of the Woodbury Economic Development Authority. Mary served on the Woodbury City Council before being elected Mayor of Woodbury from 2007-2018, running unopposed for a second term as Mayor in 2014. During her tenure, Woodbury was consistently rated among the top places to live in America, and as Mayor, she presided over significant growth and job creation in the city’s economy due to an outreach program she undertook with local businesses to make sure they were positioned for success at the end of the last recession. Mary and her husband, Greg, have lived in Woodbury for more than 35 years. They have two adult children and two grandchildren. During that time, Mary has been active in community organizations as both a leader and a volunteer, including the Youth Service Bureau Board, Regional Council of Mayors, Transportation Advisory Board, Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce, Woodbury Area Community Foundation, Woodbury Lion’s Club, and the Woodbury Athletic Association Soccer Board. Www.maryformn.com; Email: Mary@maryformn.com; Facebook: @maryformn; 612-940-0431
