Keesha Gaskins
ST. PAUL, MINN. (December 11, 2007) – The board of directors of League of Women
Voters of Minnesota announced that Keesha Gaskins is the new executive director
of the League and the League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund.
She begins work Monday.
Gaskins is the former executive director of the Minnesota Women’s Political Caucus.
She is an attorney with experience representing corporations in products liability,
contractual matters, and employment law. She has been a litigation attorney
with Bowman and Brooke, L.L.P., Arthur, Chapman, Kettering, Smetak, & Pikala, P.A.
and Peterson, Fishman, Livgard & Capistrant, P.A.
Gaskins received her law degree from Northeastern University School of Law in
Boston in 1999. While practicing law, she honed her political advocacy skills
by taking the Debate Boot Camp and Vote Run Lead training through the White House
Project. Previous to that, she participated in the NAACP National Leadership
Training and the AFL-CIO Political Action Training. While practicing law,
she served as a volunteer Special Appellate Public Defender for the State of Minnesota.
She has served on the board of the Minnesota State Bar Association, Minneapolis
YWCA, Girl Scout Council of Greater Minneapolis and NAACP Minneapolis Branch.
She also served as a State Director of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer Labor Party.
"I am delighted with the credentials and skills Keesha brings to this position,"
said Sally Sawyer, who retired after serving 28 years as executive director of the
league. "She represents a new, dynamic leadership for us. She will advance
our league mission of being a voice for citizens and a voice for change."
Long-time league member Carol Frisch who chaired the search committee said, "Keesha’s
keen wit and intelligence will be assets as she manages the League’s many voter
services, education projects and collaborations."
Judy Stuthman and Vivian Jenkins Nelsen serve as co-presidents of the League.
Nelsen said, "Keesha joins our leadership team at a critical time. We are
the first newly elected co-presidents and nearly half the board is new. We
are working on two new projects. The State of Democracy in Minnesota is underway
as is the diversity project, Transforming Minnesota Through Cross-Cultural Dialogues.
Early in 2008, the League will announce a position from its research on judicial
selection to advocate at the next legislative session."
"I am energized by the league’s work with all generations and especially its
commitment to inspiring the leadership of young women in public life," said Gaskins.
"The League educates and encourages citizens to be active. I admire the League
and am proud to be a part of it."
The League of Women Voters of Minnesota (LWVMN) is a non-partisan, grassroots,
volunteer organization with 42 local leagues statewide. The organization’s
members research, find consensus on, advocate, and lobby for selected public policy
issues. Founded in 1919, the League is best known for encouraging citizen
participation in the electoral process through voter registration and the organization
of public forums and candidate debates for citizen education. The League has
already registered more than 6500 new voters in 2007.
Contact:
Judy Stuthman, LWVMN co-president
Vivian Jenkins Nelsen, LWVMN co-president and president/CEO, the INTER-RACE
Institute, Augsburg College
Mary Ellen Hennen, LWVMN interim executive director, 651-224-5445
Ginger Sisco, Sisco Public Relations, Inc., 763-544-0629, ginger.sisco@tela.com
