FLIPPABLE: Kelsey Waits for MN-HD54B
As a military spouse, a mother, and chair of the Hastings School Board, Kelsey works hard to advocate for the people in our community and represent their voices at the decision-making table. She is confident, well-organized, and knowledgeable about the issues facing our community.
On the School Board, Kelsey has advocated for more equitable schools, environmentally friendly practices, and financial responsibility. Some accomplishments and projects include:
-Remaining on the budget as the district completes a $49.5 million bonding project
-Entering into a Solar Garden contract, saving the school district an average of $100,000 per year
-Hastings’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Proclamation
-Adoption of the AVID program in Hastings High School
-School District was awarded Achievement and Integration dollars through the state
Kelsey is dedicated to her community. She has been active in local and county government practices, working to improve the quality of life for all of our residents. Through this work, she understands the need to make hard choices, and the necessity of collaborating and reaching consensus with those of all politics beliefs. Some of these activities include:
-Hastings School Board Chair
-Dakota County Extension Committee
-Strategic Communications Committee
-Joint Powers Committee
-THRIVE Hastings Steering Committee
F-riends of the Pleasant Hill Library Board, newsletter writer
In addition to local government experience, Kelsey also has also been involved in state-level government. In her numerous roles, Kelsey has:
-Lobbied legislators as a School Board Member
-Helped draft statements and rebuttals for committee hearings
-Met with lawmakers from both major parties in order to find ways to collaborate and generate bipartisan support
-Worked with non-governmental entities to understand their role in state government dynamics
Kelsey has a Master’s in Statistics from the University of Connecticut, a Master's Degree in Public Policy from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, and a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Wellesley College.
Kelsey grew up in Northern Illinois before leaving for college, traveling with the military, and settling down in Hastings. Kelsey is the mother of two amazing children and a proud military spouse, daughter, and granddaughter. Kelsey and her family have two dogs, two adorable rabbits, and 100,000 honey bees.
https://www.kelseywaits.com
