House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher has a new job as president of the Minnesota High Tech Association, an advocacy and education group for Minnesota technology firms.
Kelliher didn’t seek re-election to her state House seat after an unsuccessful run for governor but will serve as House speaker during the upcoming special session on flood relief — which is still unscheduled as state officials await a federal disaster declaration.
She’ll start the tech job in January, replacing Kate Rubin, who left in June after nine years at MHTA to become vice president of social responsibility for UnitedHealth and executive director of the United Health Foundation.
Earlier, Kelliher had been a finalist for the Minneapolis parks board superintendent’s job, but withdrew her name from that job. She’d been the only one of the four finalists who didn’t have parks experience.
Joy Lindsay, chair of the MHTA board, said: “Through her previous positions in government and extensive community involvement, Margaret brings excellent experience collaborating with individuals and organizations, great familiarity with public policy and strong communication skills to the position. Margaret is a proven leader, and we are excited to utilize her strengths to promote the growth and sustainability of Minnesota’s technology-based economy.”
And Kelliher said: “I am passionate about advancing education and job growth in Minnesota, and serving as president of MHTA will allow me to do that. MHTA represents many voices in Minnesota technology, and I feel my experiences in government and community involvement will benefit the collaborative building of relationships across the state. I’m looking forward to leading the MHTA to expand Minnesota’s future workforce, advocate for its members and build partnerships to advance technology across the state.”
Kelliher has a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and was a Bush Foundation Leadership Fellow. She has a bachelor’s degree in political science with a concentration in history from Gustavus Adolphus College. She also teaches at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute.
