Hennepin County Commissioner Gail Dorfman, who announced last year she wouldn’t seek re-election in November, will become the executive director of nonprofit St. Stephen’s Human Services in Minneapolis.
The organization works on poverty and homelessness issues.
On the St. Stephen’s Facebook page, it was announced this morning that Dorfman will join the agency March 3.
A special election for her seat is likely, because she’ll be taking the new job months before the general election.
In a statement, Jane Borden, chair of the St. Stephen’s Board of Directors, said:
“For years St. Stephen’s has looked to Gail as an innovative and deeply collaborative leader in ending homelessness. We are honored that she will continue to lead our community’s work toward social and economic justice as Executive Director of St. Stephen’s Human Services.”
Dorfman has been on the county board since 1999; she represents the 3rd district, which includes southwest Minneapolis and the city of St. Louis Park.
She’d previously been a city council member and mayor in St. Louis Park.
The work on poverty and homelessness at St. Stephen’s was started 40 years ago by volunteers and has evolved into a program that provides such access emergency services as shelter, secure affordable housing and jobs, and connects people to support services. Its leaders say they’re also active in policy and advocacy work to change systems that create or perpetuate homelessness.
