St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her has appointed Jennifer O’Rourke as the city’s new chief lobbyist and director of intergovernmental relations.

O’Rourke previously held key staff roles for Ramsey County, Gov. Mark Dayton, Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, the state Senate, the Metropolitan Council and the League of Minnesota Cities.

Related Articles

Family of U.S. citizen detained by ICE in St. Paul seeks her release

Ramsey County sets plan to investigate federal officer shooting cases

Letters: An even-handed reflection highlighting heritage and responsibility

St. Paul City Council deadlocks on last-minute separation ordinance measure

Honduran detained at St. Paul gas station now in Texas, sister says

She has been the director of Ramsey County Intergovernmental Relations since October 2018. She was chief of staff to Rybak from 2012 to 2014, and deputy chief of staff to Dayton from 2014 to 2015 before spending three years as director of intergovernmental relations for the Met Council, the metro’s regional planning agency.

O’Rourke is married to Ken Martin, chair of the Democratic National Committee.

In a written statement, the mayor’s office described her as an “analytical thinker” who will bring “strong relations and a firm commitment to collaboration to help the city accomplish our critical legislative agenda at the State Capitol.”