Meet Elizabeth

Trusted Leader
In the last three years as Minneapolis Park Commissioner for District 4, I have gained the trust of Ward 7 residents through attentive listening, responsiveness and transparency.  As an active presence in the thirteen neighborhoods I represent, I am a familiar face and am aware of community concerns. The community knows I have been their advocate on a wide variety of issues through my clear communication.

Pragmatic Activist 
My decision-making is based in practical action and problem-solving, not ideology.  I pay attention to local concerns, but also understand the big picture.  My 2024 parks annual recap listed 20 projects or initiatives I have been involved with that are improving the quality of our park life. Being closely connected to the community keeps me informed on the issues and has allowed me work and vote with great confidence to leverage community interests for the benefit of the park system. I get stuff done. 

Independent, Forward-Looking Thinker
My approach is to integrate different viewpoints amongst residents, colleagues and staff. I ask questions and ultimately, am not afraid to make hard decisions. I strive for incremental improvements keeping an eye on where we are headed,  and have always had a “can do” spirit for difficult situations and tasks. At the same time, life experience has taught me that vision must be grounded in realism.  Success is rarely linear and good outcomes are never guaranteed, but - more than ever – we need leaders willing to dig in, do the hard work, and reset the vision for our city’s future. 

In addition, my faith, family and love for the outdoors are foundational to who I am.  My husband Steve and I have four adult children and one spoiled Catahoula Leopard dog named Bella. You will often see me running around the lakes and biking the Grand Round. I love long distance hiking and setting other physical challenges for myself like races and triathlons.