Education and Background:

• Resident of Western Wisconsin for over 46 years with spouse Lavonne Solem.
• Grew up in De Pere; educated in De Pere Catholic and public school systems.
• Earned Bachelor’s degree in teaching from UW-Eau Claire and a Master of Education from UW-Stout.

• Raised daughter Abbie in Menomonie; Abbie now lives with her spouse in Minneapolis, MN.
• Son Charlie resides with his family in El Segundo, CA.
• Lavonne’s son Scott and his family live near Rochester, MN.

Military and Public Service Experience:

• A veteran of the US Army.
• Experience with Menomonie Public Library and State Historical Society of Wisconsin.
• Currently volunteers at the Dunn County Historical Society.
• Former member of the Menomonie City Council and Dunn County Board of Supervisors.
• Organized neighborhood associations and chaired various boards, including:
  • Menomonie Market Food Cooperative.
  • Citizen Action Northwestern Wisconsin Organizing Cooperative.

Legislative Experience:

• Served four terms in the Wisconsin Assembly from 1996 to 2004.
• Advocated for consumer protection, Hay River Watershed, custodial minors, and hazardous materials control.
• Served on Veterans, Agriculture, Economic Development, and Rural Development Committees.

Progressive Advocacy and Activism:

• Former coordinator of the Midwest Progressive Elected Officials Network (MPEON).
• Worked with officials from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and North Dakota to advance progressive policies.
• Joined US military veterans at Standing Rock in 2016 to support Indigenous protesters protecting their land from corporate interests.