About Katie

Minneapolis is my hometown. I grew up swimming in Cedar Lake after school and serving breakfast at Uptown Diner on weekends. Now at the age of 30, I have even more appreciation for the natural and cultural assets which make our city unique. I am filled with joy when I canoe and ski our beautiful Chain of Lakes.

I’m a committed public servant. I’ve worked as a policy advocate, a nonprofit leader and a community organizer building solutions to improve people’s lives. My experiences are both global and local. I studied geography, architecture and urban planning at McGill University, Columbia University, and the Technical University of Berlin. I worked at the United Nations for three years, helping municipalities around the world build environmental and social infrastructure. I know what it takes to confront big challenges and I bring that expertise to my work here in Minneapolis every single day. 

I founded a nonprofit which fundraised for and built a community center, and a small business which is training teachers to bring climate change science into the classroom, including our very own Ward 7 elementary schools. I know how to lead a team, manage a budget, and realize a vision from the ground up. I currently work at the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, using the law and science to keep our air and water clean. 

In this moment in Minneapolis, we need strong and collaborative leaders who will work with all stakeholders to achieve results. I cherish the opportunity to listen to residents and channel diverse perspectives into shared solutions. I live in the Loring Heights neighborhood and in my free time, you can find me biking around Lake of the Isles or walking my rescue dog Hazel through the Sculpture Garden.

I look forward to earning your support.

Katie Cashman