About Katie

Minneapolis is my hometown. I grew up swimming in Cedar Lake after school and serving breakfast at Uptown Diner on weekends. I come from an enormous family with strong roots throughout the Minneapolis metro. I’m dedicated to Minneapolis and our collective future. I have a deep  appreciation for the natural and cultural assets which make our city unique. I am filled with gratitude every time I canoe or ski our beautiful Chain of Lakes. Having worked both in Uptown and Downtown, I have seen our commercial corridors change over time but it has always felt like a civic duty to diligently support local entrepreneurs, artists and long standing businesses, tell positive stories about Minneapolis, and uplift our community. 

I’m a committed public servant. I have had the honor of serving on the Minneapolis City Council since 2023 and several local boards like Meet Minneapolis, the Clean Energy Partnership, the Family Housing Fund Board and the Minneapolis Tree Advisory Commission. Previously, l worked as a nonprofit leader, researcher 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 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 education and resource center. In 2019 I also founded a small business which trains 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. Prior to my election to the City Council I worked as a Project Manager at a Public Interest Law firm called 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 rent an apartment in a historic building 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.

It’s been an honor to serve Ward 7 on the Minneapolis City Council since 2023. You can read about some of my accomplishments on the council here. I look forward to earning your support for re-election.

Katie Cashman