Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

The Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party elects its Chair, Associate Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, and Affirmative Action Officer at its Business Conference every two years. The Finance Chair is appointed by the State Party Chair and confirmed by the State Central Committee. The state party officers also include Minnesota's Democratic National Committee members and sixteen directors who are elected at the state conventions. 

You may also want to contact the DFL staff or one of our Local Party Units.

State Party Chair

Ken Martin
Email: chair@dfl.org

Ken grew up in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. His first memory of political activism came at a very young age when he joined his mom at an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) march at the Minnesota State Capitol in the mid-70's. The impression left on him from that event grew into a lifelong passion for grassroots organizing and political advocacy.

During his senior year in high school, Ken volunteered on a Carleton college professor's campaign for the U.S. Senate and his life was changed forever. To this day Paul Wellstone remains one of his political heroes.

In the past two decades Ken has worked for several elected officials and managed a variety of issue and election campaigns:

Most recently, Ken worked to elect a DFL governor as the Executive Director of WIN Minnesota and then as the Director for Governor Dayton's recount efforts.

In 2008, Ken ran the Vote Yes campaign to pass the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, a ballot initiative to dedicate funding to Minnesota's arts, environmental and historical treasures. It is the largest conservation finance measure in the nation to ever become law.

Ken also has extensive campaign experience, including Hatch for Governor in 2006, Kerry for President in 2004, Humphrey for Secretary of State in 2002, Gore/Lieberman Minnesota in 2000 and various other races at all levels of government. He has served on the DFL Party as a member of the State Executive Committee, Budget Committee and other Party offices since 1997.

Ken holds a B.A. in Political Science and History from the University of Kansas. He was lucky enough to meet a farm girl from Wells, MN named Jennifer O'Rourke, who eventually agreed to marry him. They currently live in Eagan, MN with their two sons, Sam (8) and James (6) and spend most of their time attending numerous school and athletic activities.

State Party Associate Chair

Marge Hoffa
Email: associatechair@dfl.org

Marge is a native Minnesotan who has been heavily involved in the Minnesota Party for the past two decades. She grew up near Duluth, where her father raised cattle and worked for the railroad. She attended high school in Northfield and Prior Lake, and then went to Augsburg College in Minneapolis.

Marge first got involved in politics by volunteering on Paul Wellstone's first senate campaign. Her experience there inspired her to continue fighting for progressive causes and candidates, and so she began volunteering on campaigns at every level - from school board to state legislature to Congress to President.

She has served as a precinct chair, senate district chair, delegate to the Democratic National Convention, a caucus convener, and has been Chair of the third congressional district since 2006.

Marge is a true "boots on the ground" activist. She has knocked on doors and made countless phone calls for campaigns at various levels all over the state, served on numerous task forces and special commissions within the Party, and acted as political director of the DFL Feminist Caucus.

Marge and her husband, Steve, live in Minnetonka with their two daughters, Jana (17) and Julia (21). Steve works at a local paint company and is a proud union member. While she's not working for the DFL, Marge is a travel agent for Carlson Wagonlit Travel.

State Party Secretary

Jacob Grippen
Email: secretary@dfl.org

State Party Treasurer

Tom Hamilton
Email: treasurer@dfl.org

State Party Affirmative Action Officer

Eric Margolis
Email: aao@dfl.org

State Party Directors

Nimco Ahmed (nahmedster@gmail.com)
Mary Merril-Anderson (marymerrillanderson@msn.com)
Ann Friedrich (annfriedrich@msn.com)
Jeanette Martimo (jeanettemartimo@yahoo.com)
Cheryl Poling (chpoling@comcast.net)
Shivanthi Sathanandan (alhaja7@yahoo.com)
Katherine Speer (kcspeer@embarqmail.com)
Vicki Wright (vickiwright@comcast.net)
Wes Gadsden (wes_gadsden@yahoo.com)
Del Jenkins (deldjenkins@yahoo.com)
Dan McConnell (danm@ibew292.org)
Thom Petersen (petersenthom@hotmail.com)
Timothy Velde (tcvfarm@yahoo.com)
Jeremy Powers (jpowers@webitality.com)
Chris Schmitter (chris.schmitter@gmail.com)
Jamal Abdulahi (abdu0037@umn.edu)

Democratic National Committee Members

Rick Stafford (rickatmpls@msn.com)
Bill Davis (billdavisdfl@msn.com)
Luchelle Stevens (evenstevens5@aol.com)
Nancy Larson (nanlars@embarqmail.com)
Patricia Torres Ray (info@patriciaforsenate.org)
R.T. Rybak (rybakrt@gmail.com)

Minnesota Young DFL President

Christian Torkelson (ctorkelson@mydfl.org)

First Congressional District

Chair - Lori Sellner (lorisell@gmail.com)
Associate Chair - Jim Hepworth (dflers@gmail.com)
Secretary - Crysta Parkin (crysta.parkin@gmail.com)
Treasurer - Katherine Speer (kcspeer@embarqmail.com)
Affirmative Action Officer - Phil Castrovinci (philcastro44@yahoo.com)

Second Congressional District

Chair - Jeanne Thomas (cjtdfl@aol.com)
Associate Chair - Shawn Groth (ssng12@hotmail.com)
Secretary - Jane Miles (jane.miles@lsi.com)
Treasurer - Nancy Parris (pnparris@yahoo.com)
Affirmative Action Officer - Lucy Buckner-Watson (lucysnts@aol.com)

Third Congressional District

Chair - Ardis Wexler (judgeardis@aol.com)
Associate Chair - Matt Black (mfblack@gmail.com)
Secretary - Cheryl Poling (chpoling@comcast.net)
Treasurer - Jerry Gilkeson (MNdemocrat@comcast.net)
Affirmative Action Officer - Sunday Alabi (salabi@mmm.com)

Fourth Congressional District

Chair - J.P. Barone (var630@aol.com)
Associate Chair - Melissa Jamrock (mjamrock@gmail.com)
Secretary - Christina Hughes (leobabe73@comcast.net)
Treasurer - Mark Bannick (mark_bannick@yahoo.com)
Affirmative Action Officer - Megan Thomas (meganthomasmn@gmail.com)

Fifth Congressional District

Chair - Heidi Hoffman (heidiphoffman@gmail.com)
Associate Chair - Jules Goldstein (goldstein.jules@gmail.com)
Secretary - Ron Leurquin (ronleurquin@usfamily.net)
Treasurer - Tim Bonham (t-bonham@scc.net)
Affirmative Action Officer - Alexis Pennie (penni063@umn.edu)

Sixth Congressional District

Chair - Bill Usher (billsueusher@msn.com)
Associate Chair - Cathy Harrison (charrison1026@q.com)
Secretary - Dawn Haas (dmhaas@hotmail.com)
Treasurer - Lisa O'Neill (letterrunner@comcast.net)
Affirmative Action Officer - Dale Ziner (norad820@aol.com)

Seventh Congressional District

Chair - Paul Wright (paulw@hutchtel.net)
Associate Chair - Allison Myhre (allison.myhre@gmail.com)
Secretary - Ione Yates (ivyione@yahoo.com)
Treasurer - Lil Ortendahl (QSPWFC@hotmail.com)
Affirmative Action Officer - Aaron Wittnebel (lakepark81@gmail.com)

Eighth Congressional District

Chair - Don Bye (byehdq@tds.net, byelawoffice@hotmail.com)
Associate Chair - Colleen Nardone (cbn0609@yahoo.com)
Secretary - Jeanette Martimo (jeanettemartimo@yahoo.com)
Treasurer - Cathy Daniels (cthelen@rangenet.com)
Affirmative Action Officer - Elizabeth Scott (Elizabeth.scott@millelacsband.com)

State Party Commissions

Constitution Commission Co-Chair - Chris Thorp (cthorp@spacia.org)
Constitution Commission Co-Chair - Jill Garcia (jbgarcia3@aol.com)

Platform Commission Co-Chair - Kathy Nelson (mplsmallard@yahoo.com)
Platform Commission Co-Chair - Steve Linnerooth (stevendl2000@yahoo.com)

Affirmative Action Commission - Eric Margolis (aao@dfl.org)