41A House Candidate Community Ties Run Deep

Valerie Rolstad is a lifelong member of our community. She grew up in Columbia Heights and graduated from Columbia Heights High School before graduating from the College of Saint Teresa with a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work. Valerie and her husband of 30 years raised their three children in the community where they were the third generation to receive their degrees from CHHS.

Valerie currently lives in Fridley and works at Columbia Academy in Columbia Heights as a special education educational assistant. Her professional focus is on students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, she also has experience in Emotional Behavior Disorder. Valerie’s volunteer experience includes leading her daughter’s Girl Scout troop, leading the Fridley Women of Today, as both a member and chapter president, engaging in Fridley-based community projects and fundraising for the March of Dimes, juvenile diabetes, and other local charities. Valerie volunteered with North Park Elementary and Central Middle School PTO where she was an integral part of both school fundraising and event planning teams. When funding was slashed under Governor Ventura in the Columbia Heights School District, Valerie, with two other parents, founded The Parent Partnership for Education, a parent committee that organized lobbying efforts in St. Paul to raise awareness of education funding disparities. Her effective work on the Columbia Heights Referendum Campaign provided funds for much needed technology access in classrooms as well as protecting funding for basic maintenance to all Columbia Heights schools to ensure students were able to attend classes in a safe, healthy environment.

Valerie served under governor appointment on the Special Education Task Force and the Collaborative Governance Council under Chair Rebecca Otto. She is also a proud hockey, soccer, tennis, and lacrosse mom. As a youth hockey mom, she was on the East River Hockey Association Board as well as the District 3 Hockey Association Board. Valerie also collaborated with community members in an effort to save the Columbia Hockey Arena. Valerie has worked with Minnesotans for a Fair Economy to support a living wage for all workers. She has extensive experience lobbying and building relationships in St. Paul for education funding and in support of home health care workers efforts to organize to earn a living wage.

Valerie is running for the House of Representatives in District 41A to continue the cohesive and collaborative work the voters of this district have been lucky enough to enjoy under the current leadership. Her close relationship with our leadership guarantees voters that she will be be able to work as a team and across party lines. As a lifelong resident, Valerie knows what this community can achieve and what this community deserves from representation in St. Paul.