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Pogemiller names Michele Kelm-Helgen as his chief of staff

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DFL Senate Majority Leader has selected Michele Kelm-Helgen as his Chief of Staff. Kelm-Helgen is a school board member of the Chaska-Chanhassen-Victoria School Board. She was also a lobbyist with North State Advisers and represented several health care clients.

(UPDATE: Kelm-Helgen is the daughter of long-time DFL activist Tom Kelm who was active in Minnesota politics since the 1950s. He served as Chief of Staff for former Governor and Senator Wendell Anderson and later became a lobbyist.)

(ANOTHER UPDATE: Kelm-Helgen's grandfather, Elmer Kelm, was the head of Minnesota's Democratic Party in 1944 when it merged with the Famer-Labor Party. source: St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 8, 2004).

Here's the release:

Chaska resident, small business owner named Chief of Staff to the Senate Majority Leader

Michele Kelm-Helgen, a small-business owner and Chaska resident, has been named as Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller’s

(DFL-Minneapolis) chief of staff.

“I am excited that someone with Michele’s experience is interested in public service,” Sen. Pogemiller said. “As a small-business owner and school board member Michele has many skills that will be put to good use in the Senate.”

Currently a partner North State Advisers, Kelm-Helgen previously worked as a director at Control Data. First elected in 2000, Kelm-Helgen also serves as a member of the Chaska-Chanhassen-Victoria School Board. She earned a BA from the College of St. Catherine and a MBA from the University of St. Thomas.

Kelm-Helgen is married to Henry Helgen who is a litigation attorney at McGrann Shea Anderson Carnival Straughn & Lamb, Chartered. They have three children - their son teaches abroad and their twin daughters are juniors at Harvard University.

“I have a great deal of respect for Sen. Pogemiller,” Kelm-Helgen said. “I am excited to have the opportunity to work within the Senate on important issues to move Minnesota forward.”

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