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Melisa López Franzen (née López Aquino, born 1980) is an American politician and former member of the Minnesota Senate. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she represented District 49 in the southwest Twin Cities metropolitan area, including the Minneapolis suburbs of Edina, Eden Prairie, Bloomington, and Minnetonka.
Melisa López Franzen | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Franzen in 2022 | |
| Minority Leader of the Minnesota Senate | |
| In office September 14, 2021 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Susan Kent |
| Succeeded by | Mark Johnson |
| Member of the Minnesota Senate from the 49th district | |
| In office January 8, 2013 – January 3, 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Geoff Michel (41st district) |
| Succeeded by | Steve Cwodzinski |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Melisa López Aquino June 9, 1980 Aguadilla, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Nathan (m. 2006) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Interamerican University, San Germán (BA) University of Minnesota (MPP) Hamline University (JD) |
López Franzen was born and raised in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico.[1] She attended the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico and graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in political science. She later attended the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2003 with a Master of Public Policy in economic development, and Hamline University School of Law, graduating in 2006 with a Juris Doctor.[2]
For eight years, López Franzen was an attorney at Target Corporation, where she held various positions in government affairs and community relations. In 2014, she co-founded and was president of the Minneapolis-based public relations firm NewPublica.[3]
López Franzen left NewPublica to start a new role as the executive director of Government and Community Relations for the University of Minnesota, effective August 28, 2023.[4]
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Franzen was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2012 and reelected in 2016 and 2020. She served on the Finance, Human Services Reform Finance and Policy, and as Ranking Minority Chair of the Commerce and Consumer Protection Finance and Policy Committee.[5]
In 2022, after new legislative maps put Franzen in the same district as Ron Latz, Franzen announced she would not run for reelection.[6]
López Franzen has been married to Nathan Franzen since January 14, 2006.[7] They have two children and reside in Edina, Minnesota.[8]
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