Senate 2002-2010 (District 67)
Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Counties Served:
Ramsey
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
| Date of Birth: 06/30/1969
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Date of Death:
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| Birth Place: Xieng Khouang
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Birth County: |
Birth Country: Laos |
| Other Names: |
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| Gender:
Female
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Religion: Not Reported
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Reported Minority: Asian
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City of Residence (when first elected):
Saint Paul
Occupation (when first elected):
Attorney
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EDUCATION
Appleton High School, Wisconsin; Secondary;
Brown University, Rhode Island; B.A.; 1992
University of Texas, Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs; M.P.Aff.; 1995
University of Minnesota, Law School; J.D.; 1997
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse:
Nha Yee Chang
Children:
Three children: Chase (son); Sheng and Amelia (daughters, one born during the 2006 session)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
Special Legislative Concerns: education, housing, economic development, safety.
She was the first Hmong American to serve in the Minnesota Legislature. She was also the first Hmong American elected to serve in any state legislature in the United States.
She was the first Asian woman to serve in the Minnesota Legislature.
She came to the United States in 1978.
Her sister, Vallay Varro, was elected to serve on the St. Paul Public School Board in the 2009 election. Her sister also served as St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman's policy director for education.