Kaohly Her
Kaohly Vang Her is an American politician who became the 56th mayor of Saint Paul in 2026. She is the first woman and the first Asian American to hold the job.
Early life and education
- Born on June 18, 1973, in Laos. She grew up in a refugee camp during the Vietnam War era and spoke Hmong as her first language.
- Her family moved to the United States when she was about four years old and settled in Appleton, Wisconsin.
- Her father worked for the U.S. consulate, her uncle for USAID, and her grandfather fought with the U.S. in the Laotian Civil War.
- She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University, and an EdD from the University of St. Thomas.
Career before politics
- Worked about 15 years in investment and finance.
- Was a community organizer and leader of the Hmong women’s organization Hnub Tshiab: Hmong Women Achieving Together.
- Founded Maiv-PAC to support Hmong-American women.
- Served on the Saint Paul Human Rights Commission and led the Saint Paul Public Schools Board of Education as administrator.
- Worked as policy director for Saint Paul Mayor Melvin Carter before running for office.
Political career
- Elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2018 (served 2019–2025) for District 64A as a member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party.
- Was one of the first two Hmong-American women in the Minnesota House.
- Served on committees including Health Finance and Policy, Legacy Finance, and State and Local Government. Chaired the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement.
- Was the House majority whip from 2021 to 2022, the first Hmong-American woman in House leadership.
- Supported laws to end child marriage, reform police practices, improve gun safety, and address hate crimes.
- Worked on programs to boost English language learning, help foster youth with college expenses, and add equal rights protections.
- Advocated declaring racism a public health issue and supported new gun safety measures and tax changes for high earners.
- Promoted protections for immigrant communities and criticized deportations of refugees.
Mayor of Saint Paul
- In 2025, Kaohly Her won the Saint Paul mayoral election, defeating the incumbent, and took office on January 2, 2026.
- She is the city’s first woman and first Asian American mayor.
- As mayor, she has been outspoken about immigrant rights and police reform and has encouraged accountability in immigration enforcement.
Personal life
- Kaohly Her is married to Kong Her, and they have two children. They live in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 18:45 (CET).