Oversen, age 26, becomes one of the youngest state party chairpersons in the country; party also elects former Williston Superintendent Warren Larson as vice-chairperson.

(JAMESTOWN, ND – MARCH 7, 2015) – The North Dakota Democratic-NPL Policy Committee met today in Jamestown and elected Grand Forks State Representative Kylie Oversen (District 42) as the party’s new chairwoman.

The party also elected retired Williston Public Schools Superintendent Warren Larson, now of Bismarck, to serve as party vice-chairman. Joanne Beckman of New Salem was re-elected party secretary and Colleen Popelka of Mandan was re-elected party treasurer. Regional representatives were elected to serve on the party’s Executive Committee.

Rep. Oversen, age 26, will be one of the youngest state chairpersons of either party in the country. She succeeds Bob Valeu who had served as party chairman since 2013 and did not seek re-election. Valeu praised Oversen as one of the party’s brightest young stars and emphasized the significance of generational change within the party. “There comes a time in the life of every party when we pass the baton to the next generation and today we’ve placed that baton in the very capable hands of Representative Kylie Oversen,” said Valeu.

Rep. Oversen released the following statement upon her election as party chairwoman:

“I am incredibly honored to lead a party that embraces and encourages its young leaders and its female leaders. I know first-hand that our talented young leaders are not just token members – they are respected and valued. As Democratic-NPL chairwoman, I will work to recruit even more new leaders to our party.

“I have been entrusted with a unique opportunity to rebuild and re-energize our party. I am excited to get to work to shape our message and renew our focus. The DEM-NPL knows that the challenges facing our state are not as great as the opportunities before us. DEM-NPL leaders have always been committed to strengthening our communities from the bottom up. As DEM-NPL chairwoman, I will work to redouble our party’s efforts in providing our communities and families with sensible solutions that address their needs and improves the quality of life for all North Dakotans.

“I am grateful for the support and encouragement of my DEM-NPL colleagues and I look forward to working with each of them as we move forward to the 2016 elections.

About DEM-NPL Chairwoman Kylie Oversen: Kylie has served in the North Dakota House of Representatives since 2012. When elected, she was one of the youngest female legislators in the nation. During the 2013 legislative session, Kylie served on the Human Services and Transportation committees. During the 2013-14 interim, she served on the Higher Education Funding and Government Finance Committees. During the 2015 session, Kylie is serving on the Human Services and Political Subdivisions committees. In 2013, Governor Dalrymple also appointed Kylie to the Olmstead Commission.

After her first term in the legislature, Kylie formed the inaugural Democratic-NPL Women’s Caucus, a group that she now chairs during the 2015 legislative session. This session marked the year with the highest number of women serving in the North Dakota legislature, a majority of which are members of the Democratic-NPL Women’s Caucus.

Since serving in the legislature, Kylie has received several recognitions, including a spot on a list released by the Washington Post’s “The Fix”. The Fix named Kylie one of “40 Under 40 Rising Political Stars” in 2014. The North Dakota Women’s Network also named Kylie the 2014 “Woman of the Year.” Finally, New Generation North Dakota, the “young” leaders of the Democractic-NPL party, recognized Kylie with the Outstanding Achievement Award, alongside fellow state representative, Jessica Haak, in 2013.

Kylie was born and raised in Killdeer, North Dakota. She received two bachelor’s degrees, in Social Sciences and Social Work, from the University of North Dakota. She is currently attending the University of North Dakota School of Law.

Before serving in the legislature, Kylie served as the Student Body President at UND, where she represented more than 14,000 students at the campus, community, and state level. She was an especially strong advocate for underrepresented and disadvantaged student populations. Kylie and her team also worked extensively to restructure the student fees on campus, allowing for more student input and increased transparency in student fee allocations.

Before beginning law school, Kylie interned with the PLUS Program in Grand Forks, where she served children and families in Grand Forks County. She also worked with the UND Alumni Association and Foundation as a special projects coordinator. In this position, Kylie was responsible for overseeing sustainability projects within the new Gorecki Alumni Center, as well as assisting with corporate development research, employee recognition programs, and events.

Kylie is active in the Grand Forks community where she is a member of the Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals, serves on board of directors for the Red River Valley Habitat for Humanity, is a member of the advisory committee for the Area Health Education Coalition, and is a student deacon at the Christus Rex Lutheran Campus Center at UND.

About DEM-NPL Vice-Chairman Warren Larson: Warren currently serves as the chairman of the District 7 Democratic-NPL Party, a district that surrounds the city of Bismarck and is one the fastest growing areas in the state.

Warren is a retired educator who served as a lobbyist for K-12 education throughout his career as an educator and administrator. From 2000 to 2008, Warren was the Superintendent of the Williston Public School system. As Superintendent, he was able to successfully pass a previously unsuccessful school bond issue, construct a new middle school, and served as the lead administrator in an equity and adequacy funding lawsuit against the State of North Dakota that resulted in an unprecedented out of court settlement, the development of a new funding formula, and the addition of millions of dollars in new money for K-12 education in the state.

Following his tenure as Superintendent, Warren worked briefly as Deputy State Director for U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan. In that position, Warren was heavily involved in issues impacting western North Dakota: water projects, oil and energy development, and housing.

In 2012, Warren was a candidate for the North Dakota House of Representatives. Warren and his wife, Kathy Bingeman, make their home in Bismarck.

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From:: Dem-NPL News