Gwen Walz

Gwen Walz (née Whipple; born June 15, 1966) is an American educator and public school administrator. She is the 39th and current First Lady of Minnesota since 2019. She is the wife of Governor Tim Walz.

Gwen Walz
Gwen Walz 2019 (cropped).jpg
Walz in 2019
First Lady of Minnesota
Assumed office
January 7, 2019
GovernorTim Walz
Preceded byMary Pawlenty (2011)
Personal details
Born
Gwen Whipple

15 June 1966 (aged 59)
Glencoe, Minnesota, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
(m. 1994)
Children2
EducationGustavus Adolphus College (BA)
Minnesota State University, Mankato (MA)

Walz worked for over twenty years in the public school system as an English teacher. Her first teaching job was in Alliance, Nebraska.[1][2]

When her husband became governor in 2019, she is the only first lady in Minnesota's history to have an office in the Minnesota State Capitol. Walz is in charge of a policy team focusing on education, corrections, and gun control legislation.[3]

Whipple married Tim Walz in 1994 when he was also working as a teacher.[2] They have two children.[4] She went through in vitro fertilisation before giving birth to their daughter and first child.[5][6]

References

  1. "First Lady Gwen Walz". Office of Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan. https://mn.gov/governor/about-gov/gwenwalz/. Retrieved August 6, 2024. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 Blackburn, Piper (August 6, 2024). "Who is Gwen Walz, the wife of Harris’ new running mate?". CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/08/06/politics/wife-tim-gwen-walz-family/index.html. Retrieved August 6, 2024. 
  3. Bettin, Anthony (2024-08-06). "Who is Gwen Walz, Minnesota's first lady and wife of VP candidate Tim Walz?". CBS Minnesota. Archived from the original on 2024-08-06. Retrieved 2024-08-06.
  4. Wang, Amy B; Rodriguez, Sabrina (6 August 2024). "Tim Walz’s journey from high school football coach to VP candidate". Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/08/06/who-is-tim-walz/. Retrieved 6 August 2024. 
  5. Campuzano, Eder (August 6, 2024). "Who is Tim Walz? Minnesota’s governor and Kamala Harris’ running mate, explained" (in en). Star Tribune. https://www.startribune.com/vp-candidate-tim-walz-background-accomplishments/600853726. Retrieved 2024-08-06. 
  6. Lakritz, Gabbi Shaw, Talia. "Meet the family of Tim Walz, Kamala Harris' VP pick". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-08-06.