| Jenifer Loon | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 42B district |
|
| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2009 |
|
| Preceded by | Erik Paulsen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1963 South Dakota |
| Political party | Republican Party of Minnesota |
| Spouse(s) | Doug |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Eden Prairie, Minnesota |
| Alma mater | Augustana College |
| Profession | legislative policy consultant, legislator |
| Religion | Lutheran |
Jenifer W. Loon (born 1963) is a Minnesota politician and a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives representing District 42B, which primarily includes portions of the city of Eden Prairie in southwestern Hennepin County in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. A Republican, she is also a legislative policy consultant.[1]
Loon was first elected in 2008, running after seven-term Rep. Erik Paulsen opted not to seek re-election in order to run for the U.S. House of Representatives.[2] She was re-elected in 2010.[3] She is currently a member of the House's Environment Policy and Oversight Committee, the K-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee, and the Taxes Committee. She also serves on the Public Safety Policy and Oversight Subcommittee for the Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division.[4]
Loon grew up on a dairy farm in rural South Dakota. While in high school, she was a page in the South Dakota House of Representatives, where her uncle was a member.[5] She graduated from Augustana College in Sioux Falls in 1985, earning her B.A. in Government and International Affairs.[6]
After graduating from college, Loon became active in government at the national level. She was a legislative assistant to U.S. Senator Larry Pressler from 1986–1988, and a lobbyist and legislative representative for Associated Builders and Contractors, a national trade association representing merit shop construction companies, from 1988-1990. She worked in several staff positions for the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1990–1997, including legislative director, minority policy director, minority staff director, and staff director for the House Committee on Small Business (1995–1997), where she worked directly with the committee chair, Congresswoman Jan Meyers of Kansas. From 2003-2007, she was director of government affairs, lead federal lobbyist and legislative strategist for ACA International, a national trade association representing the credit and collection industry.[7][8][9]