| Rep. Kelda Helen Roys | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 81st district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2009 |
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| Preceded by | David Travis (D) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 24, 1979 Marshfield, Wisconsin |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Madison, Wisconsin |
| Alma mater | New York University and University of Wisconsin Law School |
| Occupation | attorney |
| Website | Representative Kelda Helen Roys |
Kelda Roys is an attorney and a Democratic Party member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing the 81st Assembly District since her election in 2008. For the 2011-2013 session, Roys serves as Minority Caucus Chair in the Assembly.
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Kelda Helen Roys was born in Marshfield, Wisconsin and is the oldest of four daughters. She attended public schools on Madison’s North side and graduated from Madison East High School. Her family remains in Madison, her parents are Krista Roys, a social worker and stepfather William O'Connor, an environmental lawyer. Her father is prosecutor and former district attorney Arthur Thexton.
Roys attended New York University where she designed her own major in "politics, drama, and cultural studies" and received a B.A. degree magna cum in 2000. [1][2] She received her J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School, focusing on civil rights and international law.
During and after college, Roys worked full time as a real estate agent at The Marketing Directors, Inc.. After law school,, she served for four years as the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin.
Roys has served on the boards of the Dane County Democratic Party, Sherman Neighborhood Association, ACLU of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Interest Law Foundation, and the State Bar of Wisconsin's Legal Services Committee, which aims to improve access to legal services for low-income people.
In 2008, Roys won election to the Wisconsin State Assembly representing the 81st Assembly district, filling the seat left vacant by the retirement of Dave Travis who had held the seat since 1983. She won a five-way Democratic primary with 30% of the vote and was unopposed in the general election.[3]
After being reelected in 2010, Roys was chosen by her peers in the Wisconsin State Assembly to serve as the Democratic Caucus Chair in only her second term.
An expert in women’s health policy, Rep. Roys served as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Health & Healthcare Reform, and she currently serves as Ranking Member on the Committee on Elections & Campaign Finance Reform and the Committee on Consumer Protection & Personal Privacy.
Kelda is married to Dan Reed, is a small business owner and strategy consultant. They live in Madison with his two daughters, Erin and Emily.