Erin Murphy MAOL’05 delivered the keynote address at winter Commencement in 2018. Photo by Rebecca Zenefski Slater ’10.
In 2006, just one year after completing her Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership degree from St. Catherine University, Erin Murphy MAOL’05 was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives. Murphy served 12 years on the Minnesota House of Representatives, as she was re-elected to represent District 64A in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014. She was then elected to the Minnesota State Senate in 2020. On February 6 of this year, Murphy was elected the Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate.
“It usually takes women seven or eight times of being asked before they think about running,” Murphy told St. Kate’s students at 2017 Day at the Capitol. “It’s a powerful place to make change, to make a difference. We need more voices that look like you and me — so consider this one of your asks.”
Murphy remains connected to the St. Kate’s community: she delivered the keynote address at the 2018 Winter Commencement, has served as an adjunct professor in nursing, and engages in student discussions in and outside the classroom. As the former executive director of the Minnesota Nurses Association, she has advocated for nurses across the state, ensuring they uphold the integrity of practicing nursing while also receiving community support.
Murphy’s leadership continues to inspire and resonate with young St. Kate’s students and alumni, as she exemplifies the mission to lead and influence and encourages young women to run for office, a place often underrepresented for women.