Margaret Anderson Kelliher

Margaret Anderson Kelliher was appointed commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) on Dec. 18, 2018, by Minnesota Governor Elect Tim Walz. She began the job on Jan. 7, 2019, when the Walz-Flanagan administration took office. MnDOT is the Minnesota state agency charged with managing and maintaining the state’s multi-modal transportation system.

Margaret grew up on a family farm near Mankato, Minn. She served 12 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives, where she was elected the Minnesota House Speaker for four years. While in the Minnesota House, she served 10 years on both the Transportation Policy and Transportation Finance committees. Since 2011, she has been the president of the Minnesota High Tech Association.

While serving as House Speaker, Margaret oversaw the successful Transportation and Transit Funding package in 2008, creating an investment of new and dedicated funds into Minnesota’s bridges, roads, and transit system. At the time of passage, the legislation was a groundbreaking investment in the multimodal transportation and transit system in Minnesota and nationally.

Margaret has served on many volunteer community boards including:
• Chair of the Governor’s Broadband Task Force
• Member of the Minnesota State (formerly Minnesota State Colleges and Universities or MnSCU) Board of Directors
• Member of the Greater Metropolitan Workforce Development Council
• Member of the Textile Center Board of Minnesota

She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a BA in political science and from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government with a master’s in public affairs mid-career. Margaret is married with two young adult children and lives in Minneapolis.