The Washington County Historical Society is honored to host a program featuring Minnesota’s first female lieutenant governor Marlene Johnson at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9 at the Washington County Heritage Center.
The evening will feature a conversational interview by former lobbyist John Kaul, highlighting Johnson’s illustrious career and celebrating the launch of her new book, Rise to the Challenge: A Memoir of Politics, Leadership & Love, being released on Sept. 24, 2024. Books will be available for purchase at the event. The Heritage Center is located at 1862 Greeley St. S., Stillwater, MN 55082.
Johnson is a true trailblazer in women’s history, becoming Minnesota’s first female lieutenant governor under Rudy Perpich’s gubernatorial administration in January 1983. Growing up in rural Minnesota, Johnson began organizing and advocating for change early, beginning with a campaign to introduce foreign languages into her high school curriculum. Pursuing a deeply felt commitment to improving the lives of others, she continued to sharpen her leadership skills throughout her life, participating in activist work in college, co-founding organizations to support women entrepreneurs and politicians, and eventually running an international education nonprofit.
As Lieutenant governor of Minnesota, Johnson’s goal was to elevate Minnesota’s global profile through trade, tourism, education, and the arts. She was a notable advocate for students to participate in international educational exchange, seeking to broaden Minnesota student’s perspectives while welcoming foreign exchange students with open arms. She was awarded the Order of the Polar Star by the Kingdom of Sweden in 1988 in honor of “civic merits, for devotion to duty, for science, literary, learned and useful works and for new and beneficial institutions”.
After her time as Lieutenant governor, she served on the national government stage. In 1991, she was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the General Services Administration as associate administrator for management services and human resources.
A story of learning and leadership in politics, business, and public service, Rise to the Challenge is a moving portrayal of spirit, perseverance, and grace in the face of daunting personal challenges, supported by unwavering faith in the public good.
Kaul started working at the Minnesota Senate in 1971, when he was 23. He served as chief of staff to then-Senate Majority Leader Nicholas Coleman, a Democrat, from 1974 to 1980. Later, he worked as a lobbyist for various causes, including chief lobbyist for Minnesota State Universities from 1987 to 1993 and chief lobbyist for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities from 1993 to 2000.
In 2000, he started his own lobbying firm, Capitol Gains, and represented, among others, Washington County, Rochester Public Schools, the Minnesota Hospital Association, Minnesota Twins, Andersen Corp., Minnesota Humanities Commission and the city of Minneapolis. He retired in 2019. (Mary Divine/Pioneer Press)
John has close ties to the Washington County Historical Society, serving for a time as a member of the Board of Directors. He was one of the filmmakers who produced the 2012 movie “Girl From Birch Creek” about Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Wahl in cooperation with the Society. The film won an award from the Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums and was an Official Selection at several film festivals including the American Documentary Film Festival and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival.

Praise for Rise to the Challenge
"Marlene M. Johnson wasn’t just the first woman to be Minnesota’s Lieutenant Governor. She was also the first Lieutenant Governor to have a specific policy portfolio. She had access and influence in ways that laid the groundwork for me and others to follow. Marlene is of a class of women who made important strides in DFL politics, and I'm grateful for her place in Minnesota's history and for this book that tells that story." — Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan
“Marlene M. Johnson's story is one of fortitude, service, and great achievement, all told with humility in this highly readable volume. This is a compelling personal account of a woman who climbed the precarious political ladder in her home state and became an international leader in the field of higher education. Her leadership created a strong network of individuals and institutions that reinforced the values of democratic institutions and academic freedom based on critical thinking and objectivity. This fascinating success story is an important read for aspiring public servants, male or female.”—J. Brian Atwood, former administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development; former dean, Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
The program is free to the public. Reservations are required and space is limited. Please visit wchsmn.org/event/marlene to reserve your spot. Valley Access Channels will be live broadcasting and recording the event.
For questions, contact Washington County Heritage Center Site Manager Emily Krawczewski at emily.krawczewski@wchsmn.org or 651-439-2298. The Washington County Heritage Center is open for visitors Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-4pm.

Founded in 1934, the Washington County Historical Society is a donor-supported, nonprofit organization with more than 750 individual, family, and business members. WCHS is supported by individual gifts, memberships and earned income, and foundation grants.