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Kelda Roys

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Kelda Helen Roys
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the 81st district
In office
January 2009 – January 7, 2013
Preceded byDavid Travis
Succeeded byFred Clark
Personal details
Born (1979-06-24) June 24, 1979 (age 45)
Marshfield, Wisconsin, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseDan Reed
EducationNew York University (BA)
University of Wisconsin, Madison (JD)
WebsiteCampaign website

Kelda Roys (born June 24, 1979) is an American tech entrepreneur, business owner, attorney, and a former Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. She represented the 81st Assembly District from her election in 2008 until 2013, and during the 2011-2013 session, served as Minority Caucus Chair.[1] In September 2011, ran for Congress in Wisconsin's 2nd congressional district,[2] a race she lost in August 2012. She left the Assembly when her second term ended in 2013. In 2017, Roys announced that she would run for Governor of Wisconsin in 2018.[3][4]

Early life and education

Roys attended New York University where she designed her own major in politics, drama, and cultural studies, and received a B.A. magna cum laude in 2000.[5][6] In 2004, she received a J.D. magna cum laude from the University of Wisconsin Law School, focusing on civil rights and international law, and was a participant in the Wisconsin Innocence Project.

Career

Law

During and after college, Roys worked full-time as a real estate agent at The Marketing Directors, Inc. During law school, she worked at several international law firms, including Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, and a firm in Istanbul, Turkey. After law school, she served for four years as the executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin.

Politics

Wisconsin State Assembly

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 six-way Democratic primary with 30% of the vote and was unopposed in the general election.[7]

After being reelected in 2010, Roys was chosen by her peers to serve as the Democratic Caucus Chair in the Assembly. Roys served as Vice-Chair of the Committee on Health and Healthcare Reform, and later served as ranking member on the Committee on Elections and Campaign Finance Reform and the Committee on Consumer Protection & Personal Privacy.

2012 Congressional election

Main article: United States House of Representatives elections in Wisconsin, 2012 § District 2

In 2012, when Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin ran for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Herb Kohl, Roys left her Assembly seat to run for office in the open 2nd Congressional district. She lost to Mark Pocan in a four-candidate Democratic primary.[8]

2018 Gubernatorial election

Main article: Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 2018

Roys declared her candidacy for governor of Wisconsin on December 7, 2017. [9]

She gained national attention when a campaign ad in which she breastfeeds her infant daughter went viral. [10] She was endorsed by NOW [11] and NARAL Pro-Choice America, [12] She won first place by 12 points in the Democratic Party of Wisconsin State Convention straw poll. [13]

Business

In 2013, Roys founded a venture-backed real estate tech company, OpenHomes,[14] a virtual real estate agency that helps homeowners sell their homes.

Roys has served on the boards of TEMPO Madison, Wisconsin Citizen Action, Wisconsin Women's Council, ACLU of Wisconsin, Madison Repertory Theater, Dane County Democratic Party, Sherman Neighborhood Association, Wisconsin Public Interest Law Foundation, Citizen Action of Wisconsin, and the State Bar of Wisconsin's Legal Services Committee.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ Wisconsin State Legislature, 2011-2012 Assembly Officers Accessed February 7, 2012.
  2. ^ Jessica Vanegeren, "Bold move: Kelda Helen Roys risks Assembly seat for shot at Congress", The Capital Times, September 28, 2011. Accessed December 19, 2013.
  3. ^ Jessie Opoien. "Former state Rep. Kelda Roys set to launch campaign for governor in 2018". Host.madison.com. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  4. ^ Cullen, Sandy. "Former Democratic lawmaker Kelda Helen Roys running for governor". Host.madison.com. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  5. ^ D.C. Everest Area School District, Kelda Helen Roys audio interview Accessed January 2, 2012.
  6. ^ Wheeler, Van Sickle and Anderson, Law firm biography Accessed January 2, 2012.
  7. ^ Jason Joyce, "Kelda Helen Roys wins 81st Assembly District, will replace 30-year incumbent Dave Travis", The Isthmus, September 9, 2009. Accessed January 2, 2012.
  8. ^ "Our Campaigns - WI - District 02 - D Primary Race - Aug 14, 2012". Ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  9. ^ "Kelda Roys joins packed field of Dems hoping to challenge Gov Scott Walker". jsonline.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Round of applause for Wisconsin governor candidate who breastfed her baby during campaign ad". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  11. ^ "The Wisconsin chapter of the National Organization for Women endorses Kelda Roys for governor". wispolitics.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  12. ^ "NARAL Pro-Choice America endorses Kelda Roys for governor". wispolitics.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  13. ^ "Wisconsin Democrats 'excited,' 'overwhelmed' by broad governor field, Roys wins straw poll". host.madison.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  14. ^ Marc Eisen, "Former Rep. Kelda Helen Roys launches online startup OpenHomes", Thedailypage.com, August 8, 2013. Accessed December 19, 2013.
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