Meet Carla

Carla received a Bachelor of Science degree in education from Drake University with an emphasis in special education. Her first teaching position was as an elementary special education teacher. She married Terry Nelson and moved to a small rural town where she was a Jr. High resource room teacher. Carla and Terry moved to Rochester in 1983.

Terry is a small business owner and Carla stayed home with their three children until 1992 when she resumed teaching. She taught at Homes Elementary School and Willow Creek Middle School. Carla earned her Master of Education in Teacher Leadership from the University of Minnesota. Additional work at the U of M led to her certification as a reading specialist. There is no doubt, Carla is passionate about education.

Carla served in the Minnesota legislature in 2003 and 2004 during a similar time of historic budget deficits. She fought job-killing tax increases. She has record of championing job and economic growth proposals and was a leader in education reform. Carla made tough but necessary decisions needed to right our ship of state. The budget deficit was solved without increasing job-killing taxes. Carla was a member of the Education Policy Committee, Higher Education Finance Committee, and the Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee.

Since leaving the legislature, Carla has been a small business owner, quickly building a successful insurance and investment firm. She and her dedicated staff have won numerous company and industry awards.

Carla is a public official and was appointed to the Minnesota Higher Education Finance Authority Board where she served from 2005-2009. She is currently a public official on the Capitol Area Architectural Planning Board where she has served since 2005 and she is a public official on the Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation Board where she has served since 2008.

Carla is a proven leader in business, nonprofit and in the faith communities. She has served in various leadership positions with Junior Achievement, the University of Minnesota Citizens Advisory Council, the Friends of Mayowood, and the Rochester Music Guild. She is an advocate for jobs and is an active member of the Rochester Chamber of Commerce, where she serves on the Government Forums and the Government Relations committees.

• Active member of Autumn Ridge Church
• Vice President, Next Chapter Ministries (formerly Rochester Network for Re-entry)
• Past President and current Board of Directors, Friends of Mayowood
• Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs and Government Forums Committee member
• Rochester Rotary Member, Community Service committee
• Rochester Symphony, Orchestra and Chorale - Aspiring Conductor winner and past member

Carla was elected to the Senate in 2010 and represents District 30. Carla serves as the Vice Chair of the Education Committee. She also serves on the Agriculture and Rural Economies Committee, Capital Investment Committee, Jobs and Economic Growth Committee, and the Local Government and Elections Committee. Carla was also appointed to the State Capitol Preservation Commission. Carla has had numerous bills signed into law, focusing on job creation and growth, smarter government, and education reform and results. She is honored to represent the people of Olmsted and Wabasha Counties.