Meet Irene

Irene currently serves as Hennepin County Commissioner for District 2, which includes Golden Valley, Medicine Lake, southeast Plymouth, St. Anthony, North Minneapolis, Northeast Minneapolis, and the North Loop and Bryn Mawr neighborhoods in Minneapolis.

Irene was elected to the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners in November of 2018. Together, she and Commissioner Angela Conley (District 4) were the first people of color elected to the County Board in Hennepin’s 169 year history. She is the youngest woman to serve in this position, and she is the first Filipino-American elected in the state of Minnesota.

Before joining the County Board, Irene worked in not-for-profit and corporate settings, and she instructed college courses. Her expertise is in youth development, social entrepreneurship, shared leadership models, talent development, and systems change. Irene studied at the University of Minnesota where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Business and a Master of Education in Youth Development Leadership, and she is also currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Human Resource Development.

Irene lives in the Harrison neighborhood of Minneapolis with her partner Kent. She loves this community and can often be found out on her front porch chatting with her neighbors or cheering on the Minnesota Lynx!

Roles

Irene currently serves as Chair of the Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA), Chair of Hennepin’s Complete Count Committee, and Vice Chair of the Administration, Libraries and Budget Committee. In these roles, she leads Hennepin’s work on transit, economic development, community engagement, disparity reduction, and workforce development.

As Chair of the HCRRA, Irene works with the Metropolitan Council to advance a high quality regional transit system that aligns with Minnesota’s size, assets, and needs. She ensured a new direction for the Blue Line Extension light rail project, which will result in trajectory-changing economic investments for a historically disinvested corridor. And she partnered with cities and the State to expand transit projects in every district in Hennepin County.

She serves as a Board Member for Hennepin Healthcare, the County’s safety net hospital, and NorthPoint Health & Wellness where she works to bring equity to our local health system. Irene sits on several boards related to criminal justice, public safety, 911, and emergency response, where she contributed to the formation of the Youth Justice Council and Transition-Age Probation Unit. She also leads on the No Wrong Door initiative with a mission to fight against the sexual exploitation of youth.

Irene previously served as Chair of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA), and Vice Chair of the Public Safety Committee. While Chair of the HRA, she created a new approach to how Hennepin invests in affordable housing, with a focus on building housing with integrated social services so residents have easier access to the support they need.

Current Leadership Positions

  • Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, Chair

  • Hennepin County Administration, Libraries and Budget Committee, Vice Chair

  • 2020 Census Complete Count Committee, Chair

  • Hennepin Healthcare System  Board, Commission Appointee

  • NorthPoint Health & Wellness Board, Member

  • Health Insurance, Benefits and Employee Wellness Advisory Board, Member

  • Hennepin County No Wrong Door Initiative, Sponsor

  • Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, Member

  • Joint Committee on Community Corrections, Member

  • Bottineau Community Works Steering Committee, Co-Chair 

  • Metropolitan Emergency Services Board, Vice Chair

  • Hennepin County Emergency Medical Service Advisory Group, Member

  • Statewide Emergency Communications Board Steering Committee, Chair

  • NextGen-911 National Interoperability Commission, Founding Member

  • Hennepin-Carver Workforce Development Board, Local Elected Official

  • Workforce Leadership Council, Chair

  • Assn. of Minnesota Counties Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Member

  • Assn. of Minnesota Counties General Government Committee, Member

  • Assn. of Minnesota Counties Economic Development, Workforce, and Housing Subcommittee, Vice Chair