FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Mary C. Turner, RN, MNA President, and Robyn Gulley confirmed today by Minnesota Legislature
“I am honored to have the overwhelming confidence of the Minnesota Legislature to take on this important work for University of Minnesota students, workers, and all Minnesotans who benefit from the reach of our incredible public university system,” said Mary C. Turner, RN, President of the Minnesota Nurses Association. “I am excited to get to work with another strong voice for workers, Robyn Gulley, and with all of our fellow Regents to advance an equitable vision for the future of the University of Minnesota.”
Mary C. Turner, RN, has served as Minnesota Nurses Association President since 2015 and is an ICU nurse at North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale. In 2021, she was selected by President Biden to serve as the only frontline healthcare worker on his COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force. Turner has been on National Nurses United’s Joint Nursing Commission since 2011, and serves on the board of Isuroon, which provides empowerment, culturally sensitive health education, and advocacy for Somali women. Turner was confirmed today to the Board of Regents seat for Congressional District 3.
Robyn Gulley is a Training Specialist with the Minnesota AFL-CIO and a former labor organizer. Gulley is also the Founder and Executive Director of the New Brookwood Labor College, dedicated to educating workers in building working-class solidarity and power. Gulley serves on the West St. Paul City Council which she was elected to in 2020, where she has worked to increase transparency and engagement, advocating for accessibility, language translation, and remote meeting participation. Gulley was confirmed today to the Board of Regents seat for Congressional District 2.
The University of Minnesota Board of Regents is the governing body for the University system. As one of the state’s largest employers and Minnesota’s largest educational institution, the University of Minnesota has an enormous impact on the local workforce and the communities it serves. While there had been a decades-long tradition of labor representation on the Board, there has been no labor voice on the Board of Regents since 2011. Among important policy and governance issues overseen by the Board is the future of the University of Minnesota medical system and school.
