Avonna Starck
State Director, Minnesota Clean Water Action Avonna became the Minnesota State Director in November 2022, having worked in politics for almost two decades. A former legislative staffer, she has worked with dozens of female candidates in Minnesota, most recently running the successful campaigns of the first woman of color to sit on the Anoka County Commission and the first Muslim woman of color to sit on the Blaine City Council. “I came to Clean Water Action because it was an opportunity to come back to positively influence my own back yard. After working for nearly 5 years on the national level, I wanted to improve my community locally. I was attracted to this specific position because it allows me to bring the various elements of my background (campaigns, lobbying fundraising, advocacy) together to achieve one goal. My father was diagnosed with MS when I was young and I currently live in Fridley, which has a Superfund site and a cancer cluster. I am concerned about the legacy we are leaving for our children. And I understand the long-term impact chemicals and toxins in the water have on our health.” Avonna holds an MA in Political Management from The George Washington University. She currently serves her community as Director of the Fridley School Board and Commissioner of the Fridley Charter Commission.
