House 1979-82 (District 38A); House 1983-92 (District 41B); House 1993-94 (District 40B)
Party when first elected: Independent Republican
Counties Served: Hennepin
Academy of Holy Angels High School; Secondary; University of Notre Dame; B.A.; Sociology, Summa Cum Laude, Phi Betta Kappa, 1976University of Minnesota, School of Social Work; M.S.W.; Social Work, 1978University of Minnesota, Law School; J.D.; Cum Laude, 1984
Spouse: Single (when first elected); Thomas "Tom" Berkelman (married in 1984; divorced after she left the legislature); Wheelock Whitney (married in April 2005) Children: Three children: Hunter, Carter, and Max (sons; one was born in 1986, while she was in office) Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature: Jerome V. Blatz - Father Thomas R. Berkelman - Husband
She was Minnesota's first female Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.At 24 years of age she was the youngest female legislator at the time of swearing in.She was appointed a Special Master during the Minnesota state government shutdown in 2011. She heard arguments for funding requests and was the person responsible for interpreting the ruling by Ramsey County District Court Judge Kathleen Gearin related to shutdown funding.