House 2012-2012 (District 61B); House 2013-2018 (District 62B)
Party when first elected: Democratic-Farmer-Labor
Counties Served:
Hennepin
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
Date of Birth:
3/27/1963
Birth Place:
Ute Reservation, Utah
Birth County:
Birth Country:
United States
Date of Death:
Gender:
Female
Religion:
Reported Minority: American Indian
Other Names:
City of Residence (when first elected):
Minneapolis
Occupation (when first elected):
Attorney
EDUCATION
Elementary School; Attended 20 Different Schools in 5 Different States by the Time She Was 14 Years Old
Augsburg College; B.A.; Economics, 1992
William Mitchell College of Law; LL.M.; Taxation, 1999
University of New Mexico, Law School; J.D.; 1995
OTHER GOVERNMENT SERVICE
FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS
Spouse/Partner:
Amber Gianera
Children:
One child: Philip Chaltas (son)
Family Members Who Have Served in the Minnesota Legislature:
GENERAL NOTES
She was the first Native American woman to serve in the Minnesota Legislature. (Minnesota Women's Press, December 2017)
She is Lakota, Dakota and Anishinabe. Her father was from the Pine Ridge Reservation and her mother was from the Rosebud Reservation, both in South Dakota. She was a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. (Star Tribune, April 14, 2012)
"Minnesota Democrat Susan Allen made history January 10 as the first Native American Lesbian to be elected to a U.S. State legislature." (Indian Country Today, January 13, 2012)
She was the second openly lesbian member to serve in the Minnesota Legislature.