May 14, 2021
Today, University of Minnesota Board of Regents Chair Ken Powell and University President Joan Gabel issued the following statements in response to the death of Regent Kao Ly Ilean Her, who was elected as the first Hmong woman to the Board of Regents in 2019. She was serving a six-year term from one of the Board’s at-large positions. Her was also a University of Minnesota Law School alum and an active civic leader.
Board Chair Ken Powell:
“I and my colleagues on the Board of Regents are devastated to learn about Ilean’s passing. Ilean’s death is not only the loss of a great colleague, but also the significant loss of a strong voice for diversity and inclusion in the Minnesota communities the University serves. She regularly used that voice in support of making the University affordable and accessible to all Minnesotans. Ilean was on the Board for a far too brief time, but she quickly established herself as a careful listener and a true champion for higher