Kitty Rhoades (née Richie) (April 7, 1951 – June 18, 2016) was an American politician. She served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, where she represented the 30th district, before serving as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
Early life and education Born in Hudson, Wisconsin, Rhoades received a bachelor's degree from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls and a master's degree in education from Illinois State University.
Career Rhoades worked as an educator, small business owner, and consultant. In 1998, she was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly as a Republican.Wisconsin Blue Book 2007-2008, Biographical Sketch of Kitty Rhoades, p. 39.
In the 1990s, Rhoades proposed the term Winnesota to describe Wisconsin's St. Croix and Pierce Counties, which border Minnesota and are within the U.S. Census Bureau's Minneapolis-Saint Paul Metropolitan Area. According to Rhoades, "I still call my area Winnesota. We are in Wisconsin, but it sure is hard to remember it."
Rhoades retired from the state Assembly in 2010,Rhoades Retires From Wisconsin Assembly and took a position with the administration of then-Governor Scott Walker in 2011 as Deputy Secretary of the Department of Health Services. In February 2013, following the resignation of Dennis Smith, she was appointed Secretary.Andy Rathburn, "Gov. Walker appoints Kitty Rhoades to top Wisconsin health post". St. Paul Pioneer Press. February 22, 2013.
Death Rhoades died on June 18, 2016, in Madison, Wisconsin from pneumonia.Wisconsin health services secretary Kitty Rhoades dies at 65Kitty (Richie) Rhoades-obituary
Electoral history
Wisconsin State Assembly (1998–2008) YearElectionDateElectedDefeatedTotalPlurality1998PrimaryRepublican2,78868.25%Rep.1,29731.75%4,0851,491GeneralRepublican9,75557.29%Dem.7,27242.71%17,0272,4832000GeneralRepublican17,30362.76%Dem.10,24737.17%27,5687,0562002GeneralRepublican12,56369.01%Dem.5,63530.95%18,2056,9282004GeneralRepublican20,54061.09%Dem.13,07138.87%33,6247,4692006GeneralRepublican12,79057.40%Dem.9,47942.54%22,2823,3112008PrimaryRepublican2,43286.70%Rep.37213.26%2,8052,060GeneralRepublican19,72954.74%Dem.16,27845.17%36,0413,451
References
External links Follow the Money - Kitty Rhoades 2008 2006 2004 2002 2000 1998 campaign contributions Campaign 2008 campaign contributions at Wisconsin Democracy Campaign