Meet Sue

I am Sue Budd—a mom, neighbor, and your City Councilmember for Ward 3. 

I grew up in Bloomington and studied at the Carlson School of Business at the University of Minnesota. Early in my career, I broke barriers in the business world as a member of the CWA union, before becoming a foster mom inspired me to dedicate my life to service. For the past ten years, I’ve worked in racial equity and community organizing — advocating for families in our schools, strengthening education, and pushing for fairness in social services and the justice system.

Here in St. Louis Park, I helped launch the ISAIAH team, which has brought neighbors together to advance affordable housing, stand up for renters, and work with partners like STEP, our schools, and public safety leaders. We’ve asked tough questions of county, state, and city officials — making sure residents here have a real voice in building a diverse and thriving democracy.

As your councilmember, my focus has always been simple: put people first, deliver results, and make sure every family, renter, and homeowner in Ward 3 has the chance to succeed here. 

Here you can find more information about my platform. 

In 2020, I co-launched an effort in Senate District 46 to bring neighbors together around the simple belief that every person deserves dignity and the chance to thrive. Our team of 50+ residents has since helped hundreds of citizens engage directly with state, city, and county leaders.

Over the past decade, I’ve built partnerships with schools, educators, and health providers to make a difference on issues that affect families every day. With Education Minnesota and SEIU Healthcare, I worked on practical solutions in classrooms and clinics, including reducing exclusionary discipline and improving family access to care.

At St. Joan of Arc, I continue to co-lead leadership development efforts that train and empower residents to step up in our community. Even during COVID, when everything shifted online, we kept people connected through Zoom and ensured local voices continued to be heard.

My approach has always been the same: bring people together, work with organizations big and small, and make sure St. Louis Park families are represented in the decisions that shape our lives.