Her Story
About Alexis
Alexis Kise is a government affairs and public affairs professional based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she works as a Government Affairs Specialist at Momentum Advocacy, a contract lobbying and advocacy firm. In this role, she partners with policymakers, nonprofits, and aligned stakeholder groups to design issue-based and message-driven campaigns, mobilize grassroots support, and turn community advocacy into concrete legislative outcomes during the legislative session. Her work is centered on identifying and creating windows of opportunity for the organizations she represents, helping them navigate the complexities of the legislative process with clarity and strategic focus.
Alexis's path into government affairs began unexpectedly. After navigating significant personal challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, she found her way into public policy through volunteer work on a political campaign, which set her on a course toward public service. She went on to serve as a legislative assistant and later as a staff member in the Minnesota Senate, working alongside legislative leadership and supporting caucuses focused on People of Color and Indigenous legislators, as well as engaging with the DFL. Over roughly four years in government and advocacy work, including the past two at Momentum Advocacy, she has built a reputation for empathy-driven conflict resolution and a genuine commitment to transparency, including a belief in the value of making mistakes openly as a path to accountability and growth. She holds a Master's degree in political leadership and advocacy, building on earlier studies in social science.
What distinguishes Alexis most is the philosophy she brings to her work: that lasting policy change grows out of listening first, building trust across differing perspectives, and treating relationships as one of the most valuable tools in public service. She is candid about having faced imposter syndrome in a demanding, high-stakes field, and she counsels young women entering government and advocacy to trust their instincts, document their frustrations and ideas as fuel for growth, and hold themselves to standards they define rather than ones imposed from outside. She sees real opportunity in expanding women's influence in Minnesota politics and in building more transparent systems, such as clear pay and classification structures, that open doors for people arriving from nontraditional backgrounds. Above all, family remains her central motivator, and community, integrity, and authentic connection are the values she carries into every room she enters.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Alexis
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to authenticity, resilience, empathy, and a genuine commitment to building relationships. My path into this work began during a difficult season of my life, when I was a stay-at-home mother navigating my son's autism diagnosis and the uncertainty of potential homelessness during COVID. Volunteering on a political campaign opened my eyes to the power of public policy, and that experience grew into leadership roles within the Minnesota Senate, where I worked alongside Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy and the People of Color and Indigenous Legislators Caucus before joining Momentum Advocacy. I've learned that meaningful policy comes from listening first, finding common ground, and building trust across differing perspectives, and I take real pride in helping translate community concerns into legislative action, including championing salary transparency initiatives in government employment. Ultimately, I believe lasting change happens when people lead with integrity, respect, and a genuine commitment to serving others.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've ever received is to trust myself instead of seeking constant external validation. I've learned that confidence comes from developing my own personal standards, embracing authenticity, and recognizing that even the most accomplished leaders experience moments of self-doubt. That mindset has helped me overcome imposter syndrome and lead with courage, even in challenging political environments.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I encourage young women entering government and advocacy to trust their instincts, embrace what makes their experience unique, and never let imposter syndrome silence their voice. Meaningful leadership comes from authenticity, continuous learning, and the courage to ask hard questions while staying open to other perspectives. Most importantly, I remind women that relationships are one of their greatest strengths, and that treating others with respect, even in disagreement, is what creates lasting influence and meaningful change.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Women in government and advocacy continue to face real challenges around childcare, work-life balance, salary equity, and overcoming imposter syndrome in leadership roles, and even as more women rise into positions of influence, systemic barriers can still limit how fully they're able to exercise that leadership. At the same time, I see tremendous opportunity for women to reshape the future of public policy through authentic leadership, collaborative problem-solving, and greater transparency. By supporting one another, trusting our own abilities, and building respectful relationships across differences, I believe women will keep expanding their influence and building more equitable systems for the next generation.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My life is guided by authenticity, empathy, integrity, and service. I believe respectful dialogue is the foundation of effective leadership, and that people can disagree while still working together toward meaningful solutions. My own experiences navigating family challenges have deepened my compassion and strengthened my commitment to building systems that better support individuals and families. Family remains at the center of everything I do, serving as both my motivation and my inspiration, and I've learned so much from my children about resilience and perspective. I recharge by embracing the different dimensions of my work, because I've found that purpose and balance are both essential to sustaining a fulfilling career in public service.
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