The Theater of Public Policy: Mayor Kaohly Her and City Council President Rebecca Noecker
After an unprecedented first half of 2026, St. Paul city leadership is on a mission to solve “nuts-and-bolts” issues in the state’s capital. In this live show, we’re bringing Mayor Kaohly Her and City Council President Rebecca Noecker onstage together to find out just how many trips to the hardware store they’ll need to make.
In a conversation moderated by Tane Danger, we’ll discuss how they to close the city’s $26 million budget gap, where they intersect on policy issues, and what the rest of 2026 holds for St. Paul city leadership. Then, as always, we’ll bring our cast to the stage to perform improvised comedy scenes about everything they heard.
It’s like a meeting at city hall, except way shorter and accompanied by a piano. And also featuring improv. And also not a meeting.
Join us for an entirely unique (and entirely fun!) evening of civic engagement.
Event Info
Location: The Frey Theater at St. Catherine University
Tickets: $25 in advance/$30 at the door (not including taxes & fees)
Doors: 6pm | Show: 7pm
Accessibility: The venue is wheelchair accessible and assistive listening devices (ALDs) are available at the Ticket Office. If you need additional accessibility accommodations, please contact the Ticket Office directly at 651-690-6700 or oshaughnessy@stkate.edu.
Parking: Free parking is available at the venue. Click here for more info.
About the Guests
Saint Paul residents elected KAOHLY HER as the city’s first woman and first Asian American mayor in 2025. Mayor Her was born in the mountains of Laos and came to the United States as a refugee at age three. A strong work ethic, her family’s tenacity, and support from her community propelled Mayor Her to the highest levels of our state government and now to City Hall. She earned her Bachelor’s in Finance from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an MBA from Northeastern University, and is a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Saint Thomas. A finance professional, non-profit executive, stay-at-home mom, school board administrator, and State Representative, Mayor Her brings her years of lived experience across different sectors to help Saint Paul move forward.
REBECCA NOECKER is the President of the Saint Paul City Council and represents the neighborhoods of West Seventh Street, the West Side, Summit Hill, Railroad Island, Lowertown, and the Downtown business district. After growing up in St. Louis Park and studying Social Studies at Harvard, Rebecca moved to Saint Paul in 2011, where she found her home on the West Side and became deeply engaged in the community. She served with the West Side Community Organization before joining the Saint Paul Planning Commission, where she saw firsthand the power of thoughtful local government to improve people’s lives. Rebecca continues to love local government because it is where you can see the connection between a decision made in City Hall and the life of a neighbor down the block. For Rebecca, that connection is what makes public service so meaningful: the opportunity to strengthen communities, solve real problems, and make a difference in people’s everyday lives.