Published 3:47 pm Thursday, June 13, 2024 By Sarah Stultz Albert Lea’s incumbent 1st Ward city councilor said she looks forward to serving her next term on the council after filing for reelection. Rachel Christensen, a 1976 Albert Lea High School graduate, was first elected to the council in 2022 to finish the term of Rich Murray, who ran successfully for mayor. This fall she is unopposed as she seeks her first regular four-year term.
Christensen, who has an extensive business and banking background, also works with an international therapeutic music training program, teaching music and technique. She has served on numerous boards, including for Jobs Inc., what used to be known as the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation Board and the Albert Lea Planning Commission, among others.
She said after her first year and a half on the council, one of the things she has enjoyed most is the learning process in the role. “In addition to learning about the functioning as a city councilor and being a part of oversight of city government, (I’ve enjoyed) becoming more involved with organizations, like the Chamber and the Blue Zones committee, finding out more about Senior Resources and all the different groups that are active in making Albert Lea a better place for everyone.” She said it has been eye-opening for her to see how much more goes on than she was aware of before coming into the position.
She encouraged anyone who may have any sort of negativity about the community to .
