Michelle De La Isla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michelle De La Isla
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| Mayor of Topeka | |
| In office January 8, 2018 – January 4, 2022 |
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| Preceded by | Larry Wolgast |
| Succeeded by | Mike Padilla |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 19, 1976 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Children | 2 daughters, 1 son |
| Education | University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Wichita State University (BS) Fort Hays State University (MBA) Harvard University |
Michelle De La Isla was the mayor of Topeka, Kansas, from 2018 to 2022. She is an American politician who made history as Topeka's first Latina mayor and the first single mother to hold the position. Before becoming mayor, she served on the Topeka City Council.
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Michelle De La Isla's Early Life and Education
Michelle De La Isla was born on March 19, 1976, in New York City. She spent most of her childhood growing up in Puerto Rico. Later, in 2000, she moved to Wichita, Kansas.
Her College Journey
Michelle De La Isla attended the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez. In 2001, she earned a bachelor of science degree in biology from Wichita State University. She also received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in leadership and human resources from Fort Hays State University. She has also studied at Harvard University.
Michelle De La Isla's Career Path
Before entering politics, Michelle De La Isla worked as a teacher for a program called Upward Bound. In 2005, she moved to Topeka, Kansas. There, she joined an organization called Housing and Credit Counseling, Inc. She started as a coordinator for community relations and Spanish services. Later, she became the chief financial officer for the organization.
Her Political Journey
In 2013, Michelle De La Isla decided to run for a seat on the Topeka City Council. She was elected to represent the fifth district. In 2016, she served as deputy mayor, helping the mayor at the time, Larry Wolgast.
Becoming Mayor of Topeka
On April 11, 2017, Michelle De La Isla announced she would run for mayor. The previous mayor, Larry Wolgast, decided not to seek reelection. On November 7, 2017, Michelle De La Isla won the mayoral election in Topeka. She won by a close margin of 501 votes. She was the first mayor to also keep another job while serving in office. She continued to work at Evergy.
Her Role as Mayor
As mayor, Michelle De La Isla was involved in several important groups. She served on the Board of Regents for Washburn University. She was also on the Board of the Joint Economic Development Organization. She helped lead GO Topeka’s Momentum 2022 plan for Topeka and Shawnee County. This plan aimed to help the community grow.
Running for Congress
On January 6, 2020, Michelle De La Isla announced she would run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She ran as a Democrat to represent Kansas's 2nd congressional district. On August 4, she won the Democratic primary election. This meant she would move on to the general election on November 3, 2020. However, she was defeated by Kansas Treasurer Jake LaTurner in that election.
End of Mayoral Term
On March 19, 2021, Michelle De La Isla announced that she would not run for another term as mayor. Her term ended in January 2022. In September 2023, she became the chief executive at Hack.Diversity, a nonprofit organization based in Boston.
Michelle De La Isla's Family Life
Michelle De La Isla is a mother to three children. She has two daughters and one son.
