LWVSPA spotlight, Ken Wrede

Meet July’s LWVSPA spotlight, Ken Wrede!

Ken and his wife, Carol Marks, joined LWVSPA in April 2017. Ken and Carol spent much of their adult lives living overseas, spending time in the Netherlands, Spain, France, and South Korea. When Ken and Carol moved back to St. Pete, they were eager to find ways to participate in their local community, something they had not always had the ability to do when living overseas. After trying out a few local organizations, they attended an LWV event and were immediately interested. They were especially passionate about the idea of supporting voter education and access. 

From that initial event, Ken’s work with the League snowballed. He just wrapped up a term on the League’s Board of Directors, most recently as Board Secretary, and is so proud to be affiliated with this organization and the important work it does. He is especially impressed by and grateful for the many passionate, dedicated people the League has introduced him to, and all that he has learned about our community and the issues the League champions thanks to those individuals. 

When Ken isn’t volunteering with the League, he works as a part-time Crisis Call Operator for 211 Tampa Bay. He also loves his local ToastMasters public speaking group. When asked what his favorite local St. Pete haunts or activities are, Ken immediately mentioned the inflatable kayaks he and Carol own. They especially love taking them through the mangrove trails on Weedon Island Preserve. As for what he is looking forward to this year, beyond just getting back to being together with others, Ken cannot wait until he can travel overseas again to see his kids, who live in the Netherlands.

To learn more about how you can get involved, please go to LWVSPA Website