Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of State Senator Claire Robling, State Representative Lynda Boudreau, Veneta Lykken, and Barbara Wolfe to the Governor's Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Childhood Intervention.

Senator Claire Robling, of Jordan, represents portions of Scott County, including the cities of Shakopee, Savage, Prior Lake, Jordan, New Market, and Elko. She was first elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1996, and was re-elected in 2000 and 2002. Robling serves as co-chair of the Legislative Caucus on Early Childhood. She is a former member of the Senate Family and Early Childhood Committee, which is now part of the Senate E-12 Education Committee. Robling was elected to the position of Assistant Senate Minority Leader. She is appointed as the State Senator member of the Council for a term ending January 1, 2007. Robling fills the seat formerly held by Senator Pat Piper.

Representative Lynda Boudreau, of Faribault, represents portions of Rice and Steele Counties, including the cities of Faribault, Warsaw, Morristown, Medford, Blooming Prairie, Ellendale, and rural Owatonna. She was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 1994, and was re-elected in 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2002. Boudreau serves as chair of the House Health and Human Services Policy Committee. She also serves as a member of the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee. Boudreau was elected to serve as Speaker Pro Tempore of the Minnesota House of Representatives. She is appointed as the State Representative member of the Council for a term ending January 1, 2007. Boudreau fills the seat formerly held by Representative Jim Abeler.

Veneta Lykken, of Minneapolis, is the parent of five children, including three on the Autism Spectrum, representing a wide range of abilities. She currently serves on the Children's Hospital Family Advisory Council. Lykken previously served on the Minneapolis Interagency Early Intervention Committee. She is the producer and director of the documentary "Through Our Eyes," which describes the experience of children with Autism. Lykken fills a Council position for a parent of a child with disabilities under age five. She will serve a term ending January 1, 2007. This is her second term on the Council.

Barbara Wolfe, of Maplewood, is an Associate Professor of Special Education at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. She previously served as an Instructor and Coordinator of the Early Childhood Project at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She received a B.S. in Elementary Education from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wisconsin, a M.Ed. in Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and a Ph.D. in Early Childhood-Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Wolfe fills the Council position for a representative of teacher preparation programs in early childhood-special education. She will serve a term ending January 3, 2005. Wolfe fills the seat formerly held by Mary McEvoy.

The Governor's Interagency Coordinating Council on Early Childhood Intervention is charged with advising on the creation of interagency programs of early childhood intervention services for children with disabilities (primarily under five years of age) and their families. The Council is made up of 17-25 members appointed by the Governor.