Cristine Almeida joined MK after having run her own public affairs firm for 20 years. Recognized for seamlessly integrating with client teams and regularly advising C-suite leaders, Almeida has earned a reputation for highly personalized service, in-depth familiarity with complex subject matter, and clear, real-time communication in fast-moving legislative and crisis environments. Her client roster has ranged from Fortune 100 companies to small, mission-driven nonprofits. With a background and experience in communications as well as politics and public policy, she provides a variety of services to clients, including legislative and regulatory advocacy, media relations, internal and external communications, and crisis management.
She has also led or held leadership positions on major statewide issues and candidate campaigns, gubernatorial transitions, and high-profile public affairs challenges, consistently earning praise for authentic representation and substantive, plain-spoken advocacy. Highlights include leading the 2023 legislative effort on the Hunger-Free Schools initiative, serving as Senior Advisor in 2018 to then-Congressman Tim Walz on his first successful gubernatorial campaign, the Minnesotans United for All Families electoral and legislative efforts, the Clean Water, Land and Legacy constitutional amendment campaign, and numerous other legislative and regulatory victories. She is also a former Chief of Staff of the Minnesota Senate.
Almeida is a graduate of the William Mitchell College of Law and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an alumnus of the German Marshall Memorial Fellowship and the Humphrey Institute Policy Fellowship. She is a member and former officer of the Minnesota Hispanic Bar Association, and is fluent in Spanish. Almeida is a frequent speaker and lecturer at CLEs, area colleges and law schools on the legislative process, negotiations, and various law and legislative topics.