Overview
- The Department of Public Safety confirmed Wednesday that Guadalupe Lopez’s employment ended and tapped Kim Babine to lead the office with support from former director Juliet Rudie.
- Lopez said she was shocked by the decision and told reporters she had been accused of making poor leadership decisions.
- A termination letter Lopez shared with KSTP said she showed insufficient progress in leadership and judgment despite training and coaching.
- State officials declined to explain the firing but said the office remains open; MMIR reported three staff members and a $774,000 annual budget.
- Created in 2021 as the first state office focused on preventing violence against Indigenous women, children, and two‑spirit people, the MMIR office has seen three directors in under five years, and Lopez served about nine months after leading Violence Free Minnesota.