Renuka Mayadev
21st century American politician
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Renuka Mayadev (born 1974) is an American nonprofit executive and Democratic politician from Madison, Wisconsin. She is a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly, representing Wisconsin's 77th Assembly district since January 2025. She also currently serves as a program advisor for the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Originally from Ohio, she served as a policy advisor to Ohio governor Ted Strickland from 2008 to 2011.
Renuka Mayadev | |
|---|---|
Mayadev in 2026 | |
| Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the 77th district | |
| Assumed office January 6, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Shelia Stubbs |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1974 (age 51–52) Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Daniel Tokaji |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Georgetown University Law Center Northwestern University |
| Profession | Legislator, politician, nonprofit executive |
| Website | Official website Campaign website |
Early life and career
Mayadev was born in Columbus, Ohio, in 1974. She attended public schools in Columbus. Mayadev later attended Northwestern University, majoring in economics. She later attended Georgetown University Law Center, where she got her degree.
After completing her education, Mayadev served in the office of Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, where she was a policy advisor on juvenile justice, public safety, and workers' compensation, among other issues.[1] Later she entered the private sector, working as an executive for the nonprofit United Way - Central Ohio. She also served as the Executive Director for the Children's Defense Fund - Ohio for six years.[2]
During her time at the Children's Defense Fund, Mayadev worked with civil rights activist Marian Wright Edelman.[3]
Since 2021, Mayadev has served on the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association Board of Directors.[4]
Wisconsin State Assembly
Following the 2024 redistricting which ended the 2011 gerrymander in Wisconsin, the 77th district's boundaries were altered, moving to encompass almost the entirety of the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus and its surrounding residential areas. The district's representative, Shelia Stubbs, was moved into a neighboring district. As a result, the 77th district was left open and Mayadev was one of three Democrats who ran for the Democratic nomination, with the other two being pharmacist Thad Schumacher and County Board Supervisor Chuck Erickson.[5][6][7] In the primary, Mayadev had been endorsed by several prominent Democrats, including former governor Jim Doyle and state senator Kelda Roys and went on to defeat her two opponents with 48% of the vote.[8]
As no Republican candidates filed to run, Mayadev did not face a candidate in the November general election and took office in January 2025.[9]
In May 2025, Mayadev formed the first Asian Caucus in the State Assembly with representatives Angelito Tenorio and Francesca Hong.[10]
Personal life
Mayadev lives in Madison with her husband and two children. Her husband, Daniel Tokaji, is the Dean of the University of Wisconsin Law School.[3][11]
Electoral history
Wisconsin Assembly (2024)
| Year | Election | Date | Elected | Defeated | Total | Plurality | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Primary[12] | Aug. 13 | Renuka Mayadev | Democratic | 4,802 | 48.80% | Thad Schumacher | Dem. | 2,784 | 28.30% | 9,840 | 5,038 |
| Chuck Erickson | Dem. | 2,241 | 22.77% | |||||||||
| General[13] | Nov. 5 | Renuka Mayadev | Democratic | 29,888 | 98.35% | --unopposed-- | 30,388 | 29,388 | ||||