Kai is a genuine, honest and effective leader who will lead an honest, fair and effective government that works for everyone in our community!
He is running for Frederick County Executive because he is the right person for this important job, at the right time. His depth of knowledge about Frederick County and his breadth of experience with county government, combine with his values, vision and dedication to our community to make him the best leader to follow the two terms of current County Executive Jan Gardner.
Kai loves Frederick County, and he will protect what we love about Frederick County, while effectively and efficiently maintaining and improving the many things that county government already does well, and providing the leadership we need to address the familiar and new challenges we face.
Kai Hagen’s life-long connection to Frederick County was established as a child, when he developed his love of nature exploring the Catoctin Mountains around his grandparents’ old mountain farm. He settled here with his wife, Kirsten, almost thirty years ago, and they raised their two boys, Tor and Leif, first in the City of Frederick and then where they now live in northern Frederick County.
Kai and Kirsten met at St. Olaf College in Minnesota. They will celebrate their forty-second wedding anniversary this summer. Kirsten MD MPH, is the Deputy State Epidemiologist and Surveillance Section Head for the Bureau of Epidemiology at the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Together, she and Kai are passionate about ensuring access to excellent health care and a healthy living and working environment for everyone.
Kai is a tireless community advocate and his commitment is forged through decades of experience as a community organizer, a county commissioner, an executive director, and a convener of voices who want to see our community be the best it can possibly be for all who live here.
When he is not serving our communities, you can find him pursuing his interests as a naturalist and serious amateur photographer, whose images of Frederick County have been exhibited in various venues in the county.
For fifteen years he could also be found coaching youth soccer and basketball, and, until the pandemic started, he was playing both regularly himself.
In every role as a public servant he has brought to his work a lifetime of advocacy skills and a core belief that every member of our community — parents and caregivers, students and teachers, veterans, immigrants, small business owners, health care and public safety workers, children and seniors — deserves the opportunity to pursue and live a meaningful life in thriving and prosperous communities.
Kai considers it a great honor and privilege to have had the opportunity and support to serve Frederick County as an elected county commissioner and now as an at-large member of the Frederick County Council. He knows we are stronger together; that…together…we can do great things.
