Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota and a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, has been married twice. His current wife is Sarah Clarke, an attorney and a former lobbyist at Hylden Advocacy & Law. The firm represents clients before state and local governments, including Minneapolis.
In March 2016, Hylden Advocacy represented an industry group that opposed a proposed ban on plastic carry-out bags. Because Frey was then serving on the Minneapolis City Council, questions were raised about whether his wife’s work created a conflict of interest.
Speaking at the time, Frey explained his “wife lobbies exclusively over at the state Capitol. She hasn’t touched on any city issues that I’ve been involved in. And on the particular issue of the plastic bags. I actually didn’t even vote in the way that the firm was lobbying.”
To avoid any appearance of impropriety, Frey said the couple sought guidance even before they were married. “We checked with the attorneys. We checked with the ethics officer, just to make sure that everything we were doing was absolutely correct and right by the law,” the politician explained. “And it all checked out, and we are.”
Let’s know more about Jacob Frey’s wife, Sarah Clarke, their married life with two children, and how his first marriage to Michelle Lilienthal came to an end.
Who Is Sarah Clarke?
Clarke currently serves as a corporate counsel at Nokomis Energy in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has held that position since August 2023.
She earned her bachelor’s degree in political science, government, and history from the University of Minnesota in 2010. Clarke later went on to pursue her J.D. at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, completing the program in 2020.
Before law school, she gained experience in civic and government work. From 2012 to 2014, the celebrity spouse was the Director of Government Relations and Civic Engagement for the Minnesota State College Student Association (MSCSA). In 2014, she briefly worked as a lobbyist for both the Emerging Workforce Coalition and Better Futures Minnesota, holding each role for about five months.
Later that year, in October 2014, she joined Clean Energy Economy Minnesota as a business outreach manager, where she worked for more than a year.
From there, she moved on to Hylden Advocacy & Law as director of government affairs, where her work involved advancing client interests through legal problem-solving and legislative advocacy. According to her LinkedIn profile, her lobbying efforts included securing over $70 million annually in public funding for early learning scholarships and codifying collective impact in Minnesota.
She also worked as an attorney at Treehouse Management, LLC, from January 2022 until August 2023, before taking on her current role at Nokomis Energy.
Jacob Frey and Sarah Clarke Got Married in 2016
Frey and Clarke tied the knot on July 2, 2016, at the Minneapolis Event Centers. The venue itself celebrated the occasion with a congratulatory post and photos from the celebration on its Facebook page. “We were so happy to help host Jacob Frey & Sarah Clarke’s wedding this past weekend! Congrats to the perfect couple! Cheers to you and your wonderful group of family and friends, we could not have had a better time helping your guests have an AMAZING evening at Minneapolis Event Centers!” the message read.
The couple first met through community organizing, and their relationship has continued to be grounded in shared commitments to environmental sustainability, economic development, and social justice.
The mayor has also spoken openly about his marriage. In July 2025, as they celebrated their ninth wedding anniversary, Frey shared a short video of the two of them on Instagram and wrote, “9 years ago yesterday we got married.” He followed with another memory: “And 9 years ago today we were leaving for Paris. We got it good.”
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Jacob Has Two Kids With His Wife
He is the father of two daughters with his better half, Sarah. Their first child, Frida Jade Frey, was born in September 2020. On July 31, 2025, the couple welcomed their second daughter, Estelle Bloom Frey.
Frey shared the news on Instagram, writing, “Estelle Bloom Frey, we love you! Sarah is a bad ass who handles it all with strength and grace, and giving birth early this morning was no exception. Together we are over the moon. Estelle is a beaming light, and Frida is already stepping in to her big sister role like a pro. We feel incredibly lucky, and are grateful for all the love from our great Minneapolis family.”
Just as he has been open about his marriage, Frey has also spoken candidly about fatherhood. He often posts photos of his daughters on social media, expressing the joy of raising them.
The family of four lives together in Northeast Minneapolis.
Who Is Frey’s Ex-Wife, Michelle Lilienthal?
Frey’s first marriage was to Michelle Lilienthal, a marathon runner known for her distance events. They married in 2009, but the relationship ended soon after, and the two divorced.
Lilienthal continued her running career, competing in multiple Olympic Trials Marathons. She later moved into the corporate world and now works as a consultant at Apple Inc.
Today, she lives in Portland, Maine, with her husband, former University of Maine runner Marc Halverson, and their young son.
