I was born in Neenah, Wisconsin. (Since Neenah is located in the Fox River Valley, does that make me a Valley girl?) My father was employed in Sales in the Automotive Industry, so we moved frequently. Attending Catholic elementary schools, a public high school (Whitefish Bay High School-Milwaukee County), I grew up in both small towns where my friends and I could catch pollywogs during summers in the Fox River, and ice skate across it in the winters. Girl scouts of America was a great group project development through senior high, where I was president of our Mainer Senior Girl Scout troop.
I was fortunate to be awarded a National Merit Scholarship for my four years toward B.A. magna cum laude in Sociology, Honors Studies at St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI. While there, I was involved in student government, a homecoming queen candidate, and the recipient of the Girls Intra sorority touch football trophy (Theta Phi Alpha).
After receiving my bachelor’s degree, I was employed by the federal Govt. Social Security Administration as a Claims Rep. Trainee in Milwaukee, then Minneapolis, MN. Due to marriage in Janesville, WI, I had to resign.
Then, I went to work for the state of Wisconsin Workforce Development and attended the University of Wisconsin White Water evenings and summers to obtain my M.S. in Psychology (Occupational). Private industry attracted me, and I accepted an offer of Human Resources Employment Supervisor-Dana Corp Edematous, WI. Then Labor relations and Salaried Employment Reps General Motors Assembly Division-Janesville, WI and G.M:s new start-up facility in Oklahoma City, OK.
Desiring to move back to Wisconsin to be closer to family, I accepted a position in Human Resources with Wisconsin Electric Power Co. After several years, I found an electric utility too slow-moving, despite its wonderful people.
I then became Human Resource Manager at Charter Steel, Saukville WI. Due to auto industry recession/oil embargo became Human Resource Director for Hubbell Co. Bristol, WI.
Three hip replacement surgeries later, I founded my own consulting firm, Human Resources