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Wisconsin Women in Government is the exclusive sponsor of the new WisconsinEye series, "The Difference: Women in Public Life," that recently premiered on cable television and the internet.

The series of 12 monthly half-hour programs focus on women active in government and engaged in civic life and public service at all levels in Wisconsin. Through features, roundtable discussions and historical segments, The Difference presents a variety of roles and experiences of women in Wisconsin’s public life and explores the different ways men and women may look at key issues and public service.

"We are thrilled to provide funding support for this important new program," said Grace Cudney, WWIG President. "Women play such a dynamic role in public service today. This show provides a unique perspective on the many contributions of women at all levels of government."

The series will feature women active in government and engaged in civic life and public service at all levels, as well as historical segments developed with archival material from the Wisconsin Historical Society. Roundtable discussions will bring together women and men from across the state and from various perspectives to explore the different ways men and women may look at public service and key issues. Each show will close with straightforward advice from successful women in public life.

The first of the series aired on Friday, April 30 and focused on women in elected office. The show featured Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton, the first women elected to the state Assembly in 1924, a roundtable discussion with former legislators Mary Panzer and Barb Ulichny and Andrea Kaminski of the League of Women Voters, and words of advice from Senators Darling and Harsdorf, Representative Roys, and Lt. Governor Lawton.

The next episode in the series will focus on women in the workforce and will begin running on June 4. The women in the workforce episode will feature Secretary Gassman and a roundtable discussion with representatives from 9to5, the National Association of Women Business Owners, and Wisconsin Women Business Initiative. The series regularly airs on Mondays and Fridays at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m. on Charter Channel 995 and at wiseye.org. All series episodes will also be available on-demand at the Web site. Additional information is available on the Wisconsin Eye website at http://www.wiseye.org/thedifference.html.

Wisconsin Women in Government was founded in 1987 to celebrate and support the talented women who choose a career in government service. Each year, WWIG awards scholarships to women pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate study at any Wisconsin institution of higher education. WWIG also awards a number of other scholarships to women pursuing careers in government service, including the La Follette Graduate Seminar program, the Bonnie Reese legislative internship, the NEW Leadership Seminar, and Badger Girls State.

Karen Hughes to Keynote WWIG's 23rd Annual Banquet WEDNESDAY

MADISON – Ambassador Karen Hughes will give the keynote address at Wisconsin Women in Government’s (WWIG) 23^nd Annual Scholarship Recognition Banquet tomorrow, Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.

Hughes is a veteran Republican political advisor from Texas who served former President George W. Bush in a number of key roles, including as White House Counselor from 2001 to 2002. From 2005-2007, she served as U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs. She is the author of Ten Minutes from Normal, a book about her experiences working for President Bush and her decision to leave the White House and move home to Texas in 2002.

The banquet will also honor six health care leaders with the Wisconsin Woman of Distinction Award for their tireless devotion to and many accomplishments in women’s health issues. This year’s recipients are: Gale Johnson, Wisconsin Department of Health Services; Dr. Sheri Johnson, Medical College of Wisconsin; Representative Kitty Rhoades, Wisconsin State Assembly; Senator Judy Robson, Wisconsin State Senate; Sue Ann Thompson, Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation; and Secretary Karen Timberlake, Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

The banquet's health care awareness theme is also reflected in a 2010 partnership between WWIG and the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Convention attendees will be addressed briefly by Susan G. Komen Foundation Executive Director Michelle Heitzinger and will have access to breast cancer awareness resources provided by the Foundation.

A limited number of individual tickets will be available at the registration table at the Monona Terrace on Wednesday from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Payment by check is preferred, $65 payable to WWIG. Raffle tickets will also be on sale, with proceeds benefiting WWIG’s Scholarship Fund. The event will begin with a networking reception at 5:15 p.m. The dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m., with the keynote address and awards program immediately following.

WWIG Announces Local Business Support for Banquet Prizes

Excitement is building for this year’s 23rd Annual Wisconsin Women in Government Banquet on May 5, and local businesses are stepping up to donate prizes to support even more opportunities for young women.

“The 2010 Women in Government Banquet is shaping up to be an exciting one, and we’re delighted to have the support of local businesses who have donated prizes, services, and time in order to support the mission of our organization,” said Grace Cudney, President of the WWIG Board of Directors.

Prizes and services donated to be raffled off at the WWIG Banquet from businesses in the Madison community include:

• A stay at Madison’s New Hyatt Place Hotel
• A stay at Madison’s Hilton Monona Terrace
• A stay at Madison Concourse Hotel
• Two Roundtrip Tickets from Frontier Airlines
• A Spa Package from Kneaded Relief in Fitchburg
• Copies of Keynote Speaker Karen Hughes’ Book Ten Minutes from Normal

Banquet attendees will have an opportunity to purchase tickets to win all of these prizes on the night of the banquet.

Advance tickets must be purchased by Friday, April 30, 2010 and can be purchased online at www.WiscWomenInGovernment.org. Those interested in attending can also call (608) 848-2321 for more information.

This year’s banquet will be held on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at the Monona Terrace Exhibition Hall in Madison and features keynote speaker Ambassador Karen Hughes. Hughes is a veteran Republican political advisor from Texas who served former President George W. Bush in a number of key roles, including as White House Counselor.

The banquet will begin with a networking reception at 5:15 p.m. The welcome and dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m., with the keynote address and awards program immediately following.

WWIG’s annual dinner is the premier bipartisan political event in Wisconsin, attended by more than 1,000 state and local elected officials, business leaders, public servants, and political enthusiasts. Since 1987, WWIG has raised money to support and encourage women to choose a career in government service. Each year, the organization awards scholarships to women pursuing undergraduate study in public service and administration and government affairs.

NOTE: Media interested in attending should contact Jessica Erickson at 608-215-0468 or via email at jessicaerickson20@hotmail.com for media credentials.

WWIG Announces Women of Distinction Awards to 6 Leaders in Promoting Women’s Health Issues

Wisconsin Women in Government (WWIG) announced today its “Women of Distinction” Awards to six leaders who have played a vital role in promoting women’s health issues in Wisconsin.

This year’s recipients, who will be honored at WWIG’s annual spring banquet in Madison, are: Gale Johnson, Wisconsin Department of Health Services; Dr. Sheri Johnson, Medical College of Wisconsin; Representative Kitty Rhoades, Wisconsin State Assembly; Senator Judy Robson, Wisconsin State Senate; Sue Ann Thompson, Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation; and Secretary Karen Timberlake, Wisconsin Department of Health Services.

“Each year, WWIG honors women who have been trailblazers in government,” said Grace Cudney, WWIG Board President. “This year, we are proud to honor women who have had expansive accomplishments and far reaching effects on women’s health issues across Wisconsin.”

Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of these extraordinary “Women of Distinction” at this year’s 23^rd Annual Banquet on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.

Individual banquet tickets are still available, and can be purchased online at www.WiscWomenInGovernment.org. Sponsorships are also still available, and information on sponsorship levels and how to reserve your table can also be found at www.WiscWomenInGovernment.org. Those interested in attending may call (608) 848-2321 for more information.

Ambassador Karen Hughes, a former White House Counselor under President George W. Bush, will keynote this year’s banquet. The event will begin with a networking reception at 5:15 p.m. The dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m., with the keynote address and awards program immediately following.

WWIG’s annual dinner is the premier bipartisan political event in Wisconsin, attended by nearly 1,000 state and local elected officials, business leaders, public servants, and political enthusiasts. Since 1987, WWIG has raised money to support and encourage women to choose a career in government service. Each year, the organization awards scholarships to women pursuing undergraduate study in public service, administration and government affairs and honors “Women of Distinction” at its annual banquet.

Gale Johnson has served the Department of Health Services for over 25 years. She has served as director for the Wisconsin WellWoman Program since it began 15 years ago. This program provides free and low cost screening for breast and cervical cancer to women who are uninsured or underinsured. Johnson worked tirelessly to ensure that treatments for these diseases would also be covered. Under her leadership, the WellWoman program has been expanded to include additional cardiovascular and diabetic preventative health screening.

Dr. Sheri Johnson serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Center for Advancement of Underserved Children, at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr. Johnson addresses the public health needs of underserved children across the state, focusing on fighting the racial and ethnic disparities in birth outcomes. Previously, she served as an Administrator of the Division of Public Health and the State Health Officer at the Department of Health and Family Services.

Representative Kitty Rhoades was elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1998 and is currently serving her sixth and final term for the 30th Assembly District. Rhoades served on the Joint Finance Committee from 2003-2008 and served as the committee’s first Republican Assembly woman co-chair. Rhoades has received numerous awards for her work in the Legislature to ensure Wisconsinites have access to quality and affordablehealth care services.

Senator Judy Robson was the first Democratic woman to serve as Minority Leader and Majority Leader in the Wisconsin State Senate. She fought for legislation to ensure that birth control is covered by insurance, funding for smoking prevention and cessation, smoke-free workplace laws, required insurance coverage for mammograms, autism spectrum disorders, mental health services, and pay equity legislation. She is retiring this year after serving 23 years in the Wisconsin State Legislature.

Sue Ann Thompson has focused much of her attention on women’s health issues, education, and volunteerism. Out of love and compassion for her daughters and all the women of Wisconsin, Sue Ann established the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation (WWHF) in 1997 during her tenure as First Lady, and after 34 years as a teacher, she retired to assume a full-time role as the Foundation’s president. WWHF’s mission is to help women become advocates for their own health by providing them with the information, resources and tools they need to be healthy.

Secretary Karen Timberlake has spent the last 15 years serving the people of Wisconsin, including her current position as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Under her leadership, 98 percent of Wisconsin residents have access to basic health care and Wisconsin is the nation’s health care leader, ranking first in health care quality and second in health insurance coverage. Timberlake strongly supported the workplace smoking ban, and has worked on several legislative issues to ensure the reproductive health of Wisconsin residents. Timberlake has also positioned Wisconsin to lead in the implementation of national health care reform and she will continue to take on new challenges as co-leader of the Office of National Health Care Reform.

Karen Hughes to Keynote 23rd Annual WWIG Scholarship Recognition Banquet

Dinner to Be Held Wednesday, May 5 at the Monona Terrace in Madison

MADISON – Wisconsin Women in Government (WWIG) announced today that Ambassador Karen Hughes will keynote the organization’s 23rd Annual Scholarship Recognition Banquet on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison. Hughes is a veteran Republican political advisor from Texas who served former President George W. Bush in a number of key roles, including as White House Counselor from 2001 to 2002.

“We are thrilled to have Karen Hughes keynote this year’s banquet,” said Grace Cudney, WWIG President.

“A woman of many accomplishments, Karen Hughes has led a remarkable life of public service and political activism.”

Hughes served as Counselor to President Bush from 2001 to 2002. Told by the President that he wanted her “in the room whenever a major decision was made,” Hughes worked on a comprehensive range of domestic and foreign policy issues. She also led the White House Offices of Communications, Press Secretary, Media Affairs and Speechwriting.

Hughes also served as U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs from 2005-2007. In that role, Ambassador Hughes dramatically reshaped the State Department’s communications efforts, launched a new focus on America’s “diplomacy of deeds” through health, education and English-teaching programs, and made public diplomacy central in the development of foreign policy.

Hughes’ political experience includes serving as Communications Director of President Bush's presidential campaign in 2000, senior communications strategist on his 2004 re-election campaign, Director of Communications in the Texas Governor's Office, Executive Director of the Texas Republican Party, and numerous political, issue and bond campaigns.

She is the author of Ten Minutes from Normal, a book about her experiences working for President Bush and her decision leave the White House and move with her family home to Texas in 2002. She is currently the Global Vice Chair of Burson-Marsteller, a leading global public relations and communications firm. In her personal time, she has also devoted herself to the cause of breast cancer awareness.

Individual banquet tickets are on sale now for $65 and can be purchased online at www.WiscWomenInGovernment.org. Those interested in attending can also call (608) 848-2321 for more information. Sponsorships are also available, and information on sponsorship levels and how to reserve your table can be found at www.WiscWomenInGovernment.org.

The banquet will begin with a networking reception at 5:15 p.m. The welcome and keynote address will begin at 7:00 p.m., with dinner and the awards program immediately following.

NOTE: Media interested in attending should contact Jessica Erickson at 608-215-0468 or via email at jessicaerickson20@hotmail.com for media credentials.

Tickets

If you would like to purchase your ticket(s) online, you can use the "Buy Now" link below. You don't need a PayPal account to use the system. On-line ticket sales will be shutdown on Friday, 4/30.

Reservations and Sponsorship Opportunities

You can download the banquet reservation form (PDF), which includes unique sponsorship opportunities as well as individual and table registration information, fill it out, and return it to WWIG along with payment by check or money order.

2009 – Donna Brazile, veteran Democratic political commentator and strategist
2008 – Jenna Bush, best-selling author & international child rights advocate
2007 – Elizabeth Edwards, accomplished attorney, best-selling author
2006 – Christine Todd Whitman, New Jersey’s first female Governor
2005 – Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former First Lady and U.S. Senator
2004 – Mary Matalin, former counselor to President Bush & Vice President Cheney
2003 – The Capitol Steps, musical political satire
2002 – Linda Wertheimer, award-winning broadcaster for National Public Radio
2001 – Catherine Crier, award-winning journalist for Court TV
2000 – Arianna Huffington, syndicated columnist and author
1999 – Pat Schroeder, former Colorado congresswoman
1998 – Ann Richards, former Governor of Texas
1997 – Lynne Cheney, former Chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Humanities and author
1996 – Dee Dee Myers, former press secretary for President Clinton
1995 – Jeane Kirkpatrick, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations
1994 – Ann Compton, award-winning journalist for ABC
1993 – Janet Steiger, former chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission
1992 – Molly Ivins, award-winning syndicated columnist and best-selling author
1991 – Peggy Noonan, columnist for the Wall Street Journal, author, and former speechwriter to President Nixon
1990 - Ellen Goodman, syndicated columnist
1989 – Marie Davis Jackson
1988 – Donna Shalala, President of the University of Miami, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and former Chancellor of UW-Madison

Ambassador Karen Hughes

Karen Hughes is a senior strategist helping business leaders strengthen their corporate/CEO reputations, achieve business goals through effective communications and shape positive public and stakeholder perceptions.

Since joining Burson-Marsteller in 2008, she has brought to the business world her unique expertise honed over more than 30 years of public policy, communications and political experience, from helping lead winning presidential and gubernatorial campaigns to serving at the highest levels of federal and state government. Before joining Burson-Marsteller, Amb. Hughes was responsible for reaching out to audiences across the world on behalf of America as U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs from 2005-2007. In that role, Amb. Hughes dramatically reshaped the State Department’s communications efforts, rebuilt an agency that had been demoralized by years of budget cuts, launched a new focus on America’s “diplomacy of deeds” through health, education and English-teaching programs, and made public diplomacy central in the development of foreign policy.

Amb. Hughes served as Counselor to President George W. Bush in the White House from 2001 to 2002. Her title of "Counselor" reflected her role as a strategic advisor to President Bush. Told by the President that he wanted her “in the room whenever a major decision was made,” Amb. Hughes worked on a comprehensive range of domestic and foreign policy issues. She also led the White House Offices of Communications, Press Secretary, Media Affairs and Speechwriting.

When she left the White House to return with her family to Texas in 2002, The New York Times wrote: “The rule of thumb in any White House is that nobody is indispensable except the president. But Karen Hughes has come as close to that description as any recent presidential aide.” The Associated Press called her “perhaps the most influential woman ever to serve an American president.” ABC News said Karen Hughes was “the indispensable aide who could walk into the Oval Office and give the president an unvarnished opinion that he trusted.

Amb. Hughes’ extensive political experience includes serving as Communications Director and one of the “Iron Triangle” of three people who led President Bush's successful presidential campaign in 2000, and she traveled with President Bush as a senior communications strategist on his 2004 re-election campaign. She worked on state policy and served as Director of Communications in the Texas Governor's office (1995-1999) and directed communications during Governor Bush's successful campaign for Texas governor in1994 and his campaign for re-election in 1998. She was instrumental in helping develop and shape then-Governor and presidential candidate Bush’s image as a “compassionate conservative.

As Executive Director of the Texas Republican Party from 1992 until 1994, Amb. Hughes managed all aspects of the party's operations from candidate recruitment to fundraising. She served as a public relations consultant and frequent spokesman for the Republican Party in Texas throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s. She was the Director of Media Relations for Halcyon Associates, a boutique public relations/public affairs company in Dallas, from 1987 until 1990. She worked on numerous political, issue and bond campaigns in Dallas in the 1980s and early 1990s and was the Texas press coordinator for the Reagan-Bush '84 campaign.

Amb. Hughes started her career as a journalist, working as a television reporter for KXAS-TV (NBC affiliate) in Dallas-Fort Worth, where she covered everything from tornadoes to the Texas Legislature from 1977 until 1984. She is the author of Ten Minutes from Normal, a book about her experiences working for President Bush and her decision to leave the White House and move with her family home to Texas in 2002.

Amb. Hughes is a Phi Beta Kappa and received a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Journalism from Southern Methodist University in 1977. She is an elder in the Presbyterian Church and a long-time Sunday School teacher. She is married to attorney Jerry Hughes and has two children, Leigh and Robert.

WWIG Receives Legislative Praise for 2010 Banquet Speaker Karen Hughes

MADISON – Wisconsin Women in Government’s 2010 banquet speaker selection is garnering bipartisan praise. Following last month’s announcement that Ambassador Karen Hughes will keynote WWIG’s 23rd Annual Scholarship Recognition Banquet on May 5, 2010 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison, Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Janesville) and Senator Russ Feingold (D-Janesville) have both offered letters of congratulations and praise for an excellent choice.

"We are thrilled to be receiving bi-partisan accolades about Ms. Hughes," said Grace Cudney, WWIG Board President. "As a non-partisan group, we are grateful to have the support of high ranking legislators from both sides of the aisle."

Hughes is a veteran Republican political advisor from Texas who served former President George W. Bush in a number of key roles, including as White House Counselor from 2001 to 2002.

Senator Feingold applauded WWIG's selection of Karen Hughes as the banquet speaker this year: "I have had the pleasure of working with Karen in the past. She is an effective and thoughtful leader. I am certain the undergraduate scholars and banquet attendees will enjoy her insight and experiences." [Download Feingold's letter]

Congressman Ryan considers Ms. Hughes to be a great example to young Americans: "Ms. Hughes has dedicated herself to bettering our government, our nation, and its standing in the world. Her remarks -- and her example -- will inspire those attending the Scholarship Recognition Banquet to excel in whatever path they choose to follow." [Download Ryan's letter]

Be sure to reserve your tickets for this outstanding event before it's too late! Individual banquet tickets are available for $65. Sponsorships and table reservations are also available for this premiere event. Those interested in attending can purchase tickets online or call (608) 848-2321 for more information.

The banquet will begin with a networking reception at 5:15 p.m. Dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m. with the keynote address and awards program immediately following.

NOTE: Media interested in attending should contact Jessica Erickson at 608-215-0468 or via email at jessicaerickson20@hotmail.com for media credentials.

WWIG, Klinke Cleaners Sponsor ‘Suited for Success’ Professional Clothing Drive April 5-17, 2010

Wisconsin Women in Government (WWIG) and Klinke Cleaners, in their 8^th year of collaboration, are partnering together to help support the YWCA of Madison’s “Suited for Success” program.

“We are pleased to once again partner with Klinke Cleaners to support the “Suited for Success” program,” said Grace Cudney, WWIG Board President. “This important program provides professional-styled clothing, shoes and accessories – at no charge – to low income women who need appropriate wardrobes in order to return to work or for job interviews.”

Up to three “gently used” outfits of women’s business clothing may be donated between April 5 and April 17, 2010, at any Klinke Cleaners in the Madison area. Mention “Suited for Success” when you drop off the outfits and Klinke Cleaners will clean, press and deliver the clothes to the YWCA of Madison. Receipts will be available. No footwear or purses, please.

Wisconsin Women in Government was founded in 1987 to celebrate and support the talented women who choose a career in government service, or a government-related field, by providing scholarships to those who may not have the financial resources needed to pursue their goals.

Proceeds from the Annual Scholarship and Recognition Banquet are used to support scholarships for women pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate study at any Wisconsin institution of higher education. Scholarships are also provided for young women to attend Badger Girls State and to the student elected Governor. This year’s 23^rd Annual Banquet, which features veteran Republican political advisor Karen Hughes as the keynote speaker, will be held on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.

Individual banquet tickets are on sale now for $65 and can be purchased online at www.WiscWomenInGovernment.org. Those interested in attending can also call (608) 848-2321 for more information.

Sponsorships are also available, and information on sponsorship levels and how to reserve your table can be found at www.WiscWomenInGovernment.org. The banquet will begin with a networking reception at 5:15 p.m. The welcome and dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m., with the keynote address and the awards program immediately following.

Outstanding Women Nominations Sought for 23rd Annual WWIG Scholarship Recognition Banquet

Wisconsin Women in Government (WWIG) announced today that it is seeking nominations for women who have played a vital role in promoting women’s health issues in Wisconsin. Award recipients will have achieved significant accomplishments and/or “firsts” in promoting women’s health issues in the state, and will be honored at WWIG’s 23^rd Annual Banquet on Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at the Monona Terrace Convention Center in Madison.

“Every year, Wisconsin Women in Government honors women who have been trailblazers in government with a ‘First Woman’ Award,” said Grace Cudney, WWIG Board President. “This year, we are pleased to honor women who have contributed significantly to promoting the health of women in Wisconsin.”

Award recipients from the past two years have included “Military Women of Distinction” representing all branches of the military, including both active and retired service women, and Tribal Women of Distinction from each of Wisconsin's 11 Tribes. Women who are honored at the WWIG Banquet every year have achieved significant accomplishments, notable "firsts" and other outstanding achievements.

This year’s banquet will feature keynote speaker Ambassador Karen Hughes. A veteran Republican political advisor from Texas, Hughes served former President George W. Bush in a number of key roles, including as White House Counselor from 2001 to 2002. In her personal time, Hughes has also devoted herself to the cause of breast cancer awareness.

Banquet sponsorship information and individual tickets are available online at www.WiscWomenInGovernment.org. Those interested in attending can also call (608) 848-2321 for more information. The banquet will begin with a networking reception at 5:15 p.m. The welcome and dinner will begin at 7:00 p.m., with the keynote address and awards program immediately following.

NOTE: Media interested in attending should contact Jessica Erickson at 608-215-0468 or via email at jessicaerickson20@hotmail.com for media credentials.

WWIG Board Member featured in March Madison Magazine

WWIG Board Member Kelli Thompson is featured on the cover of this month's Madison Magazine along with her mother, Sue Ann and her sister Tommi.

Sue Ann, Unfiltered
By Shayna Miller
March 2010 Madison Magazine

The female head of the prominent and successful Thompson family works hard and takes life in stride, lesson's she's learned from rural roots, motherhood, breast cancer survival and the fight for health Wisconsin women

We look like a bunch of criminals in a lineup with our suits on, don’t we,” jokes Sue Ann Thompson, gesturing to a silver-framed photograph she’s brought out to show me. The mug shots in question are of Sue Ann flanked by former First Lady of America Laura Bush and the Vice President’s wife Lynn Cheney … hardly the hardened-criminal types that come to my mind.

I ask her about another photo on her desk—a nice shot of Sue Ann and middle daughter Tommi with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. “Oh, that was at a function a few years ago,” she shrugs with hardly a second thought.

Most of us know who Sue Ann is—former First Lady (husband Tommy was governor for fourteen years) who hails from rural Kendall, Wisconsin; dedicated mother of three and grandmother of seven; devoted public school teacher; founder of the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation and member of many boards of directors (like Very Special Arts Wisconsin) at one time or another. If you look online, though, you’d be hard-pressed to find any substantial details about her life, other than a few perfunctory paragraphs on where she grew up, how she met Tommy (more on that later), her bout with breast cancer and her work with the foundation.

Few know the “inside story” on Sue Ann—which, ironically, isn’t an inside story at all: As Sue Ann frequently reminds me (and is echoed by friends and her two daughters), “What you see is what you get.”

Sue Ann’s office in the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation building on Todd Drive isn’t what you’d associate with a woman who on and off lived in the ornate Revival-style Governor’s Mansion from 1987–2001, donned a sparkling silver sequined cocktail dress to Tommy’s first inauguration, has socialized with former presidents and countless who’s whos, and has joked around with Mikhail Gorbachev (or as she calls him, “Gorby”) at a White House dinner.

WWHF’s offices are housed in an unused WPS building donated by the insurance company to operate rent-free. The mint-green walls and hunter-green carpeting are certainly corporate-looking enough but the décor belies the comfortable feeling the place holds. At the end of a long, nondescript hallway is Sue Ann’s sunny office, where she sits with her scheduler Janeen Meehan and miniature Pomeranian Emmy in tow every day. If that sounds too quaint, Sue Ann shakes up your assumptions right away.

“They call me the shameless beggar here,” she asserts, nodding her strawberry-blond crop. “When you see a need, it’s much easier to ask for money for the needs of other people than, for example, campaigning. I was never good at asking for money for campaigns—I didn’t do that well. In fact, I probably didn’t do it at all! [Tommy] left me out of that part, fortunately.”

An expressive woman who gestures freely and leans forward in earnest throughout our conversations, Sue Ann has a steady gaze. When she holds it you can tell she’s passionate about a topic. For instance, when she speaks of how vital women’s health education is in her life, it’s practically like she’s talking about a family member. Which really, she is: With a mother (who died in 1980), two daughters and five granddaughters, the foundation is as much personal crusade as public service that will no doubt become a large part of her legacy here in the state. Sue Ann, her mother Fern and daughter Tommi also have all battled breast cancer.

Sue Ann Mashak was nine when she found out her mother was very ill, but never knew what was wrong.

“It was one of those things you didn’t ask about, Mother’s breast cancer. I don’t know if it was embarrassment, guilt or what,” she says, shrugging and folding her hands on her desk, her voice a bit softer. “When I would ask, I was made to feel bad about it, like I did something wrong. My father would say, ‘Oh, Sue Ann, we don’t talk about that.’”

Which is exactly why she chose to confront her own breast cancer in 1994 head-on in the media. Diagnosed at age fifty-three during a routine mammogram, Thompson admits she never really thought about the disease despite her family history. The genetic factor simply wasn’t discussed much at that time.

“After the whole thing with breast cancer, there was really no hiding,” she says. “I was First Lady at the time and people are interested in what you’re doing. So they knew almost immediately that I had it ... Shortly after I came out of surgery there were cameras there.”

Tommi says there was a dynamic shift after her mother’s diagnosis—her father Tommy was now the anchor, there to hold the busy and prominent but close-knit Thompsons together.

“It really became day-to-day. I think it was shocking for our family,” remembers Tommi, who now works closely with her mother at WWHF. “It was a strange time because it was the first time my mom seemed to need other people.”

“I hate to say it, but it brought us closer,” says oldest daughter Kelli, now Deputy State Public Defender. “It was very difficult, but she’s a strong person. Had she fallen apart, we would’ve fallen apart. But with Mom it was always, ‘We’re going to beat this, and here’s what we have to do to get through this.’”

Click here to visit the Madison Magazine website for the full article.

Women in Government Seminar Underway

A class of 24 women who include elected officials, lawyers, police, engineers, health officials, state agency workers and legislative aides will take part in the 10th annual leadership training seminar sponsored by the Wisconsin Women in Government and the La Follette School of Public Affairs.

“This is an outstanding class,” says Bridget Pirsch, a La Follette outreach specialist who handles arrangements for the class. “Each year the reputation of the class grows and spreads, and more women around the state see this as a vital step in their professional and personal growth and networking.”

The class was started in 2001 by the WWIG board in partnership with professor Dennis Dresang of the La Follette School and professor Georgia Duerst-Lahti of Beloit College. Other instructors include professor Susan Yackee of the La Follette School and writing consultant Alice Honeywell. The program provides management and leadership training for women working in state and local government. The class also accepts a limited number of women from business and non-profits who interact with government.

Over the course of 32 hours spread over six weeks, seminar participants explore topics such as organizational culture, networking, leadership styles, ethics, gender and power, Wisconsin’s political culture, effective writing and presentation, and career advancement. The instruction includes case studies, readings and writing and presentation exercises.

In addition, participants get advice from current leaders and professionals, including Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser; Laura Rose, deputy director of the Wisconsin Legislative Council; Mark O’Connell, head of the Wisconsin Counties Association; Wisconsin Appeals Court Judge Burnie Bridge; Rep. Kitty Rhoades; and Jessica Tormey, a government relations specialist for the University of Wisconin System.

This year’s class begins with a full-day session on Saturday, January 23, and ends with a graduation ceremony on Tuesday night, February 16.

WWIG Sponsors New Wisconsin Eye Series - The Difference: Women in Public Life