Kathy is an experienced leader who will guide Wauwatosa’s growth

Through hard work, strong principles and a collaborative leadership style, I have been successful in both the private and non-profit sectors, and I look forward to applying the skills I’ve gained in over 25 years to the office of Mayor in Wauwatosa.

Most recently, I have been instrumental in the growth of the Village of Wauwatosa as the BID’s Executive director. It’s a job that requires the ability to work effectively with a wide range of people, from business owners and neighbors to elected officials, city staff, the school district, police and fire departments and neighborhood associations in Wauwatosa.

CURRENT PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

  • Executive Director, Wauwatosa Village BID
  • DOT Community Sensitivity Advisory Committee for the Zoo Interchange project, advocating for Wauwatosa’s interests
  • Member, Wauwatosa Chamber of Commerce Board
  • Liaison to the Wauwatosa Historical Preservation Commission for the residential portion of the UWM project on the Milwaukee County Grounds

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Under my leadership, the Village has attracted a number of new businesses:

  • LeReve Patiserrie and Cafe
  • Blue Lapin
  • Urban Laundry
  • Oro di Oliva
  • Cafe Hollander
  • Tuesday’s Child
  • Yo Mama Frozen Yogurt
  • B Green
  • Go Green
  • Gracie’s Boutique
  • Bangle and Bags
  • Authentic Journeys
  • Brookstone Printing
  • Gierke/Frank legal Service
  • King Legal
  • Michael Bark Accounting
  • Third Coast Sector, public relations firm

I was the driving force behind development of the Village Master Plan:

  • Recruited twelve dedicated Tosa residents for the Village Plan Team who hold professional expertise in urban planning, civil engineering, architecture, business development and commercial development
  • Coordinated team to create a multi-faceted plan that successfully addressed the needs and concerns of neighbors, business owners and the city

I serve as the liaison between the City and the Village business and property owners on street and utility construction projects, including:

  • Emergency rebuild of the Pedestrian Bridge in 2010
  • Street and utility reconstruction of Village area since 2007
  • Selection of pavement replacement in the Hart’s Mill Parking lot
  • Planning for the upcoming State Street utility reconstruction

I am a fiscally responsible leader:

  • In the last five years, the Village business area has grown and flourished, adding over a dozen new businesses
  • Efficient use of dollars in marketing, economic development, and aesthetics has helped grow the business area without increasing the operating budget

I am an effective leader and problem solver, even in tough or complicated situations:

  • As one of the original board leaders for ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, I helped to grow this important organization into the regionally impactful entity that it is today
  • I was part of the leadership team that cleared the debt for the Milwaukee Ballet and gave it the footing to become a highly successful and financially stable arts organization
  • I work with a very diverse group of business owners in the Village BID. Our ability to find common goals has, I believe, resulted in the area thriving through years of major construction and a national recession
  • As associate development director for Channel 10/36 Friends, I led efforts that raised over $3 million per year for MPTV

I put my money where my mouth is:

When a former warehouse in the Tosa Village needed a new identity and a more attractive footprint for its location, my husband and I took some of our retirement savings and worked with two other investors to purchase and restore an historic building into a successful commercial redevelopment on Harwood Avenue.  It currently houses LeReve, Oro di Oliva, Urban Laundry, Blue Lapin and three offices.  I also led my team in business recruitment and leasing.