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Alumni and Friends: Advisory Board
The La Follette School created its Advisory Board in fall 2009 to replace the Board of Visitors. Members include these alumni and friends of the school:
Mission Statement
The Advisory Board for the La Follette School of Public Affairs was formed to provide support and advice to the La Follette School and strengthens the network of relationships among its faculty, current students, alumni, and friends. Membership consists of the La Follette School Director, Associate Director, staff, and distinguished alumni and friends.
The mission of the Advisory Board is to provide guidance and support to the La Follette School in the achievement of its longer-term goals and to assist the school in the promotion and enhancement of a network of its current students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the school. The Advisory Board will continuously seek new and better ways to grow and develop the network and to facilitate the exchange of ideas, job opportunities, and mentoring and social relationship among the network members.
The Advisory Board members will meet at least once each year in connection with a La Follette School outreach event and will also meet as needed by teleconference.
Alumni and Friends Members
Robin J. Erdmann, MAI ASA MRICS
Principal, The Robin Erdmann Group, Petaluma, CA
Education: 1976 bachelor of arts in Economics, History & International Relations; 1977 master of arts in Public Policy & Administration (Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration*); 1987 master of science in Business/Real Estate Appraisal & Investment Analysis, all from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Robin is a real estate economist with more than 25 years of experience. He specializes in real estate valuation and land-use economics, with a special emphasis on litigation. Robin’s skills include complex valuation, market feasibility, financial and due diligence analysis, highest and best use, and strategic planning. He also holds a certificate in facilities management from the University of California, Berkeley Extension. He has undertaken additional continuing education coursework at American University in Washington, D.C. Robin has been an officer of the Northern California Chapter of the Appraisal Institute, serving as secretary, treasurer, and vice president. He has also served as vice president and president of the American Society of Appraisers NorCal Chapter. He is active in the California Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, serving in various capacities. He holds several professional designations in real estate.
Peggy LeMahieu
Lead Consultant, Quality Care and Innovation Department, University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation, Madison, Wisconsin
Education: 1970 registered nurse diploma; 1973 Wisconsin Department of Health and Social Services, Public Health Certification; bachelor of arts in Psychology from St. Norbert College; 1985 master of arts in Public Policy & Administration with an emphasis in Health Policy. Peggy is a Lead Consultant in the Quality Care and Innovation Department at the University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation. Peggy’s focus is assisting with clinical initiatives around improving care to patients in the University of Wisconsin Health System. Peggy has held positions in many facets of health care; home health care, health care insurance, and inpatient and ambulatory care settings. She was Vice President of Patient Cares Services for St. Mary’s Medical Center, Green Bay, Wisconsin, for more than 10 years prior to relocating with her husband. During that time, she worked with Kaiser Permanente in northern California.
Ron Luskin
Director of Business Development & Marketing, Arnold & O’Sheridan Inc., Madison, Wisconsin
Education: 1976 bachelor of arts in History & American Institutions; 1979 master of arts in Public Policy & Administration
Ron handles marketing and business development for Arnold & O’Sheridan Consulting Engineers, which has offices in Madison and Milwaukee. He graduated from the Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration* in 1979. His graduate studies focused on health-care policy and public information. Prior to joining Arnold and O’Sheridan, he was vice president and director of marketing for Marshall Erdman & Associates, a national firm specializing in design and construction of health-care facilities. He earlier worked for many years in strategic marketing planning, advertising and public relations. Just before relocating to Madison, he was the director of business development for Hammel, Green & Abrahamson.
Jennie Mauer
Legislative Analyst, Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, Madison, Wisconsin
Education: 2003 bachelor of arts in French & Legal Studies; 2008 master of public affairs
Jennie is a legislative analyst with the Legislative Audit Bureau. After graduating from the La Follette School in 2008, she worked at the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families as a program and planning analyst in Secretary Reggie Bicha’s office. Prior to enrolling at La Follette, she was a course manager for the Pharmaceutical Education Research Institute. Through a yearlong service corps program, she worked at Bread for the City in Washington, D.C., representing low-income clients applying for Social Security benefits. She earned a bachelor's degree in French and legal studies from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 2003. Jennie lives in Madison and in her free time she serves on the board of the Tenant Resource Center, and she can can be found swimming, biking, running, and paddling around town.
Joseph Quinn
Senior Client Advisor / Vice President, First Business Bank, Milwaukee, WI
Education: bachelor’s degree in Economics; 1974 Law degree, University of Wisconsin – Madison
Joe has 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. He has led the corporate trust and employee benefits teams of a major regional bank and served in commercial lending. For more than 10 years, Joe has served institutional investment clients throughout the United States. Earlier in his career, Joe was in private legal practice in Detroit and served the commercial and succession planning needs of business owners. He received his law degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and his bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Michigan. He is a member of the state bars of Wisconsin and Michigan.
Michael Youngman
Vice President of Government Relations, Northwestern Mutual Life, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Education: 1975 bachelor of arts in political science and economics; 1982 master of arts in Public Policy & Administration,
As vice president of government relations for Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co., Michael works on legislative and regulatory matters at the federal, state and local levels. Prior to joining the company in 1986, Youngman was a legislative assistant in the Wisconsin Assembly. He became a fellow of the Life Management Institute in 1990. He served as president of the Wisconsin Association of Life and Health Insurers and as president of the Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists. Youngman holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in public policy and administration from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
* The Center for the Study of Public Policy and Administration was a precursor of the La Follette School of Public Affairs.