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Robert M. La Follette
School of Public Affairs
1225 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706

Telephone: 608.262.3581
Fax: 608.265.3233

Last updated:
August 18, 2011

Alumni and Friends: La Follette Notes Spring 2006

Alum finds variety adds up on the job

While Sara Schnoor’s primary responsibility is the village of Whitefish Bay’s budget, the village management assistant and La Follette School alum is not surprised to find herself helping to plan community events or handling human resources issues.

Alumni sought to aid students

Anyone interested in working with La Follette School students should contact the Career Development Office, or (608) 263-2409.

Speakers series includes alumni

Two alumni are among the professional public affairs practitioners speaking to students this spring through a series students organized.

Natalie Walleser, 2005, an analyst with the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, spoke in February. She also participated in a La Follette School career fair.

The second alum is Robert Cramer, 1992, the administrator of the State Facilities Division of the Wisconsin Department of Administration.

The four La Follette School students who organized the practitioners series this spring will receive two academic credits. Other students can receive one credit by attending regularly and by meeting with and introducing one of the speakers.

This course follows the fall Professional Practitioners Series faculty and staff organize for incoming students. The spring semester enables students to put their networking skills together as they research and invite potential speakers.

“This series is a testament to the La Follette program and how it makes good use of being embedded in a community of accessible policymakers,” says Associate Director Karen Holden.

“I’ve worked on the redesign of the village web site, human resources, development projects and the streetscape design of Silver Spring Drive (our business district), as well as property maintenance and event planning such as the Fourth of July celebration and the Holiday Stroll,” she says. “Whitefish Bay’s small size means that every day is different for me.”

She spoke to La Follette School students in March about her many roles. She was in town for the Wisconsin City/County Management Association’s March conference.

After earning her master’s of public affairs in 2003, Schnoor worked as a senior associate and bond rating analyst for Moody’s Investors Service in Chicago. This job built on her internship with the city of Chicago’s budget office.

She encourages alumni to return to the La Follette School to talk with students.

“I believe that it is very important for alums, especially those involved in the management of local government, to meet with students to let them know what opportunities are available,” she says.

Alumni recruit students, talk about careers

Among those alumni returning to Madison to recruit employees and give advice this year to current La Follette School students were Hilary Murrish and Bryan Gadow.

Gadow, 2005, talked about his internship with the L.P. Cookingham Management Development Program in Kansas City, Missouri. The position is one of the most prestigious in the country.

Murrish, 2002, joined Government Accountability Office colleagues John Wanska and Marnie Schaul on a recruiting trip.

Alum shares career advice, history with students

Professor, alum speak at conference

Index to La Follette Notes spring 2006