Events

Do you know how many voting members are in the House of Representatives? What year the US Constitution was written? Passing the US Citizenship Test might be trickier than you think! Approximately 9.1 million immigrants in the US are eligible to naturalize but haven’t done so yet (US Department of Homeland Security, 2019). In this overview of the citizenship process, you’ll learn the basics: eligibility requirements, steps in the legal process, the four areas of the test, and how Literacy Network helps over 100 students on their citizenship journey each year. A tutor-learner pair in the citizenship program will also join us to share their experience working toward this essential milestone.

CAITLIN MACKESEY found her way to the world of adult education when she signed up as a volunteer tutor at Literacy Network in 2010. After studying languages at UW-Madison, she taught English in Marseille, France. Since 2015, she’s lead ESL and citizenship programs at Literacy Network for adult learners from over 100 countries. 

Congressman MARK POCAN was sworn in as the U.S. Representative for Wisconsin’s second congressional district in 2013 following 14 years in the Wisconsin State Assembly. In the 119th Congress, he serves on the House Appropriations Committee where he sits on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee and the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee.  He will share the latest news from Congress with Rotarians and guests.

THOMAS FRIEDRICH is a professor of virology at UW-Madison, where he teaches students about global health, HIV/AIDS and emerging infectious diseases. In his research, Dr. Friedrich works with teams of scientists to understand how viruses like influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and Zika jump species to spread and cause disease in humans.  His Rotary presentation will cover: 1) what we specifically know about the dairy cattle outbreak; 2) what we know and don't know about how influenza viruses jump species and cause pandemics; 3) how we access pandemic risks; and 4) what we can do the control outbreaks.

MARK MALONEY is a member of the law firm of Blackburn, Maloney and Schuppert, LLC, focusing on taxation, estate planning, and agricultural law.  A member of the Rotary Club of Decatur, Alabama, USA since 1980, Mark is currently serving as Chair of the Trustees of The Rotary Foundation. He also served as Rotary International president during 2019-2020 when he advocated for the addition of the environment as a seventh area of focus. He also emphasized strategies to grow Rotary, presided over the first virtual RI Convention that was organized during the COVID-19 pandemic, and increased awareness of Rotary’s longstanding relationship with the United Nations.  Mark led a Group Study Exchange to Nigeria.

Communities Learning to Invest and Mobilize for Business (CLIMB) has a mission to help teens and young adults to improve there financial capability through education and capital market engagement.  CLIMB's president, ROBERT WYNN, will provide an overview of CLIMB's work to date in our community and  its launchpad program elements.  In addition, Oregon High School senior PIERRE NICKLES will share his experience as a CLIMB Youth Leader.

TOM BARRETT has served the people of Wisconsin at the local, state, national and international level for decades. After being mayor of Milwaukee for almost eighteen years, he most recently served as the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg under President Biden.   He will discuss his three years in Luxembourg, the historical and present-day relationship between the two countries, as well as the challenges to the countries’ relations by China and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

First sworn into office in May of 2020, DAVID CROWLEY became the youngest county executive in the history of Milwaukee County and the first Black leader elected to serve in the role. On April 2, 2024, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley was reelected to a second term. The fundamental tenet of Executive Crowley’s administration is to build bridges that bring people together, deliver prosperity for working families, and foster a safer, stronger and healthier Milwaukee County.

IAN ABSTON and our club president Jason Ilstrup created the Hoan Group—a private network of 160 civic-minded leaders focused on connecting the Milwaukee and Madison business communities.  Ian is a member of the Wauwatosa Rotary Club.

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley  and Ian Abston will discuss the economic development opportunities and challenges that both Milwaukee County and Dane County are facing, and how partnerships will help create successful results for both communities, as well as the entire State of Wisconsin. As the two leading economic and educational engines of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and Dane Counties share many of the same priorities. Addressing these shared priorities is critical in boosting economic development efforts, recruiting and retaining talented workers, and supporting small businesses, entrepreneurs, and contractors to grow Wisconsin’s economy. They will share their perspectives on how Milwaukee and Dane Counties can continue investing in innovation and leading the Badger State forward in building the Made-in-Wisconsin economy of today, tomorrow and beyond.