Rep. Barca Welcomes New Members to Legislature

MADISON – Today Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) welcomed seven new Democratic representatives to the Wisconsin State Legislature – Representatives David Bowen, Jonathan Brostoff, David Considine, Beth Meyers, Lisa Subeck, Amanda Stuck and Mark Spreitzer. Rep. Barca applauded the valuable experience and fresh energy each will bring to the legislature.

“Assembly Democrats remain focused on building an economy that works for all people – especially the middle class and those working hard to get there,” Rep. Barca said. “We stand by our core principles and will put forward bold new ideas to move Wisconsin forward. I am confident that our seven new Assembly Democrats will strengthen our caucus, serve their constituents well and work every day to fight to create a fair economy.”

Brief bios of the seven new legislators being sworn in later today are below. Photos of the new legislators are attached here.

Representative David Bowen (10^th Assembly District) is a distinguished public servant and community leader. Bowen was elected in 2012 to the Milwaukee County Board, becoming its youngest member and one of the youngest Black elected officials in Milwaukee history. Rep. Bowen is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a National AmeriCorps Service Alum, a two-time graduate of the AmeriCorps program Public Allies, and a Legacy Foundation Youth Activism Fellow.

Representative Jonathan Brostoff (19^th Assembly District) is a lifelong resident of the 19^th Assembly District. Brostoff’s community service began when he took his first volunteer position at age 14 with Pathfinders, a youth homeless shelter. Rep. Brostoff has served the Milwaukee community in the public and non-profit sectors since then, including on the board of the Wisconsin ACLU and with our veterans at Dryhootch. He is a graduate of the AmeriCorps program Public Allies. Brostoff and his wife, Diana Vang-Brostoff, met at UW-Milwaukee and both are proud Panther alumni. Brostoff also served as Senator Chris Larson‘s district director. Brostoff has built a reputation as a consensus-builder who can help bring people together to find common ground.

Representative David Considine (81^st Assembly District) taught Special Education for 29 years at Jack Young Middle School in the Baraboo School District. His community service record includes coaching track and serving as a certified Nonviolent Crisis Intervention trainer and as a long-time association leader in Baraboo. Considine and his wife Gretchen raised their five children on their farm and have seven grandchildren.

Representative Beth Meyers (74^th Assembly District) is a skilled community leader with experience in the non-profit and local government sectors. She recently served as Executive Director of CORE Community Resources, an organization serving seniors in the Bayfield area. Meyers has served on the Bayfield County Board since her election in 2010. Rep. Meyers earned her bachelor’s degree from Northland College while she raised two young children as a single mother. After college, Meyers worked as the Family Services Division Chief for the Red Cliff Tribe for nine years. Since then, Meyers has worked and volunteered for a number of non-profit organizations.

Representative Lisa Subeck (78^th Assembly District) is a powerful advocate and skilled local official. Subeck currently serves on the Madison City Council and as State Chairwoman of Democratic Municipal Officials. Rep. Subeck previously served as the Executive Director of the progressive advocacy organization United Wisconsin and as the Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice Wisconsin. Subeck’s record of service includes working as a program coordinator for the YWCA and for Head Start and Early Head Start and a director of a child care center.

Representative Amanda Stuck (57^th Assembly District) is a lifelong resident of Appleton. She worked her way through college at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, through school serving in AmeriCorps at Habitat for Humanity and the Red Cross, and as a Rural Mail Carrier. Stuck earned her Master’s in Public Administration from UW-Oshkosh and worked for former Congressman Steve Kagen and the Appleton Housing Authority. Stuck is an active volunteer, serving on the Boards of the Fox Cities Community Council and the Fox Valley Humane Association, as well as the United Way 211 Advisory Committee and in her children’s schools. Stuck and her husband have four children.

Representative Mark Spreitzer (45^th Assembly District) is an experienced local government official and active community member. Spreitzer was elected to the Beloit City Council in 2011 and currently serves as its President. Spreitzer is a lifelong community activist and he served as Assistant Director of Alumni & Parent Relations and Annual Support at Beloit College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2009. Rep. Spreitzer participates in a variety of community organizations and spends his free time enjoying the outdoors and attending community events in the 45^th District.

“We have our work cut out for us this session, with Republicans already promising to dismantle our public schools, turn our elections watchdog into a partisan lapdog, and push extreme policies that will further harm our middle-class families,” Rep. Barca added. “I hope that we can avoid partisan extremism and instead focus on the issues that matter most to Wisconsin families – helping to facilitate the creation of new jobs, strong and safe communities, a clean and open government, fair wages, student debt relief and public schools that prepare all our kids to succeed in the global economy.”

The Assembly swearing-in ceremony will be broadcast live on Wisconsin Eye at 2 p.m. You can view the ceremony here: http://www.wiseye.org/Programming/VideoArchive/EventDetail.aspx?evhdid=9450

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.