Casey Renn

Casey Renn. Photo courtesy of NEWaukee.

Where do you work and what makes your role awesome?

I work at Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin as their Development Manager. Almost everyone can relate to hunger with a level of empathy, it exists in every community. Working with our businesses, donors and community to solve hunger is more than a feel good job, it is motivating. Each day brings a new task and new opportunity to better the most vulnerable in our community.

How long have you lived in Milwaukee and what brought you here?

I’ve lived in the city for 10 years. I’m originally from the Appleton area but came to Milwaukee to attend Cardinal Stritch University.

What do you love most about Milwaukee?

Milwaukee is an affordable, livable and friendly city. Having traveled and worked in most major cities in the US as a meeting and event planner, I can easily say Milwaukee has a lot to offer. Other places are fun to visit, but there is nowhere else I’d want to live. It is a “big” city with a hometown feel.

We have a lot of work to do around income inequality, the achievement gap and segregation. These things hold us back as a city, and as a region. I hope our leaders can put differences aside to solve these problems and improves lives and communities.

What is your favorite Milwaukee tradition?

The July 3rd lakefront fireworks. The free event truly brings the entire metro Milwaukee area together. I can’t think of anything else that has such breadth and diversity with families coming together. People are always happy with the same goal in mind…to relax and enjoy the show.

What’s your favorite hidden gem or secret fact about the city?

Our greenspace and parks, specifically the trails. As a runner it is so easy to escape the hustle and bustle of urban life by hitting the Beerline Trail along the Milwaukee River. Unless you live in Riverwest or on the East Side, not many people are aware of it.