MWF Names Lindsey Canonie Grady as Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel

MILWAUKEE, WI (October 28, 2025) –Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. (MWF) announced today that Lindsey Canonie Grady has been named Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel, effective November 6, 2025. In this role, she will oversee MWF’s legal, human resources, insurance and risk management, and contract administration functions. Grady will also serve as a key member of the organization’s executive leadership team, providing strategic guidance on legal, business, policy, and compliance matters.

“We are thrilled to welcome Lindsey to the MWF team,” said Sarah Pancheri, President and CEO, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “Her extensive legal experience and long-standing connections to Milwaukee will be a tremendous asset to our organization. Her civic and community leadership, insight, and commitment to Milwaukee will help guide our continued growth.”

Grady brings more than 25 years of experience serving the needs of the people of Wisconsin to her new role with MWF. She was first elected as a Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge in 2012 and served for 11 years with rotations in Civil, Probate, Children’s, Felony and Misdemeanor divisions. After two terms on the bench, she joined the commercial litigation team at Quarles & Brady LLP. While at Quarles, she led the Fiduciary Litigation group, representing foundations, non-profit organizations and financial institutions.

Her commercial litigation experience, on and off the bench, encompasses contract and insurance disputes, product liability defense and commercial real estate. A trained mediator, Grady brings a cooperative and dispute resolution focus to her legal endeavors. Earlier in her career, she represented families and children at the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee.

“I am grateful to Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. for the opportunity to contribute my legal and community experience to Summerfest, concerts, ethnic and cultural festivals, and all the incredible events held at Henry Maier Festival Park,” said Lindsey Canonie Grady. “The vision and mission of the organization is clearly reflected in the outstanding efforts of its board members and dedicated team. I look forward to working together and supporting this important (and fun!) part of the Milwaukee community.”

Grady is a proud graduate of Marquette University, where she earned both her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctorate degrees, further deepening her connection to the Milwaukee community. She also earned a mediation certificate from Northwestern University and is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin.

About Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. is an independent, private 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1965 that produces Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance, a three-weekend music festival featuring hundreds of artists across 12 stages. Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. also maintains and improves Henry Maier Festival Park, located on 75 acres on the shores of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, WI. In addition to Summerfest, Henry Maier Festival Park hosts a variety of ethnic and cultural festivals, concerts, walks, runs, and other special events, attracting over one million annually. The mission of the organization is to promote an understanding of different ethnic cultures, the histories and traditions of various nationalities, harmony in the community, civic pride as well as to provide a showcase for performing arts, activities, and recreation for the public and employment opportunities for the youth of the community. For more information visit MilwaukeeWorldFestival.com or Summerfest.com, or Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok: @Summerfest.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.