Our Future, Today.

Our Mission:
Wired Wisconsin is a non-profit coalition of concerned individuals, businesses and organizations who are working to put our state on the cutting edge of technology. The coalition will work to support an environment for innovative technology, high-tech job creation, and economic growth. Wired Wisconsin will seek to educate consumers, policy makers, and businesses about technology- related legislative and regulatory issues that impact our lives and advocate for common-sense approaches to spur innovation and grow the economy.

Why Wisconsin Needs This:
From world-class research institutions, to forward-thinking corporations, to bio-industry advancements, Wisconsin is primed to play a leading role in the future of technology development. Although industry-specific organizations address these issues, there is not a broad coalition advocating for technological advancement. Wired Wisconsin will fill this void.

Why Get Involved:
Technological growth depends on drawing ideas and knowledge from many sources and making the connections to link them together. Wired Wisconsin will work with our members and top researchers, industry leaders, and policy makers throughout Wisconsin to help support innovation and expansion and create a unified path forward for our state.

Midwest Consumers for Choice and Competition

MCCC is a non-profit organization of state chapters and individual consumers interested in technology, broadband, and telecommunication issues in the Midwest region and working to promote and support access and broadband deployment, as well as innovative technology and economic job growth in the Midwest. For more information, please visit www.MC4CC.org.

Thad Nation
Executive Director

Thad Nation is the Executive Director of Wired Wisconsin.  He is the founder of a Milwaukee-based public strategies firm, Nation Consulting. Nation is an experienced communications and policy specialist, having worked for three Governors in two different states and multiple Fortune 500 companies.

Nation has played an ongoing role in the adaptation of politics and government to the web. Since 1995, he has spearheaded the online strategies of Governorʼs Offices, businesses, non-profits and campaigns. Nation produced one of the first Internet broadcasts of a public ceremony with the Indiana Governorʼs Inauguration on January 13, 1997.

Emily Lenard
Associate Director

Emily Lenard is the Associate Director of Wired Wisconsin, and is currently working to build coalition membership throughout the state by hosting educational and networking events. She also frequently serves as a guest speaker for consumers, businesses, and organizations across the state interested in supporting an environment for innovative technology, high-tech job creation, and economic growth.

Lenard graduated from UW-Milwaukee with her Masters in Communication and a graduate certificate in Rhetorical Leadership.  She has served as the Vice President of Communication for the Milwaukee Graduate Assistants Association, where she led strategic communication development.  Lenard also interned in Governor Doyle’s Milwaukee Office, where she helped manage community outreach events and aided in the execution of press and media appearances by the Governor.

Lenard’s past experience lends itself well for a position that requires a firm understanding of how technology impacts our lives at every level.