SPOTLIGHT RACE: LuAnn Bird for WI-AD61
When her Vietnam veteran husband was paralyzed in a construction accident in 1990, she learned first-hand that a person in a wheelchair could not get into several of the Oshkosh Public Schools. She ran for and was elected to the school board, helped pass referendums, and worked tirelessly to make sure 100% of school facilities were accessible.
When septic systems in her neighborhood were failing, she got appointed to the Sanitary District Commission and spearheaded the installation of a sewer system.
After her election to the Whitnall School Board she brought together a coalition of leaders from the Whitnall, Greendale, and Greenfield school districts and their respective municipalities to build strong partnerships. “Extraordinary schools contribute to extraordinary communities,” she said.
As Executive Director and Lobbyist for the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, LuAnn went toe-to-toe with the NRA to pass gun control legislation. She secured 90% of the donations she asked for to raise money for ADVOCAP, a poverty agency. In her roles as a consultant for the Wisconsin Association of School Boards and Director of Board Development in Montgomery, Alabama she participated in a multi-state research project and developed training programs to teach school boards how lead for student success.
In 2023, a school board member in the Whitnall School District where she lives introduced a policy that would hurt LGBTQ+ students. She organized WREN, Whitnall Resident Engagement Network and the mobilized residents to defeat the policy. The group continues to meet to ensure our public schools serve all students.
LuAnn lives in Hales Corners where she is a caregiver for her husband. Their daughter Elizabeth and her husband Adam are educators and their son Tom is a financial analyst. They also provide childcare for their three grandsons ages 12, 9 and 7.
https://www.luannbird.com/