Speakers bureau formed to dispatch UW expertise across the state

A full-service speakers bureau is being formed to enhance partnerships between the university and citizens throughout Wisconsin.

Coordinating the Speakers Bureau will be Susan Stein, who recently joined the chancellor’s office staff. With the help of a steering team and advisory council, she will develop a database of potential speakers who can deliver presentations around the state.

In the next few months, Stein also will support the university’s “On the Road” program, a series of appearances in Wisconsin communities designed to highlight the impact UW–Madison has on Wisconsin.

“We want to be a one-stop shop in providing speakers for service clubs and other organizations in Wisconsin,” says Stein. “They can come to us with their requests, and we’ll do everything needed to send them qualified, articulate representatives of the university. We also will take the initiative by reaching out to various groups in the state with our services.”

The Speakers Bureau is part of a bigger effort to show citizens that the university is a resource to the state. “The citizens of Wisconsin recognize that UW–Madison is a great place to receive an education,” says Charles Hoslet, special assistant to the chancellor for state relations, “but they are not as familiar with the research, outreach and economic development that the university stimulates.

“The Speakers Bureau is an opportunity to both highlight how the university impacts Wisconsin and provide a valuable resource to citizens by coordinating the delivery of presentations on topics of interest.”

Stein earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish and zoology at UW–Madison in 1990 and a master’s in natural resource management at UW-Stevens Point this year. Before joining the UW–Madison staff, she was co-executive director of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association in Amherst, Wis., for three years.

For details on the Speakers Bureau, call Stein at 262-3880, or e-mail: sstein@mail.bascom.wisc.edu.