March 19, 2025 – In April, State Bar of Wisconsin members will vote for representatives on the State Bar’s Board of Governors, the organization's policymaking body.

Governors serve two-year terms. Your vote for these candidates will make a difference in the future of your practice and your profession.

Together, they represent many different practice areas, geographic regions, and years in practice. Check out the slate of 2025 Board of Governors’ candidates.

Vote in April: Look for Your Email Ballot

All State Bar elections (including for State Bar divisions and sections) will be held via electronic ballot in 2025, starting April 10, 2025.

The election closes at noon Central time on April 25, 2025.

Please note: If you have placed any holds on emails from the State Bar, you may not receive an electronic ballot. Contact Customer Service at (800) 444-9404 to verify that your account is set up to receive your email ballot.

State Bar members with no email address on file will receive paper ballots. Paper ballots will be mailed on April 9, 2025.

Candidates for the Board of Governors

The following names were submitted by nomination petition for election to the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors is the State Bar's policymaking body. Governors serve two-year terms.

Districts 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 will elect governors in 2025. District 2 (Milwaukee) elects seven; District 9 (Dane) elects three; and all other districts elect one.

All State Bar elections (including for State Bar divisions and sections) will be held via an electronic ballot in 2025. Ballots are emailed starting April 10, 2025. The election closes at noon Central time on April 25, 2025.

Persons elected will take office July 1, 2025.

District 1 (one vacancy)

• Haley J. Johnson, Walworth County Corporation Counsel, Elkhorn, U.W. 2010

District 2 (seven vacancies)

• Christopher P. August, Assistant State Public Defender, Appellate Unit, Milwaukee. U.W. 2013.

• Christina E. Balistreri, Webb Law Services, LLC, Milwaukee. U.W. 2012.

• Karen Bauer, Milwaukee, U.W. 2009.

• Daniel J. Blinka, Godfrey & Kahn SC, Milwaukee, U.W. 2009

• Scott F. Brown, Corporation Counsel, Milwaukee County, Rutgers, 2005.

• Monica Cail, Legal Action of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Marquette 2015.

• Jade K. Hall, Office of the State Public Defender, Milwaukee, Marquette 2019.

• Russell J. Karnes, Mallery, s.c., Milwaukee, Marquette 2010.

• Anna Muñoz, Senior Director of Legal Operations, Licensing, and Risk at Brookdale Senior Living Inc., Milwaukee, Marquette 2005.

District 3 (one vacancy)

• Angela Rust, von Briesen & Roper SC, Neenah, Marquette, 2007.

District 5 (one vacancy)

• Shari LePage Locante, Arndt, Buswell & Thorn SC, Sparta, Hamline University 1985.

District 6 (one vacancy)

• Erin E. Block, Dewitt LLP, Brookfield, Marquette 2015.

• Robert B. Teuber, von Briesen & Roper, S.C., Waukesha, Marquette, 2000.

District 7 (one vacancy)

• Steven H. Thompson, Anderson O’Brien, LLP, Stevens Point, U.W. 2018.

District 9 (three vacancies)

• Richard Niess, Madison, Duke, 1978.

• Kathleen Pakes, Assigned Counsel Division Director and a Forensic Practice coordinator, Wisconsin State Public Defender, Madison, Brandeis, 1995.

• Jessica J. Shrestha, Fredrikson & Byron PA, Madison, U.W. 2009.

• Annabelle K. Vang, Kowalski Wilson & Vang LLC, Madison, Marquette 2014.

District 11 (one vacancy)

• Courtney L. Graff, Schmiege, Graff & Koch Law Firm Ltd., Medford, Ave Maria 2012.

District 13 (one vacancy)

• Maria A. Penkwitz, Penkwitz Law Office, Port Washington, Marquette, 2022.

• Tatiana Shirasaki, Dodge County Corporation Counsel, Juneau, Toledo Brazil 1998, U.W. 2014.

District 15 (one vacancy)

• Ali Mahmood, assistant public defender, Wisconsin State Public Defender, Racine, Marquette 2022.

• Elizabeth Stinebaugh, Legal Action of Wisconsin Inc., Racine, University of the District of Columbia 2013.