Leadership Forum-Tough Conversations with Staff, Board and Volunteers

Jane has deep HR, payroll and benefits experience, and is a frequent speaker is a frequent speaker on a variety of HR and employment law topics, including anti-harassment, wage and hour, independent contractor compliance, social media, employee management and performance, and much more. Over the years, she has partnered with established and start-up companies and non-profit organizations in various industries throughout Wisconsin and the U.S. to provide employment law services and stand-alone human resources services, as well as integrated human resources, payroll and benefits services. Jane is also licensed as a broker for health, life and disability insurance.

Since 2008, Jane has served as a Dane County (Wisconsin) Court Commissioner, a position to which she was appointed by Dane County Circuit Court Judge William Hanrahan. Previously, Jane was an attorney with Wisconsin based law firms Chernov, Stern & Burbach (Milwaukee) and Balisle & Roberson (Madison). She has extensive legal experience in diverse areas, including employment, family, real estate, appellate, and corporate law. During her career, Jane has advised clients on wide-ranging employment matters, from COBRA, ADA and ACA guidance to harassment and discrimination claims, from labor relations to wage and hour compliance.

Professional Affiliations

• State Bar of Wisconsin, Labor & Employment Section
• Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM)

Bar Admissions

• Wisconsin (1995)
• U.S. District Court, Federal District of Wisconsin (1995)

Education

• University of Wisconsin Law School (J.D., 1995)
  • Recipient of the Shaw Fellowship

• Amherst College, Amherst, MA, cum laude (B.A., 1992)
  • Recipient of the Friends of Amherst Athletics Award
  • Women’s Tennis, Captain

Honors & Recognition

• InBusiness Madison “40 Under 40” recipient
• Brookfield Academy Athletic Hall of Fame two-time inductee

Community Involvement

Jane is an active volunteer on educational, preservation, political and women’s and children’s issues. Her current involvements include the following:

• Dane County YMCA Board of Directors
• Doyenne Group Board of Directors
• Taliesin Preservation Board of Directors
• Madison Area Sports Commission Board of Directors and Bucky on Parade Committee
• Associated Bank Regional Advisory Board
• Edgewood High School Athletic Association Board and Principal Search Committee

Past involvements include the following organizations:

• Wisconsin Women’s Council (Madison)
• WPS Insurance Company Subscriber Advisory Council
• TEMPO Madison Membership Committee (Madison)
• Blessed Sacrament School Education Commission (Madison)
• Blessed Sacrament School Endowment Committee (Madison)
• Henry Vilas Zoo Auxiliary Board (Madison)
• Legal Association of Women (Madison)
• American Heart Association (Madison)
• Camp Randall Rowing Club (Madison)
• Preschool for the Arts (Madison)
• Dane County Bar Association Family Law Clinic (Madison)
• Madison Children’s Museum (Madison)
• Family Services of Milwaukee (Milwaukee)
• Task Force of Family Violence (Milwaukee)
• WI AIDs Fund (Milwaukee)
• Council for the Spanish Speaking (Milwaukee)
• Association of Women Lawyers

Personal

Jane lives with her husband, three sons, and adorable dog. Her husband is the Head Coach of the University of Wisconsin Men’s Rowing Team.

Tricia is frequently retained by clients to navigate difficult employee situations, align HR processes with the organization’s culture, conduct sensitive workplace investigations based on harassment and discrimination, facilitate mediations to improve workplace relationships and train staff on management development and compliance topics, such as interviewing, performance management, professionalism and anti-harassment. Tricia is a certified trainer in DISC and Myers-Briggs.

Key Accomplishments

• Strategic HR consultant advising senior leaders on employee-related issues, employment law compliance and HR policies aligned with best practices and the strategic direction of the organization
• Customer service focused, senior level HR professional with expertise in I-9 compliance, interviewing, performance management, employee relations, policy writing, training, investigations and HR assessments
• Thorough interviewer conducting sensitive workplace investigations in response to harassment or discrimination allegations
• Energetic, interactive presenter identifying training solutions, creating content and facilitating supervisory and compliance-related workshops to develop a strong leadership team

Professional Affiliations

• Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
• Greater Madison Area Society for Human Resource Management (GMASHRM)
• Fox Valley Society for Human Resources (FVSHRM)

Education

• University of Wisconsin Stout, Menomonie, WI — BS Hospitality and Tourism Management

Certifications & Licenses

• Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), 2004
• SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP), 2015
• DISC
• Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Community Involvement

• Olbrich Botanical Society, Board Advisor (Madison)
• Friends of the Arboretum, Board Member (Madison)
• Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, HR Community Volunteer (Appleton)