About Michael
Schumacher:
Committed
• Accessible • Sensible
Madison is the place I have warmly called
home for 14 years, with the past eight of them as a district resident.
A Vision for Our Community and Our
City
My commitment is to find "Common Ground" to make our Northside
community stronger and better. As a trained facilitator, I lead
individuals and groups with opposing purposes to find agreement in shared
goals. As the newly elected alder I will this
same positive practice for city government. I wish to help diverse groups
realize we can find common objectives to keep our city and community
thriving economically, environmentally, and culturally.
I view myself as an independent person who
doesn't accept an easy label. Instead, I prefer to focus on the process of
achievement. I have seen the amazing results that collaboration can bring to
a city or a community. With my experience, I feel strongly I can be an
effective advocate for our district and city.
Early Days
I was born in Germany and lived there until I finished high school. My
hometown there is Karlsruhe, near the Black Forest, where I grew up in
public housing.
At age 17, a lifelong dream came true. I
arrived in the U.S. to attend college, the first one in my family to get a
higher education. I quickly came to understand the promise of this country.
With hard work and the support of family, friends, and mentors, I achieved
many goals, the proudest of which was becoming an American citizen in 1985.
Education
I earned a degree in Political Science from the University of Nevada-Las
Vegas, and then a Master of Public Administration from American University
in Washington, D.C.
I have a Ph.D. in Educational Administration
from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and am now a happy Badger alumnus.
My dissertation studied Madison's city government, examining the conditions
that make collaboration and good governance possible.
Experience
I have worked in many jobs, from numerous clerical and janitorial jobs during college years
to professional work in government agencies, an environmental nonprofit, and
now in my own small business.
I worked for the Environmental Protection
Agency as a management analyst in Las Vegas and Washington, D.C., spending a
rotation at GAO (the Government Accountability Office). I spent several
years in Poland consulting for a sustainable development organization. In
Madison, I started consulting as soon as I finished my Ph.D., and I continue
in this line of work today.
Today
My wife, Mary, and I own a small
Northside business that provides management
services to businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and nonprofits. I also offer consulting services,
including strategic planning, leadership development, and executive
coaching.
I teach part-time at Edgewood College, with
courses focusing on organizational effectiveness, operations management, and
quality management.
I belong to numerous groups in Madison,
including the Northside Business Association, the North/East Side Senior
Coalition, the Madison Rotary Club,
Downtown Madison, Inc., the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce, the
International Professionals Association, the Society for Human Resources
Management, and the American Society for Training and Development to mention
a few. I also provide career and business mentoring to
local high school students.
I am currently a participant in
Leadership
Greater Madison.
PS: You may also want to visit my two other
sites relating to Spotlight
Germany for Visitors and
International Career Resources
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