LuAnn currently lives in Hales Corners where she is a caregiver for her husband Phil. After making it through Vietnam, he was permanently paralyzed in a construction accident in 1990, just 8 days before the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law.
Phil is her inspiration. He never gave up. When she learned he could not access their kids schools, she got elected to her school board and made sure the schools were wheelchair accessible.
She has a long standing history of leading change in her communities.
“When I see a problem, I get involved, bring people together, and find solutions. I learned how to get things done by finding common ground. That’s what’s needed in Government.”
— LuAnn
Representative Kalan Haywood
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 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.
Representative Robyn Vining
Fun times at the park with her grandkids and their two dogs, Biscuit and Lily.
Married to her soulmate Phil for 40 years.
Each year LuAnn organizes a team — Birds for Fisher House — to run/walk/roll in the 5K Famous Sausage Race to raise money for Fisher House Wisconsin.
LuAnn published a book with all of Phil's pictures from Vietnam and letters that he sent home so their grandsons would know "Grandpa's Story."
LuAnn and Phil took the boys to the traveling Vietnam Wall.
LuAnn and Phil are proud parents of Elizabeth, an educator and Tom, a financial analyst and three wonderful grandsons Ryan, Tyler and Kyle.
She loves spending time with her grandsons!
LuAnn converted a closet into an art room for her grandchildren. Volunteers can bring their kids into her home where there is always fun stuff to do!
LuAnn recorded a Bird on a Wire Podcast Series to have conversations on hope, civility, and action.