The Madison Common Council Welcomes the 2023-2025 Cohort of Alders Serving the 20 Districts of the City of Madison

(MADISON, WI) The Common Council Office is proud to introduce the 2023-2025 cohort of alders representing the 20 districts that make up the City of Madison. Swearing-In Day, which took place on April 18, 2023, was also the first official Common Council meeting of the new term. The meeting started with Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway honoring and thanking outgoing alders for their dedicated service to their city and their constituents. This was followed by the swearing-in of the newly elected and re-elected alders. At approximately 2:15 pm, 8 newly elected alders and 12 re-elected alders were sworn in to the Madison Common Council. Learn more below about the members of the new Common Council and how each alder plans to prioritize their efforts during their term.

John Wesley Duncan, District 1
Alder John Wesley Duncan was elected to serve the people of District 1 in the Spring 2023 Election. He brings with him to the Common Council nearly two decades of experience in the legal healthcare and compliance fields. Alder Duncan earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Texas Christian University and a Juris Doctor from the University Of Massachusetts School Of Law. He currently works as a Manager of Provider Network Contracting for Dean Health.

Throughout his career, Alder Duncan has advocated for vulnerable and underserved populations, ranging from patients living with HIV/AIDS to families receiving Medicaid. He seeks to bring that same passion for advocacy and commitment to service to the Common Council on behalf of his constituents.
Some of the main issues Alder Duncan plans to address during his term include, but are not limited to, affordable housing, climate and sustainability, transportation, and working toward creating a more equitable community for everyone in Madison, from policing and racial justice to economic fairness and LGBTQ+ equality.

Alder Duncan is the successor to Alder Barbara Harrington-McKinney, who ran in and won the race for the District 20 alder seat during the 2023 Spring Election due to redistricting.

Juliana Bennett, District 2
Alder Juliana Bennett (she/they) first ran for and won their election to become an alder, representing District 8, on the Madison Common Council in 2021. In their first term, they championed affordable housing policies, violence prevention initiatives, community investment, fair maps during redistricting, equal access to transportation, and uplifting the voices of those most underserved in our communities.

Throughout her time in Madison, Alder Bennett has set herself apart as a community advocate. She became a community organizer during the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement. She then co-founded the Madison BIPOC Coalition to streamline actionable initiatives to advance the needs of students of color.

Now that Alder Bennett was re-elected to the Council, serving as the alder representing District 2, she will prioritize downtown and the greater Madison area community needs for affordable housing, equitable transportation, and violence prevention. Alder Bennett would love to hear individual input about issues important to the Madison area. Feel free to contact her at (608) 960-9063 or email district2@cityofmadison.com.​

Alder Bennett is the successor to former Alder Patrick Heck, who decided not to run for re-election in the 2023 Spring Election.

Derek Field, District 3
Alder Derek Field was elected to serve as alder in the 2023 Spring Election. Alder Derek Field believes that public policy should be a tool that governments use to support people’s needs. His main priorities in his role as alder are addressing Madison’s housing crisis, protecting the city’s public drinking water and supporting the Water Utility’s work in the cleaning and treatment of City wells and water sources.

In addition to his role as alder, Alder Field is an Institutional Policy Analyst in the Office of Data, Academic Planning, and Institutional Research at UW-Madison. In this role, Alder Field uses UW-Madison's institutional data to answer analytical questions about how UW-Madison serves its students.
Alder Field grew up on his family's farm in Blue Mounds, and moved to Madison in 2012 to attend UW-Madison, where he studied Economics and Political Science and participated in student activism and organizing for college access and affordability, student food insecurity, student voter registration and civic participation, and other student issues. He earned his Master of Public Affairs degree from UW-Madison's La Follette School of Public Affairs in 2017.

Alder Derek Field is the successor to former Alder Erik Paulson, who decided not to run for re-election in the 2023 Spring Election.

Mike Verveer, District 4
Alder Mike Verveer has represented the city's downtown since 1995. Alder Verveer ran for re-election to the Madison Common Council and won in the in the 2023 Spring Election. He previously served as Common Council President for the 2003-2004, 2007-2008 and 2016-2017 terms and as Common Council President Pro Tem (now called Vice President) for the 2001-2002 term.

Alder Verveer’s efforts will focus on increasing access to safe and affordable housing. He will continue working against climate change, increasing sustainability, and work toward making Madison and downtown safer. Alder Verveer is also excited to work toward the development and implementation of the Lake Monona Waterfront Master Plan, a city planning initiative to create a welcoming, inclusive and environmentally focused master plan that forms a crucial connection from south Madison and surrounding communities to the isthmus.

Alder Verveer, a practicing attorney, is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Law School. He currently serves on the boards of the following organizations: Capitol Neighborhoods, Inc., Downtown Madison, Inc, Madison’s Central Business Improvement District, Madison Elks Lodge, and the Overture Center Foundation.

Regina Vidaver, District 5
Alder Regina Vidaver was first elected to serve as alder for District 5 in April 2021. On April 4, 2023, Alder Vidaver was re-elected in the Spring 2023 Election. In this new term, Alder Vidaver will continue to build the health and resilience of District 5, and the city as a whole. She seeks to improve processes where possible, and keep equity at the top of mind for all decisions.

In addition to being alder, Alder Vidaver’s full-time position is with the State of Wisconsin Division of Public Health, where she oversees the state's chronic disease and cancer prevention programs. In this role, she works with partners to improve social determinants of health to try to reduce health disparities across the state. She is also involved in efforts to improve the health care provider workforce, both in numbers and distribution.

Between a full-time job and her role as alder, Alder Vidaver has limited free time remaining. What free time there is, she uses to concentrate on family, fostering meaningful friendships, enjoying the outdoors on her family sailboat in the summer months, and cross-country skiing in the winter.

Marsha Rummel, District 6
Alder Marsha Rummel first decided to run for Common Council in 2007 and served as the District 6 alder until 2021. After a 2-year break, Alder Rummel ran and won her election in the 2023 Spring Election. Alder Rummel looks forward to serving District 6 residents and the city for another term, and working with residents to build the city that serves us as we face the opportunities and challenges of growth.

In her role as alder, she will prioritize affordable housing and work to protect already existing affordable housing. She will also focus on safe and people centered streets and accessible transit that serves those that most rely on it. She will work to protect our drinking water and the lakes/waterways from the toxic legacy of industrial and agricultural pollution.

Alder Rummel is the successor to former Alder Brian Benford who served as alder for District 6 from April 2021 to April 2023.

Nasra Wehelie, District 7
Alder Nasra Wehelie was appointed to the District 7 alder seat in November 2020 and later ran for her first full term as District 7 alder unopposed in April 2021, and again in the April 2023 Spring Election.

Alder Wehelie has worked professionally in the non-profit sector for more than 15 years in various capacities. In addition to her role as an alder, Alder Wehelie is the founder and CEO for Empathy 4 Equity LLC, which aims to develop strategies for building a "culture of empathy" within organizations to better connect employees and their communities. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Wisconsin Leagues of Municipalities and the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County.

As an alder, Alder Wehelie is committed to serving her district and the city at a higher capacity to make meaningful changes. She has experience in strategies to organize individuals for collective action, as well as strategies of inclusive decision making to make sure all voices are heard. She is a leader who understands the issues at hand, listens to the constituents’ problems and advocates for them. She is a consensus builder who can reach out to others. This term, Alder Wehelie plans to advocate for public safety, new initiatives to build sustainable affordable housing, increasing community engagement, and reducing the equity gap in terms of economic development and building of generational wealth.

MGR Govindarajan, District 8
Alder MGR Govindarajan was elected to serve as alder of District 8 in the 2023 Spring Election. Representing the campus community in District 8, MGR hopes to focus on creating affordable housing policies specific to students and young renters, improve transportation in the downtown area by focusing on pedestrian and biker safety, improve campus safety, and more. Alder Govindarajan will also prioritize other issues facing constituents, particularly students and young people, including, but not limited to, mental health services, campus and off-campus safety, transportation and sustainability.

Alder Govindarajan is a first-generation college student at UW-Madison studying Legal Studies and Political Science; he plans to attend law school at the UW as well. During his free time, MGR loves biking around the city while listening to music.

Alder Govindarajan is the successor to Alder Juliana Bennett who served as alder for District 8 from April 2021 to April 2023 and who now serves as the alder of District 2.

Nikki Conklin, District 9
On April 20, 2021, Alder Nikki Conklin was first sworn in as alder for District 9. In the 2023 Spring Election, Alder Conklin was re-elected and retained her seat on the Madison Common Council. As alder of District 9, her priorities are focused on quality affordable housing, and equity, justice, and safety for all. She is committed to addressing the needs of her district with sustainably in mind. She believes in community policing to get to the root cause of the issues and investing in our communities to help bring the crime rates down.

As alder, she will fight for fair and equal access to affordable housing with a focus on Housing First models and tenants’ rights. She is dedicated to supporting more folks into homeownership and building wealth. Through her work on the Community Development Block Grant Committee, she has supported funds for neighborhood developments and services in housing, such as homeless services. On the Landlord & Tenant Issues Committee she has been working hard on tenants’ rights through rent abatement.

As a deeply-rooted, progressive community leader with a vision for a healthier and more equitable community, Alder Conklin will add upon the work she started on the Council two years ago. She wants to continue to represent her community and be their voice at the table. She will continue to engage and build relationships within her community, throughout the city and within City departments. She leads with a holistic view that focuses on addressing root causes to give our community what it needs to thrive.

In her free time, what very little she gets, Alder Conklin enjoys spending time with her three kids and family, cooking new dishes, bowling and traveling.

Yannette Figueroa Cole, District 10
Alder Yannette Figueroa Cole assumed office on the Madison Common Council, representing District 10, on April 20, 2021. She was re-elected as alder in the 2023 Spring Election. Alder Figueroa Cole will continue to work on initiatives for violence prevention from the lens of health. Utilizing a public health approach to violence, which focuses on prevention of violence before it occurs, she encourages participation of those most impacted by the issues, supports alternative emergency response services for mental health crises and collaborates with appropriate governmental and nonprofit agencies to address the needs of our people. A healthy community is a safe community.

Alder Figueroa Cole is a Business Analyst with extensive experience in system implementations, end-user training, and support of multiple CRM and ERP systems. She is adept at learning and applying new skills and technologies. She has quickly adapted to changing environments with flexibility and agility, has excellent analytic reporting skills, and takes pride in being customer service oriented.

In her free time, she likes to take weekend road trips with family and at least once a year she likes to visit her family in Puerto Rico.

Bill Tishler, District 11
The Madison City Council’s Executive Committee recommended Bill Tishler to fill in the vacancy as alder of the 11th District, and he was appointed as interim alder on June 7, 2022. He won his seat representing District 11 in the 2023 Spring Election. Alder Tishler has a strong interest in civic engagement, which was instilled in him at an early age by his father William H. Tishler, a retired professor of landscape architecture and an expert on historic preservation.

His priorities include working closely with residents and their neighborhood associations. These groups volunteer so much of their time and talent to help Alder Tishler improve the quality of life in our area. Alder Tishler will continue to work hard to foster two-way communication with District 11 constituents by encouraging individuals to subscribe to the District 11 Alder email list and participate in regular District 11 Town Hall Meetings at the Sequoya library. One of the current issues that he is working on with constituents and City staff is improving the safety of pedestrians and bikers due to the high volume and rapid speed of traffic in our area.

Alder Tishler has been a resident of Madison for over 50 years, living in the Sunset Hills and Westmorland neighborhoods. When Alder Tishler and his wife, Jennifer, began looking for their first house in 2004, they felt District 11 had all the amenities they wanted and were lucky to find a single story ranch house in the area. They have three kids, ages 11, 15, and 19, who all attend MMSD schools.

Amani Latimer Burris, District 12
Alder Amani Latimer Burris won her seat representing District 12 on the Madison Common Council in the 2023 Spring Election. Her goal is to focus on the wants and will of District 12. She hopes to work on the continued need for connectivity in the neighborhood. Alder Latimer Burris values authenticity, transparency and doing things with integrity even when they are difficult.

Alder Latimer Burris is looking forward to continuing the legacy of service to the community by continuing the tradition set forth by her late mother Milele Chikasa Anana (known to some as Bettye Latimer) and her father Jim Latimer, whom among other things has served in leadership as conductor of both the Capitol City and the VFW Band for decades, and her grandparents and other relatives who built and then rebuilt the notable Greenwood, often called America's Black Wall Street, after living through and surviving the infamous 1921 Tulsa Massacre.

Alder Amani Latimer Burris is the successor to Alder Barbara Vedder, who was appointed to serve as Interim Alder for District 12 until the 2023 Spring Election.

Tag Evers, District 13
Alder Evers was re-elected for a third term serving the people of Alder District 13 in the Spring 2023 Election. Alder Evers is committed to representing the residents of District 13, and at the same time providing leadership on the critical issues facing the city as a whole.
Alder Evers remains committed to addressing Madison's housing crisis. Alder Evers feels Madison needs more housing at all price levels, while at the same time, we need to be more aggressive in the pursuit of subsidized affordable housing. Similarly, he is committed to sustainability and making sure Madison is making sufficient strides toward meeting our climate goals.

Alder Evers has helped shepherd two very important development projects in District 13 -- Bayview and Truman Olson -- both of which will make a huge difference. He also helped lead the effort to close off Vilas Park Drive to through traffic and advance the City's commitment to Dark Sky compliance.

In addition to his role as an alder, Alder Evers is a huge music fan and runs a successful small business called True Endeavors, an independent concert promotion company committed to supporting non-profits in the communities they serve. When not working for the people of Madison or running his business, Alder Evers is spending quality time with Bella, his 2.5 year old Lab-Chow mix.

Isadore Knox, Jr., District 14
Alder Isadore Knox, Jr., was elected to serve the people of District 14 in the 2023 Spring Election. Alder Knox has lived in South Madison for over 30 years. Alder Knox and wife Cheryl love their supportive community that they have been involved with and invested in. They have raised their five, now adult, children here, who are now all college degreed professionals.

In addition to his current and previous experience a Madison alder, Alder Knox has over 35 combined years of experience as a State and County manager. Alder Knox is currently retired, but works part-time as a security lead at the Overture Center for the Arts. He is a member of Local 412, AFSCME union and AFSCME retiree Chapter 32. He has served on many civic and neighborhood boards, committees, and commissions including the Police Civilian Oversight Board, the Standing District Destination Taskforce, the South Metropolitan Planning Council and the Southside Raiders Football & Cheerleading, Inc.

Alder Isadore Knox, Jr., is successor to former Alder Sheri Carter, who held the role since 2015, making her the first African American woman to be elected to the Common Council in 125 years (along with Barbara Harrington-McKinney), but was redistricted out of District 14.

Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford, District 15
Alder Dina Nina Martinez-Rutherford was elected to serve as alder for District 15 in the 2023 Spring Election. As someone who has experienced poverty and housing insecurity, Alder Dina Nina is dedicated to finding solutions that work for all of us. Housing and homelessness are huge issues for Madison and making sure that we keep our gig workers, creatives, artists and performers is vital to preserving the spirit of our city.

In addition to her role as alder, Alder Dina Nina is small business owner and creative entrepreneur. She is a comedian and speaker who is passionate about educating companies and organizations around transgender and gender identity issues and inclusion. She also serves on the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee for KW2 and has worked with Abortion Access Front and independent clinics in the Midwest, which provide reproductive care as well as gender affirming care.

Alder Dina Nina grew up in a small town in Texas called Celina. In her down time, she loves to sew and craft and spend quality time with her dog Gertrud Emmaline Vonhunderhaus.

Alder Dina Nina is the successor to former Alder Grant Foster, who served as alder for District 15 for two terms, but did not seek re-election.

Jael Currie, District 16
Council President Jael Currie was first elected to the Common Council as alder for the 16th District in April of 2021. In 2022, President Currie was elected by her Council peers to serve as the Common Council Vice President. In this year’s Spring Election, President Currie ran and won her race for District 16, and was subsequently elected to be Council President.

In this term, President Currie will continue to advocate for public health and safety, economic growth and stability, and environmental justice and protections. She also aims to increase civic engagement by making involvement and leadership in local governmental systems and structures accessible and welcoming to all. Her goal is to build and/or rebuild trust in systems that many have lost faith in.

In addition to her Council role, she is employed as YWCA Madison's Housing Director. She is passionate about service to those experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity and looks forward to being a key participant in bringing forth solutions to mitigate Madison's growing housing affordability crisis. When she is not working, she enjoys attending her kids' sporting events, listening to live music/attending concerts, cycling on her Peloton and enjoying the city's amazing bike paths and trying out different restaurants.

Sabrina Madison, District 17
Alder Sabrina Madison was appointed in October 2022 as interim alder for District 17. This year, Alder Madison will serve her first full term as alder of District 17, having been elected to the seat in the 2023 Spring Election.

Alder Madison is the Founder & CEO of the Progress Center for Black Women. In leading the Progress Center, serving on local boards and committees, volunteering to lead a group of Black girls at Sandburg Elementary and more, she embraces a love ethic to guide how she shows up in community. Alder Madison believes in her ability to bring people together to work towards shared goals despite personal, political, and professional differences that may have been well established.

Alder Madison will continue to serve as an empowering community navigator through the district’s most important issues, always discovering sustainable solutions and strengthening pathways for economic and social mobility for everyone. Small business development, community engagement, affordable housing, traffic safety, collaboration with education partners, and bringing government to the community and into District 17, are a few of the areas she will focus on in her role as an alder.

When Alder Madison is not working on the Square or traveling, you can usually find her at one of the many local coffeehouses or sitting on her balcony with a good cup of coffee and a great book. She is also the mother to one brilliant and beautiful (adult) son.

Charles Myadze, District 18
Alder Charles Myadze first assumed his alder seat for District 18 in April of 2021. Alder Myadze retained his seat by winning his re-election to the Madison Common Council in the 2023 Spring Election.

Alder Myadze is honored to serve his district and will keep moving forward on housing and public safety and fight for equity and accessibility in public transportation and public services. In addition to his role as an alder, he is an active union member (Steelworkers Local 904L), volunteers as a trustee member of Christ the Solid Rock Baptist Church and has volunteered with the Dane County Chapter of the NAACP.

Alder Myadze has three children — Kendra, Armon and Mikel — who were all raised on Madison’s north side and went to Madison schools – Mendota Elementary, Blackhawk Middle School, and East High. A graduate of LaFollette High School, Alder Myadze earned a Certificate in Computer Numerical Control at Madison College and is currently pursuing a degree in Business Management. He has worked as a product tester at Goodyear/Continental in Sun Prairie for 26 years and also served as a union steward and a trainer.

Kristen Slack, District 19
Alder Kristen Slack began serving on Madison’s Common Council on April 18, 2023, after being elected as alder for District 19 in the 2023 Spring Election. She has lived in the Spring Harbor neighborhood on Madison’s west side for 10 years and in the Madison area for 23 years. She and her husband have four kids between them, ranging in age from 15 to 28. Her two boys are the products of MMSD schools in District 19.

Alder Slack has dedicated her entire career to finding structural and system-level solutions to poverty and calling out government practices and policies that create or exacerbate inequities in income, health, family stability, community safety, housing, education, and legal justice. She cares a lot about the health of the local lakes and waterways, the safety of our drinking water, protecting our local natural resources and environment, and reversing climate change.

Alder Slack is the successor to former Alder and Council President Keith Furman, who did not seek re-election in the 2023 Spring Election.

Barbara Harrington-McKinney, District 20
Alder Barbara Harrington-McKinney was first elected to the Madison Common Council in 2015 for District 1, as one of the first African American women on the Council (along with Former Alder Sheri Carter). Due to redistricting, Alder Barbara Harrington-McKinney ran and won her election for District 20 in the 2023 Spring Election.

Alder Harrington-McKinney’s priority is to put people first. Public Safety policies: everyone should feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods. City Services: residents deserve high-quality City services. She supports making all City services more accessible and equitable, including but not limited to the City’s bus transit system. Alder Harrington-McKinney plans to continue advocating for affordable housing, increasing civic engagement in her district and in the city as a whole. She strongly believes that our city and its government must be transparent, accessible and welcoming to all.

In addition to her role as an alder, she currently serves as the Executive Church Administrator and Chair Deacon at Christ the Solid Rock Baptist Church. Her professional history includes serving as the Associate Director of Madison-Area Urban Ministry (Just Dane), as an Adjunct Instructor at Edgewood College, and as the Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator for the Alzheimer's and Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin. Academically, she holds a degree in Special Education, an MBA and a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning & Public Policy Administration.

Alder Harrington-McKinney is the successor to former Alder Matt Phair, who had been the interim alder for District 20.

To learn more about the Common Council and its members, please visit the Common Council website. To stay up-to-date with what’s happening in your district, you can subscribe to your alder’s blog by visiting your alder’s page on the Common Council website. If you are unsure of who your alder is, you can look up your alder by entering your address in the, “Find Your Alder” section of the main page of the website. As always, you can reach out to the Common Council Office, by email council@cityofmadison.com, or by phone, (608) 266-4071.



About the Madison Common Council
The Common Council’s mission is to represent the residents of Madison by promoting the safety, health, and general well-being of the community, by incorporating the following city core values: Equity, Civic Engagement, Well-Being, Shared Prosperity, and Stewardship. For additional information about the Madison Common Council, please visit: www.cityofmadison.com/council.