LGI Summit

Introducing the second annual Local Government Summit

by the Local Government Institute of Wisconsin

The Local Government Summit 2026 Stronger Together: Advancing Local Government Collaboration

The Local Government Institute of Wisconsin invites local leaders, public safety professionals, and municipal partners to join us for a regional conversation on the future of intergovernmental collaboration.

Together, we will explore how communities across Wisconsin can strengthen partnerships, improve efficiency, and build lasting frameworks for shared success — across Police, Fire, EMS, and beyond.

Topics will include:

Collaborative approaches in Police, Fire, and EMS services
Partnerships that improve efficiency and outcomes
Best practices and real-world success stories
Opportunities for future intergovernmental cooperation

This summit is an opportunity to connect with peers, share ideas, and leave with actionable strategies for your community.

Registration coming soon. Questions? Contact Timothy Hanna at timothyhanna24@gmail.com.

June 11, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM | UW-Stevens Point, Dreyfus Center

Registration opens soon!

Summit Focus Areas

AI in Local Government

Civic Engagement

Cyber Security

Who Are We?

The Local Government Institute (LGI) unites Wisconsin’s local government community through its member organizations: the Wisconsin Counties Association (WCA), the League of
Wisconsin Municipalities (LWM), and the Wisconsin Towns Association (WTA).

LGI serves as a hub for knowledge-sharing, best practices, and collaboration among local government professionals and stakeholders. Our work focuses on fostering discussions, providing resources, and driving strategic initiatives that strengthen local governance.

Our Speakers

Timber Smith

Timber Smith serves as the Special Assistant to the Mayor for Community, Culture & Belonging for the City of Appleton.
In this role, he leads civic engagement and outreach initiatives that help foster a welcoming, inclusive community for all residents.
A thoughtful people leader with a strong background in organizational development and public service, Timber builds bridges across departments and neighborhoods to strengthen community connection.
He also co-hosts the Appleton Engaged podcast with Andy Anaam, highlighting stories of collaboration, leadership, and public service throughout the city.

Steven Schimmel-Olson

Steven Schimmel-Olson is a dedicated Network Administrator who leverages his commitment to continuous learning and expertise to secure and manage IT systems for the City of Oshkosh. In addition to his administrative responsibilities, Steven proudly serves as a member of the Wisconsin Cyber Response Team, collaborating with fellow volunteers to support incident response and threat mitigation efforts statewide. When he's not at his computer or expanding his knowledge, you can often find him exploring one of Wisconsin's many majestic and serene state parks.

Shuchi Wadhwa

Shuchi Wadhwa is the Chief Information Officer for Racine County, located in southeastern Wisconsin, where she leads the technology vision, planning, and service delivery through a dedicated team of skilled IT professionals. As CIO, she is responsible for overseeing the areas of Cybersecurity, Infrastructure, Application Development, Project Management and Service Delivery, benefiting not just Racine County but also local municipalities. A significant highlight of her tenure is the establishment of Racine County's inaugural Cybersecurity division and the broader initiative of the Wisconsin Cyber Alliance, aimed at elevating local government cybersecurity.
Prior to working for Racine County, Shuchi served with the United States Department of Defense in Washington DC, contributing to technology and language-based projects for overseas military personnel and stateside intelligence analysts. Her commitment to technology led her to significant roles at Northwestern Mutual and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee upon her return to Wisconsin. Shuchi holds two master's degrees, one in International Affairs with an emphasis on Security from Marquette University and a more recent degree in Cybersecurity from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Throughout her career, Shuchi has been driven by her unwavering commitment to public service. She leverages her deep experience and knowledge to foster innovation and ensure Racine County remains at the forefront of technological advancements. With a blend of strategic vision and hands-on leadership, she has successfully positioned the County and its municipalities for a secure digital future.

Michelle Schuler serves as the US Program Manager for TechSpark Fellows and the TechSpark Manager for Wisconsin at Microsoft. She drives economic growth and technological innovation both locally and nationally. Under her leadership, TechSpark Wisconsin has enhanced AI skills, stimulated innovation, and created economic opportunities. The TechSpark Fellows national expansion program extends her impact beyond Wisconsin, empowering organizations to develop technological-driven programs nationwide. Michelle helped communities secure over $238 million and trained more than 20,000 people nationally. Her collaborative approach involves engaging partners and stakeholders to drive meaningful change. She demonstrates her passion for leveraging technology to create a positive social impact and aims to build a brighter future for communities nationwide.

Sam Toles

Sam Toles is a former local elected official and one of the world’s top experts in digital media and communications.

Leveraging over two decades of experience at the intersection of content strategy, technology, and public service, Sam launched CiviSocial to empower local governments with the tools, strategies, and training needed to turn social media from a top pain point into your most valuable asset. His first-of-its-kind approach was designed exclusively for local leaders who want to cut through the noise, reduce the negativity, and reach their communities effectively.

Before founding CiviSocial, Sam served as Chief Content Officer at Bleacher Report and led digital media strategies at major brands including MGM Studios, Warner Brothers, Fremantle, and NordicTrack. He’s also had direct experience running a social media platform as the General Manager of Vimeo. His expertise in content creation, digital storytelling, and audience engagement at some of the world’s most prominent companies coupled with his work with top influencers (including members of the iconic Mr. Beast team) has driven billions of interactions across the medium.

Now, through CiviSocial, Sam brings that expertise directly to local governments, helping agencies focus on telling their story, engage their communities in a positive and proactive way, and navigate the ever-evolving social media landscape with confidence.

Nick Mastronardi

Nick Mastronardi is a public servant, academic, and CEO of Polco. Prior to founding Polco, Nick served as an active duty Air Force officer and a faculty member at the Air Force Academy. He also worked as a Senior Economist at Amazon and in the same role on the President’s Council of Economic Advisers at the White House. Dedicated to advancing public participation and implementing data-driven decision making, Nick brought together the best minds in government technology, civic analytics, and interactive engagement to create Polco. Today, Polco brings advanced data science capabilities to the public sector and world-class communication technology to the civic process.

Denise Herron

Denise Herron, CISSP, is a cybersecurity professional with a broad skill set in blue team defending and securing digital systems. Denise brings over 27 years of industry experience working for Outagamie County as an IT Systems Engineering Manager and 6 years working as an incident responder with the Wisconsin Cyber Response Team. As a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, she is currently expanding into the world of AI, exploring its applications and implications for cyber defense.

Bridget M. Thompson

Bridget M. Thompson is a social media strategist and communications consultant, working with both the public and private sectors in the social media management, brand strategy, user generated content and content creation. Founded in 2021, her company, BRIDGE Creative, helps clients exhibit the core mission of their brand through strategic visuals, design and effective messaging. We are living in a constant state of change and quick trends. BRIDGE Creative recognizes that and executes a timeless brand identity that will not only stand strong through today’s rapid state of change but create originality that can’t be replicated. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Bridget is passionate about the role of social media as a “front door” access point to business and government. In her spare time, she is an artist, runner and social media influencer.

William L. (Bill) Oemichen

William L. (Bill) Oemichen is Professor of Practice - Law at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension's Local Government Education Program. Oemichen is Extension's primary AI educator for local units of government. He has been working with artificial intelligence and machine learning for more than a decade as a national security researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and as a board member and chair of the Business Risk Committee for a $65 Billion Farm Credit collaborative based in Omaha, Nebraska that extensively uses AI and machine learning to approve loan applications. Oemichen is a current school board president and a former county supervisor, town and village officer.

Anindite “Andy” Anaam bio

Andy Anaam is the Communications and Public Information Manager for the City of Appleton, where she leads citywide strategic messaging, public engagement, media relations, and crisis communications.
With over a decade of experience across government, nonprofit, and corporate sectors, she has driven award-winning initiatives including Appleton’s rebranding and website redesign, public information campaigns, and citywide social media growth.
A recognized leader in municipal communications, Andy serves as the city’s spokesperson and plays a central role in cross-departmental strategy, stakeholder collaboration, and executive messaging. Her leadership reflects a deep commitment to transparency, accessibility, and community trust-building through effective storytelling.
She is also the co-host of the award-winning podcast Appleton Engaged, which highlights stories of civic leadership, community connection, and local impact.

Past Projects Include:

Developing a roadmap for collaboration among local governments
Researching the state-local funding relationship for road infrastructure
Creating programs to enhance regional cooperation
Analyzing and recommending improvements to state revenue-sharing policies