Timeline: 1951-Present

Image description: A headshot of Danae D. Davis.

Danae D. Davis

Trained as a lawyer and committed to equity, Danae Davis is passionate about “success for every child, in every school, from cradle to career.”
Image description: A portrait-style photo of Millie Zantow in front of a wall of plastic bottles.

Milly Zantow

Milly Zantow pioneered the plastics recycling movement and invented the numbered-triangle system used for identifying different kinds of plastic.
Image description: A black-and-white headshot of Nellie Wilson.

Nellie Wilson

Nellie Wilson spent her life fighting for employment opportunities for women and was the first African American woman to hold a leadership position in her local steelworkers union.
Image description: A black-and-white photo of Glenn Wise sitting at a desk.

Glenn Wise

Glenn Wise became the first woman to hold a statewide public office in Wisconsin when she was appointed secretary of state in 1955.
A black-and-white headshot of Ingrid Washinawatok.

Ingrid Washinawatok

Ingrid Washinawatok, which translates to “Flying Eagle Woman,” was a celebrated human rights advocate for Indigenous peoples who was killed in South America.
Image description: A headshot of Ramona Villarreal.

Ramona Villarreal

Ramona Villarreal is a Mexican American activist who has devoted her life to fighting for equality and justice for people with Mexican/Latinx heritage in Wisconsin.
Image description: A portrait-style photo of Chia Youyee Vang.

Chia Youyee Vang

Chia Youyee Vang is a leading advocate for Hmong cultural preservation and education.
Image description: A portrait-style photo of Sheri Swokowski with her chin in her left hand.

Sheri Swokowski

Transgender advocate Sheri Swokowski, a former colonel in the U.S. Army, has worked to end discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation.
Image description: A black-and-white headshot of Doris Thom.

Doris Thom

Doris Thom, who helped open higher-paying jobs to women in Wisconsin, was the first woman to hold leadership positions in her local labor unions.
Image description: A portrait-style photo of Donna Shalala.

Donna Shalala

Donna Shalala was the first woman to head a Big Ten university and the longest-serving secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.