To highlight the La Follette School’s Fall 2025 Eat & Greet networking series, we are featuring alumni with impressive careers in their respective fields. In October, students and alumni will come together for our Local Government Eat & Greet on October 24 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at Steenbock’s on Orchard in the Discovery Building.
Pamela Ritger de la Rosa graduated from the La Follette School of Public Affairs in 2013, earning her master’s degree in International Public Affairs (MIPA). Directly after graduation, she held multiple positions at Clean Wisconsin, where she worked for eight years. She now serves as environmental sustainability program manager and deputy director for the City of Milwaukee Environmental Collaboration Office.
A degree from La Follette prepares students to work in a variety of fields and positions, including local government. In fact, of our recent graduates, roughly 40% of students took positions in state or local government. These connections are sometimes curated through La Follette client projects. Ritger de la Rosa’s capstone project did just that. Her group completed an energy analysis and greenhouse gas inventory project that provided recommendations to reduce community-wide emissions in the City of Milwaukee. “The project was prepared for my current director, so the position allowed me to meet and demonstrate my abilities to him, which helped me to secure my current position,” she said. In addition to connections made in the classroom, staff work continuously to connect our extensive alumni and employer network with current students.
Our classes also emphasize the long-standing and important role public servants play in the continued operation of government. Pamela says she still often uses the tools she learned at La Follette, like cost-benefit analysis and evidence-based policy. “I use this thinking whenever deciding on whether to pursue a new policy or initiative,” she says. While deliberating city issues, “…we inevitably need to discuss the pros, cons, and whether certain policies have been shown to provide the desired outcome in other jurisdictions.”
To spotlight a variety of different local government employment opportunities, La Follette is partnering with UniverCity Alliance to host a Local Government Eat & Greet on October 24 from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at Steenbock’s on Orchard in the Discovery Building. A career panel will share their experiences in the field and elevate opportunities for students to get involved. Panelists include Inga Cushman, Drake Daily (‘15 MPA), Michael Luckey (’23 MPA), and Reese O’Malley. “Eat and Greets are a wonderful way to learn from each other in a more relaxed setting, to truly learn the ins and outs, pros and cons of different programs and career tracks,” Ritger de la Rosa said.
The Wisconsin Idea, bringing the benefits of education beyond the classroom, is central to the La Follette School’s mission. In this spirit, La Follette continues to expand the popular Eat & Greet networking series launched in the Spring of 2024. These gatherings are dedicated to connecting current students with policy experts working in a related field. In addition to the Local Government Eat & Greet, La Follette hosted a State Capitol Eat & Greet last month, and will host a Higher Education Eat & Greet on November 14. These events are supported by the Ascendium Education Group.