Accruing 28 years of professional experience in her field, Lori Whitney began her career as a messenger for the Wisconsin State Assembly in Madison in 1991, remaining in this role for four years before moving up the ranks to postal clerk from 1995 to 2003 and postmistress since 2003. In congruence with her primary trade, she has also contributed much of her time to several civic endeavors. Ms. Whitney served as a campaign volunteer for numerous political candidates between 1992 and 2014, including Al Gore and Barack Obama. Additionally, she was a fundraiser and volunteer with the American Diabetes Association from 1993 to 2004, a member of Amnesty International from 1991 to 2005 and the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Hoop Troop Booster Club from 1993 to 2005, fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society from 1993 to 2005 and volunteer with Prevent Child Abuse of Wisconsin from 1994 to 2008. Likewise, she has donated to the Wisconsin Coalition Against the Death Penalty from 1993 to 2009, the Planned Parenthood National Leadership Council from 1994 to 2012, the Southern Poverty Law Center since 1994 and the People for the American Way since 1996, among others.
Prior to the start of her professional life, Ms. Whitney pursued a formal education at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, where she attained a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and political science, cum laude, in 1990. Since graduating, she has gone on to maintain involvement with numerous organizations related to her field such as the American Civil Liberties Union, the National Organization of Women, Emily’s List and Progressive United.
In honor of her myriad accomplishments, Ms. Whitney was awarded 10 SECC Fundraising Awards by the Hopebuilder Habitat for Humanity Award in 1995, the Community Volunteer Award by the United Way in 2002 and the Hannah Needham Rogers Award by the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin in 2002. She was later honored with the Backyard Hero Award by Prevent Child Abuse Wisconsin in 2004, the Know Your Wisconsin State Journal Award in 2004, the Top Fundraiser Award by Madison Walk for Diabetes in 2004 and the Bob Alesch Award by Partners in Giving and the State Employees Combined Campaign in 2005. Moreover, Ms. Whitney is a recipient of the coveted Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and was selected for inclusion in the first edition of Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders, the 26th edition of Who’s Who in the Midwest and several editions of Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the World and Who’s Who of American Women. Today, she is known to enjoy reading, sports, rock music, comedy movies and travel in her spare time.