Makda Fessahaye has been named Associate Vice Chancellor for Human Resources at UW-Milwaukee, according to two emails provided to Madison365. She will assume her new role April 11.
Fessahaye has been Chief Human Resources Officer and Director of the Department of Employee Relations for the City of Milwaukee since January 2021. Before that, she served for six years with the state Department of Corrections, most recently as Administrator of the Division of Adult Institutions, the largest division of the department. Fesshaye was named one of Wisconsin’s most influential Black leaders in 2020. She is a graduate of Northwestern University and Marquette University Law School.
“Makda has provided solid leadership to city government’s employee relations office. In a time of pandemic and change, the personnel challenges have been enormous,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said in a statement provided to Madison365. “I am grateful, and she will depart with appreciation from thousands of city employees.”
“It has been my utmost honor to serve the City of Milwaukee under the leadership of former Mayor Tom Barrett and Mayor Cavalier Johnson,” Fessahaye wrote in an email to City staff. “I am grateful for Mayor Johnson’s leadership and support of me during my time with City and as I transition into this new role. Serving the City of Milwaukee and leading the brilliant team at the Department of Employee Relations has been nothing short of amazing.”
