Chris Ott to Step Down as ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ of Wisconsin Executive Director, Organization Plans National Search for Successor

July 3, 2021 10:00 am

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MILWAUKEE β€” Christopher Ott, who has served as executive director of the ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ of Wisconsin since , will step down in mid-July. The organization will conduct a nationwide search for his successor. Ott previously worked 10 years for the ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ of Massachusetts, and shared his plans with the Wisconsin organization in May.

β€œAfter 14 years working for the ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅, I care deeply about this organization,” Ott said. β€œSince the ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ does so much important work in so many areas, there is never a convenient time to leave. But after helping our staff, board members, volunteers, and supporters to respond to the challenges of the Trump years, the pandemic, and historic new demands for racial justice, it is time for me to move on, and for the organization to bring in new talent for the challenges ahead. In addition to colleagues who do the ΊμΠΣΚΣơ’s great work every day in Wisconsin and across the country, I especially want to thank our members and donors, who have made our growth possible. I plan to remain a lifelong ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ member myself.”

β€œThe ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ of Wisconsin has grown exponentially under Chris's leadership,” said , board president of the ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ of Wisconsin. β€œDuring his time with us, Chris secured funds and technical assistance for our affiliate through the national ΊμΠΣΚΣơ’s Strategic Affiliate Initiative (SAI). Chris grew the human and fiscal capital of our organization. Due to Chris’s hard work, our board was in a position to create new income normalization and strategic reserve funds. Chris added departments and expanded our geographic footprint in the state, such as through work for voting rights and criminal justice reform. And Chris has created opportunities for staff that will continue to benefit us after his departure.”

The board of directors plans a nationwide search for a permanent successor, and will name an interim executive director before Ott’s departure.

The ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ of Wisconsin is the state affiliate of the national ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ and is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. The ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ of Wisconsin has more than 18,000 members statewide and is dedicated to defending the civil liberties and civil rights of all Wisconsin residents. During its 91-year history, the ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ of Wisconsin has taken on groundbreaking work on issues such as discrimination in education, housing and policing; the cruel treatment of children in juvenile detention; the state’s cumbersome and restrictive voter ID law; free speech rights; marriage equality and discrimination against LGBT people. The ΊμΠΣΚΣΖ΅ has a staff of 18 in Wisconsin, and more than 1,000 nationwide.