A decade of community service – Milwaukee’s pro bono speaker’s bureau celebrates 10th anniversary

MILWAUKEE, WI —Celebrating a decade of community impact, Free Speakers Milwaukee is marking its 10th anniversary as Milwaukee’s source for pro bono education and professional-quality presentations. Since its local debut, the speaker’s bureau has stayed true to the belief that the best community education should be accessible to all, providing local groups with speakers at no cost.

The Milwaukee bureau holds a unique position in the organization’s legacy, having launched on January 7, 2016, as the very first expansion city for the pro bono community service project. What began as a Chicago-based initiative has since flourished into a national network, with Milwaukee serving as the blueprint for growth into seven major cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Dallas-Fort Worth, Washington D.C., and Phoenix.

Since Milwaukee debut a decade ago, the bureau has fulfilled 611 requests for speakers from local community groups in MKE. Today, the Milwaukee bureau features 35 active speakers covering a vast array of topics ranging from history and health to business and personal development.

“Milwaukee was our first expansion city, and the reception over the last decade has been nothing short of incredible,” said Andy Richardson, Milwaukee executive director of FreeSpeakers.org. “We knew the Chicago model worked, but Milwaukee proved that there is a universal hunger for knowledge and community connection. Reaching 611 requests shows just how much local organizations value the experts in their own backyard.”

Requests for speakers come from a diverse range of Milwaukee-area groups, including:

• Public libraries
• Chambers of commerce
• Rotary and Kiwanis groups
• Senior and retirement communities
• Church groups
• Women’s and men’s clubs

The bureau is a community service project that is 100 percent free to groups that have limited or no budgets. There is never a charge to the group, not from the speaker, and not from the bureau.

“Our speakers are motivated by a desire to give back,” added Richardson. “They aren’t looking for a paycheck; they are looking to teach, hone their speaking skills, and share a message. It’s a win-win for everyone involved. As we look toward the next ten years, we are excited to continue connecting Milwaukee’s brightest minds with the groups that make this city great.”

History of Free Speakers

The founder of Free Speakers is Ginny Richardson of Naperville, IL. During her career in journalism and public relations, she accumulated a vast network of experts and program chairpersons. When local groups would call asking for speaker recommendations for their upcoming meetings, Ginny began connecting them with colleagues who had valuable topics to share.

This casual list grew into a formal bureau in 1996. The name “Free” was, and remains, the core mission. No one involved makes money from the exchange. The reward is found in the contacts made and the goodwill generated within the community.

Both new speakers and Milwaukee-area organizations are welcome to visit the website at https://milwaukee.freespeakers.org/. To become a speaker, visit https://milwaukee.freespeakers.org/become-a-speaker/.