Kathleen Falk, County Executive
Since 1997, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk has served as the chief elected official for Dane County, whose county seat is Madison. With a population of over 475,000 and an annual county budget of nearly $500 million, Dane is Wisconsin's second largest county. Known for her leadership and ability in bringing people together over important and often contentious issues, County Executive Falk has focused on initiatives to reduce sprawl and improve water quality; to serve the needs of kids, families and the elderly so they can succeed; and to be "smart on crime" by using effective drug treatment strategies with repeat, non-violent offenders. She says she loves balancing budgets and crafting innovative ways to make government more efficient for taxpayers.
Falk is the first woman County Executive in Dane County and the longest serving. Ms. Falk, an attorney, was a candidate for Governor in the Democratic primary in 2002, the first major party woman candidate for Governor in Wisconsin history. Prior to her election in April, 1997, and re-election in 2001, 2005 and 2009, Falk served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Wisconsin Department of Justice for 14 years. Prior to that Falk served as co-director and counsel to Wisconsin's Environmental Decade where she won nationally significant cases. Ms. Falk is married to Peter Bock and is the proud mother of a grown son, Eric.
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