[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 12 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E78]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO ELLYN McKENZIE

                                  _____
                                 

                            HON. GWEN MOORE

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 23, 2017

  Ms. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Ellyn McKenzie, 
Vice President of Government Affairs for Sixteenth Street Community 
Health Centers. She is retiring on January 31, 2017. She has served the 
organization beginning in 1997 and retires exactly upon her 20th 
anniversary date.
  Ellyn started with the agency as a grant writer and project director 
for the agency's first two grants to support Environmental Justice 
Activities. Sixteenth Street's Department of Environmental Health was 
formed based upon those two grant projects: 1) to support a community-
based approach to lead poisoning prevention and 2) to collect 
information and catalog information about and features of the 
neighborhood that could pose a hazard to the health of children. In 
fact, the Department of Environmental Health continues its work to 
prevent lead poisoning, and has grown their environmental justice 
activities into successful sustainable re-development projects for 
Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley and Kinnickinnic River Corridor.
  Ellyn transitioned to the position of Communications and Development 
Director as the agency expanded and upon her retirement held the title 
of Vice President of Government Affairs. She produced five successful 
fundraising events for Sixteenth Street's signature Celebrity Roast--
the agency's once a year fundraiser. Honorees for events on her watch 
were for Milwaukee Buck's Coach George Karl, Milwaukee Brewer's 
President and Chairman Wendy Selig-Prieb, former Wisconsin Governor 
Tommy Thompson, Milwaukee developer Gary Grunau and Wisconsin Governor 
Jim Doyle.
  Ellyn produced 15 Annual Reports, a publication for donors, community 
partners and staff compiling successes, new challenges and strategic 
growth of the agency. She was also responsible for government relations 
activities for the agency over the years.
  Prior to joining Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers, Ellyn 
held several positions in Wisconsin State government, serving as 
legislative assistant to the State Senate Organization Committee, as an 
aide to Wisconsin Governor Tony Earl and as coordinator for a state-
wide Energy Conservation Plan in the Department of Administration.
  I am grateful to have had the opportunity to know and work with Ellyn 
since her days in Wisconsin State Government. I join with friends and 
colleagues to congratulate her on her retirement. I wish her much 
success as she transitions into a different phase of her life. Mr. 
Speaker, I am proud to honor Ellyn McKenzie and I am proud to call her 
a friend. The citizens of the Fourth Congressional District and the 
State of Wisconsin are privileged to have someone of her ability and 
dedicated service working on their behalf for so many years. I am 
honored for these reasons to pay tribute to Ellyn McKenzie.

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