Sam M.

Chief of Staff

Madison, Wisconsin, United States

About

Sam Munger serves as Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Madison, WI where he helps ensure that the Mayor’s directives and priorities are executed and manages the Mayor’s office staff and operations. Prior to that, he served as Deputy Mayor. He is an experienced policy strategist with over two decades of experience working on public policy at the federal, state and local level. He was a Policy Advisor to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers from 2018-2020, advising him on a range of topics including voting and elections administration, climate, and workforce and economic development. Prior to that, he worked at the Center on Wisconsin Strategy (COWS) at the University of Wisconsin, where he researched, wrote about, and advised public officials on a progressive state policy. He holds a JD from NYU School of Law and clerked for two years in the Southern District of New York. A native of Buffalo, NY, he has called Madison home since 2008 and has two children in Madison public schools.

Experience

  • City of Madison, WI (Madison, Wisconsin, United States · On-site)
    • Chief of Staff to the Mayor
      Jan 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 6 mos

    • Deputy Mayor
      May 2023 - Dec 2023 · 8 mos

  • Partner at UprisingStrategies
    Feb 2020 - Apr 2023 · 3 yrs 3 mos

    At UpRising, we provide strategic support to move your message, navigate state politics, grow your organizational capacity, and achieve policy and electoral outcomes. Dream UP. Speak UP. Build UP. Stand UP. Rise UP. UpRising Strategies.

  • Policy Advisor at Governor Tony Evers
    Nov 2018 - Jan 2020 · 1 yr 3 mos

    As policy advisor in the Office of the Governor, I worked with experts and stakeholders to gather information and options to provide recommendations to the Governor in developing and implementing a policy agenda for Wisconsin. Synthesize and summarize complex or technical information received in various formats and from various sources in a way that is accessible to experts and non-experts to facilitate decision-making. I also represented Governor’s office with stakeholders, agencies, and the legislature in a variety of public and private settings. My policy portfolio included energy, broadband, and telecommunications policy, among other areas.

  • State Innovation Exchange (4 yrs 1 mo)
    • Director Of External Affairs
      Jan 2018 - Dec 2018 · 1 yr

    • Director Of Special Projects
      Jun 2016 - Dec 2017 · 1 yr 7 mos

    • Outreach Director
      Dec 2014 - Jun 2016 · 1 yr 7 mos

  • Assistant Director for Outreach and Development at American Legislative and Issue Campaign Exchange (ALICE)
    Jan 2012 - Dec 2014 · 3 yrs

    Founded and helped lead collaborative nationwide project to develop an online public library of progressive law in many areas of state and local policy. Managed outreach, including to partners and the ALICE network. Drafted and reviewed model legislation and other legislative policy work.