Rachel Ver Velde joined WMC in 2021 as Director of Workforce, Education and Employment Policy. Prior to joining WMC, she served as Chief of Staff for Congressman Glenn Grothman from Wisconsin’s 6th District. She managed his official office operations in both Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin.
Rachel also served as the congressman’s Senior Advisor on the campaign, where she oversaw all functions and achieved double digit margins of victory in four election cycles. She was the Campaign Manager for Congressman Grothman’s first congressional run, winning a contentious three-way primary and subsequent general election.
From 2013 through 2014, Rachel served as Chief of Staff in Congressman Grothman’s Wisconsin State Senate office and helped him usher 33 bills to Gov. Scott Walker’s desk for enactment.
Her experience prior to 2013 includes policy roles with Congressman Grothman’s Senate office and working for Congressman Paul D. Ryan in his Janesville office.
Rachel graduated with Honors from the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater with a B.A. in Political Science and Economics. She currently resides in Sun Prairie with her husband and two children.