Ellen Nowak
Ellen Nowak is an American attorney and politician, serving as Wisconsin Secretary of Administration since March 2018. On December 4, 2018 the Wisconsin Senate confirmed Nowak to chair the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. In the spring of 2016, Nowak was one of 11 candidates named as possible replacements for retiring Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice David Prosser Jr., but she was ultimately not selected by the appointment advisory committee.
Originally from Illinois, Nowak graduated from Danville High School in 1989. Nowak has a law degree from Marquette University and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
In July 2011, Governor of Wisconsin Scott Walker appointed Nowak to the Wisconsin Public Service Commission. In March 2015, she was named Chairperson. During her time at the Public Service Commission, Nowak served as the First Vice President of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners. Nowak also served on the Advisory Council for New Mexico State University’s Center for Public Utilities, the Advisory Council to the Board of Directors for the Electric Power Research Institute and the Advisory Committee for the Critical Consumers Issues Forum.
Nowak previously served as the chief of staff to Waukesha County Executive Dan Vrakas and as legal counsel and chief of staff to the Wisconsin State Assembly. Nowak practiced business litigation at Mallery & Zimmerman S.C. in Milwaukee from 1998 to 2002, and later worked as the deputy director of School Choice Wisconsin.
