Mayor / Age 35
City of Appleton
While in college, Jake Woodford lost an election for a leadership position in a student organization.
“It pushed me to think bigger and go beyond that organization, instead running and winning election as president of the student government of the campus,” he says.
That early experience helped prepare him for the work he’s been doing for the past five years as mayor of Appleton. However, taking office in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic was a challenge.
“The pressures were enormous, and there was intense anxiety and uncertainty all around,” says Woodford, who adds that he tried to maintain transparency and “trust in my fellow Appletonians that, with information and encouragement, [they] would do what was best for themselves and our community as a whole.”
Woodford, a Lawrence University graduate, cares about fostering civic engagement. “We will rarely all agree on every issue, but I believe it is possible for every person to feel respected, appreciated and like they belong,” he says.
Be sure to visit Insight’s Portraits of Success: 40 Under 40 at The Art Garage in Green Bay from May 30–June 1 to see each honoree’s official 40 Under 40 portrait!
