Ho-Chunk Nation’s attorney general featured on local billboard

By Ken Luchterhand



Among the hills and valleys of Jackson County, a picture of Amanda WhiteEagle grabs the attention of passersby along I-94.
Her photo is on a billboard, on display since September 1.
It features Amanda as one of the many successful graduates of University of Wisconsin – Madison.
“Amanda’s billboard is part of a larger mission called ‘Project 72’ for the 72 counties in Wisconsin,” said Vince Sweeney, vice president of communications for the Wisconsin Alumni Association. “We have 69 of the 72 counties with similar billboards, featuring a UW-Madison graduate. The only reason we don’t have the remaining two counties covered is because they are so small, no billboards in those counties were available.”
“The reason for the project is to celebrate the positive impact of UW-Madison, which extends into every corner of the state,” Sweeny said. “Someone like Amanda is featured in every county.”
Choosing whose picture will be displayed was the hardest thing they had to do because there were so many positive stories out there, he said. Each of the featured alumni had their stories posted on the web site at www.boundlesstogether.org.
“I’m honored to be a part of the Boundless Together Campaign between Wisconsin and UW-Madison,” WhiteEagle said. “UW-Madison truly highlights the Wisconsin Idea, which in essence, states that university research and studies should be applied to solve issues and improve the well-being, quality of life, the environment, and agriculture for all citizens of the state.  Although the billboard will soon be coming down, they hope to make similar displays next year, along with other promotional efforts throughout the year.”
WhiteEagle credits both the university and the Ho-Chunk Nation for her success.
“None of my accomplishments would exist without my education from UW-Madison; similarly, none of my accomplishments would exist without the support of the Ho-Chunk Nation.  I’m extremely grateful that I was able to utilize my ‘18 money’ – which was less than $20,000 - as well as the Ho-Chunk Nation Department of Education funding for both undergraduate and graduate school,” she said. 
“I hope that the citizens of Jackson County drive past the billboard, and think, ‘I’d like to go to UW-Madison and come back to live and work here.’  I hope that all of the Ho-Chunk youth see the billboard and consider UW-Madison for their education, and then come to work for the Nation,” WhiteEagle said. “I’ve been employed with the Nation for nearly 12 years, and there’s no place that I’d rather be.”
On the alumni web site, she tells her story:
At age 11, Amanda WhiteEagle’s father planted a seed.
“Long before I knew what went into going to law school, I told him that I wanted to be an attorney,” she said. “He told me that the Ho-Chunk Nation could always use good lawyers, and to me that seemed like a pretty good fit.”
Today, WhiteEagle is attorney general of the Ho-Chunk Nation, leading a Department of Justice committed to defending the tribe’s sovereignty, interpreting its constitution, and protecting the tribe’s legal interests.
WhiteEagle earned bachelor’s degrees in Anthropology and French and a certificate in American Indian Studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Then, she headed for UW Law School, armed with a tribal scholarship that provided her with a post-graduation job.
At UW Law School, she took a deep dive into tribal law. When she graduated from UW–Madison in 2005, she went to work as a law clerk for the tribe. When she was just a year out of law school, a vacancy for a tribal judgeship came open, and she applied and was appointed.
At age 27, WhiteEagle became one of the youngest judges in the United States.
“When I was confirmed, my fellow judges took me to lunch at the casino, and I got carded,” WhiteEagle said, who served on the bench from 2006 to 2015 before being appointed the tribe’s top legal officer.
She credits her UW-Madison education for helping build her career, which also included working as a Jackson County court commissioner.
“The Wisconsin Idea was instilled in me as an undergraduate and in law school. The fabric of the state is woven into the education and was ensuring that I was giving back to my community,” WhiteEagle said.
It also meshes with Ho-Chunk tribal ethics and values.
“Being a tribal member allows me to provide for my community, and what’s expected from the community is that we give back,” she said.


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