Brian Vigue, who oversees Audubon Great Lakes’ freshwater policy efforts with a special focus on Wisconsin, was recently named one of Wisconsin’s 32 Most Influential Native American leaders.
The list is a statewide spotlight from Madison 365, highlighting the dedicated leaders of Wisconsin’s Indigenous communities. The people featured on the list are elected leaders, business leaders and community leaders, doing difficult, important work, often in the face of discrimination and literally generations of oppression. While there are more high profile Indigenous leaders doing good work in Wisconsin, the list introduces a few of the people doing the work, often behind the scenes and without the accolades, across Wisconsin.
Brian develops and implements policy strategies to protect and restore wetlands and their associated watersheds throughout the Great Lakes region.
Previously, Brian has worked in the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C., in the Wisconsin State Legislature, state agencies, the Office of the Governor and recently at one of the leading wetland conservation organizations in the state, the Wisconsin Wetlands Association. He has a wide range of experience working on issues such as climate change, coastal and wetland management, land stewardship, federal and local tribal outreach as well as with policymakers on both sides of the aisle.
Brian started his career working with tribes as an intern with the Oneida Nation, of which he is a citizen, in their Intergovernmental Affairs Office. He was able to build on this experience assisting U.S. Representative Patrick J. Kennedy is his role as Vice-Chair of the House Native American Caucus and serving as Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle’s Tribal Liaision to Wisconsin’s 11 federally-recognized tribal governments.
Brian grew up in Green Bay and is a citizen of the Oneida Nation. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree from St. Norbert College and lives in Madison with his sons Hunter (11), Otto (8) and his wife, Carla, who is the Director of Tribal Relations at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
