{{short description|American lawyer}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Kathleen Falk | caption = Kathleen Falk in the 2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade, Madison WI | image = Kathleen Falk in the 2009 St. Patrick's Day Parade (cropped).jpg | office = 4th Executive of [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane County]] | term_start = April 21, 1997 | term_end = April 18, 2011 | predecessor = [[Richard J. Phelps]] | successor = [[Joe Parisi]] | office1 = Assistant Attorney General of Wisconsin | term_start1 = 1983 | term_end1 = 1997 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1951|6|26|mf=yes}} | birth_place = [[Milwaukee, Wisconsin]], U.S. | alma_mater = [[University of Wisconsin Law School]] <small>([[Juris Doctor|J.D.]])</small><br/>[[Stanford University]] <small>([[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]])</small> | spouse = [[Peter Bock (Wisconsin politician)|Peter Bock]] (m. 2002) | children = Eric Phillips | profession = [[Lawyer|Attorney]], [[politician]], [[policymaker]] | party = [[United States Democratic Party|Democrat]] }}

'''Kathleen Falk''' (born June 26, 1951) is an [[Americans|American]] attorney, politician, and policymaker from [[Wisconsin]] who served as [[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane County]] [[County Executive|Executive]] from 1997 until 2011. In 2013, she was appointed Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Region Five.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/health_med_fit/kathleen-falk-appointed-as-regional-hhs-director/article_ba61dbba-8dae-52e6-809e-5f6cfdcf6c2e.html|title = Kathleen Falk appointed as regional HHS director| date=4 September 2013 }}</ref>

A [[Democratic Party of Wisconsin|Democrat]], Falk unsuccessfully sought the party's nomination for [[Governor of Wisconsin]] in [[Wisconsin gubernatorial election, 2002|2002]] and in the [[Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election|2012 recall election.]] In 2006, Falk defeated Democratic [[Wisconsin Attorney General|Attorney General]] [[Peg Lautenschlager]] to win the party's nomination for Attorney General, but was defeated by Republican [[J. B. Van Hollen]] in the general election.

Prior to running for elected office, Falk was a prosecutor and public-interest attorney. From 1983 to 1997, she was an assistant attorney general and public intervenor in the [[Wisconsin Department of Justice]]; she previously worked as a co-director and legal counsel of Wisconsin's Environmental Decade, an advocacy organization. Falk was the first woman to serve as Dane County Executive and to seek a major party's gubernatorial nomination in Wisconsin.<ref name=DeFour>{{cite news |last=DeFour |first=Matthew |title=Wisconsin's First Major Female Gubernatorial Nominee |url=http://www.governing.com/news/headlines/Wisconsin-Gets-Its-First-Female-Gubernatorial-Nominee.html|access-date=18 October 2015|work=Governing|agency=Tribune News Service}}</ref>

==Early life and career== Falk was raised in [[Waukesha County]], Wisconsin. She earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from [[Stanford University]] in 1973 and graduated from the [[University of Wisconsin Law School]] in 1976.<ref>{{cite news|last=DeFour|first=Matthew|title=Kathleen Falk's Impact on County |url=http://host.madison.com/news/local/article_d8b14413-3460-5679-97f5-ed474c526b08.html |access-date=16 April 2007|newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal}}</ref> She is also a graduate of Harvard University's Senior Executives in State and Local Government Program.<ref>{{cite news |last=DeFour |first=Matthew |title=Dane County finances looking better than expected for this year|url=http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/article_14a15bc2-7355-11df-89ed-001cc4c03286.html|newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal|date=June 8, 2010}}</ref>

Following law school, Falk became the co-director and general counsel of Wisconsin's Environmental Decade, Inc., a non-profit, [[public interest]] organization devoted to environmental litigation and lobbying. Falk argued cases before the [[Wisconsin Supreme Court]] during her tenure there.<ref>{{cite web|title=Yahara Lakes Program Speakers|url=http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/events/yahara/yahara-speakers.php#falk|publisher=University of Wisconsin, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies|access-date=2011-12-07|archive-date=2011-12-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111209045929/http://www.nelson.wisc.edu/events/yahara/yahara-speakers.php#falk|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1983, Falk was hired as an assistant attorney general in the [[Wisconsin Department of Justice]]. Attorney General [[Bronson La Follette]] appointed Falk to serve as Public Intervenor, in which capacity Falk performed litigation, lobbying, and advocacy on environmental protection matters. Falk's position was eliminated in 1995,<ref>{{cite web |title=Public Intervenor Office Restoration |url=http://www.midwestadvocates.org/advocacy/accountability/PublicIntervenor.htm |publisher=Midwest Environmental Advocates |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426035231/http://www.midwestadvocates.org/advocacy/accountability/PublicIntervenor.htm |archive-date=2012-04-26 }}</ref> during the tenure of Attorney General [[Jim Doyle]], and Falk became an assistant attorney general at the department.

==Political career==

===County executive (1997-2010)=== Falk made her first run for public office in 1996, running for Dane County Executive. She finished first in the runoff and eventually defeated a long-time county board member, Mike Blaska. She was later re-elected three times (2001, 2005, 2009). During her 14-year tenure, she implemented mergers of county departments,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal |date=February 11, 2002}}</ref> vetoed borrowing for jail construction<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Capital Times|date=October 15, 1999}}{{full citation needed|date=September 2016}}</ref> and ended Dane County's practice of sending its inmates to other counties for incarceration.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Capital Times|date=September 26, 2007}}{{full citation needed|date=September 2016}}</ref> Falk enlarged the county sheriff's department by adding 134 new positions,<ref name=memo>{{cite web |title=Falk memo |url=http://pdf.countyofdane.com/exec/falk_memo.pdf |publisher=Dane County|access-date=October 4, 2010}}</ref> opened a juvenile justice facility,<ref>{{cite web |title=Falk opens new Juvenile Detention Center |url=http://www.countyofdane.com/press/details.aspx?id=837 |publisher=Dane County |access-date=August 3, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=DeFour|first=Matthew|title=Helping teens get out of trouble|url=http://host.madison.com/news/local/article_6f44f2bb-dcc6-5b3e-a526-c43b660fef5d.html|newspaper=Capital Times|date=August 2, 2007}}</ref> and launched a community-based initiative aimed at gang prevention.<ref>{{cite news|title=City, County Officials Unveil Second Gang Task Force|url=http://www.channel3000.com/news/9220667/detail.html|newspaper=CBS Channel 3|date=May 15, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20071222055141/http://www.channel3000.com/news/9220667/detail.html|archive-date=December 22, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |title=Dane County Executive Falk Releases Dane County Youth Gang Prevention Task Force Proposed Community Response Plan |url=http://www.countyofdane.com/press/details.aspx?id=584 |publisher=Dane County|access-date=November 21, 2005}}</ref> Falk's budgets funded jail diversion programs for non-violent substance-addicted offenders,<ref>{{cite journal |title=Outstanding Community Leadership Award|journal=Wisconsin Association of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse|date=December 2008}}</ref> a home visitation model for at-risk families, and environmental programs focused on water quality and land conservation.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://host.madison.com/news/local/kathleen-falk-s-impact-on-county-her-work-on-environment/article_d8b14413-3460-5679-97f5-ed474c526b08.html|title=Kathleen Falk's Impact on County Her Work on Environment, Quality of Life Issues Win Praise, but Did County's Building, Staffing and Tech Needs Suffer? |author=Matthew De Four |newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal |date=April 16, 2007 |access-date=December 8, 2016}}</ref>

===Statewide office races=== In 2002, she unsuccessfully ran for Governor, losing the Democratic primary to Jim Doyle. Falk was Wisconsin's first woman candidate for governor from a major political party.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wispolitics.com/index.Iml?Article=8842|title=Celinda Lake: Making The Case For Pro-Choice Female Candidates|website=WisPolitics.com|access-date=2016-12-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040307173144/http://www.wispolitics.com/index.iml?Article=8842|archive-date=2004-03-07|url-status=dead}}</ref> {{Citation needed|date=April 2012}}

In 2006, Falk challenged and defeated [[Peg Lautenschlager]] in a Democratic primary for Wisconsin Attorney General. She went on to lose the general election race by fewer than 9,000 votes out of more than 2.1 million cast. Falk was a contender to challenge Wisconsin Governor [[Scott Walker (politician)|Scott Walker]] in his [[Wisconsin gubernatorial recall election, 2012|recall attempt]]. She announced her candidacy on January 18, 2012, but lost in the Democratic gubernatorial primary to Milwaukee mayor [[Tom Barrett (Wisconsin politician)|Tom Barrett]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Kathleen Falk Announces Candidacy for Governor|url=http://www.wqow.com/story/16544954/kathleen-falk-announces-candidacy-for-governor|publisher=WQOW TV|access-date=January 22, 2007|archive-date=March 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120308053218/http://www.wqow.com/story/16544954/kathleen-falk-announces-candidacy-for-governor|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Later career == In October 2010, Falk announced that she would step down midway through her fourth term as county executive in April 2011, citing an interest in contributing to public policy in a new way.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kathleen Falk to resign as Dane County Executive in April 2011|url=https://isthmus.com/news/news/kathleen-falk-to-resign-as-dane-county-executive-in-april-2011/|newspaper=Isthmus|date=2010-10-04|last1=Tarr|first1=Joe|access-date=2023-04-26}}</ref> She formally resigned at 8&nbsp;am on December 21, 2010, in order to trigger a special election. Dane County Board of Supervisors chair [[Scott McDonell]] became acting County Executive,<ref>{{cite press release|date=December 21, 2010 |url=https://countyofdane.com/PressDetail/8144|title=Scott McDonell Takes Oath, Begins Service as Acting Dane County Executive |last1=Wescott|first1=Josh|publisher=Dane County Office of the County Executive |access-date=2023-04-26}}</ref> and appointed Jamie Kuhn to serve as the Interim County Executive starting January 7, 2011, after confirmation by the full board, to serve until the special election. [[Joe Parisi]] won the election on April 5, 2011, and on April 19 succeeded her as Dane County Executive. Her tenure as county executive was the longest in the office's history.<ref>{{cite news |title=County Executive Falk to Resign |url=http://www.channel3000.com/news/25272581/detail.html |newspaper=CBS Channel 3 |date=October 5, 2010 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219122748/http://www.channel3000.com/news/25272581/detail.html |archive-date=December 19, 2010 }}</ref>

===U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2013–2017)=== In September 2013, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius appointed Falk to serve as DHHS's Region V Director. Region V encompasses a six-state area that includes Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://host.madison.com/news/local/health_med_fit/kathleen-falk-appointed-as-regional-hhs-director/article_ba61dbba-8dae-52e6-809e-5f6cfdcf6c2e.html|title = Kathleen Falk appointed as regional HHS director| date=4 September 2013 }}</ref>

==Recognition== Falk has received awards and recognition from environmental groups, business interests, women's organizations, LGBT equality activists, advocates for the disabled, conservation groups, the American Legion and domestic violence support groups.{{clarify|date=December 2016}}<ref>{{cite web|work=About Kathleen|url=http://www.kathleenfalk.com/about-kathleen|publisher=Kathleen Falk for Wisconsin|access-date=April 5, 2012|title=Archived copy|archive-date=April 3, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403131401/http://www.kathleenfalk.com/about-kathleen|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=County Leader to be Honored with Nilsestuen Conservation Award|url=http://www.wisconsinagconnection.com/story-state.php?Id=877&yr=2011|newspaper=Wisconsin Ag Connection|date=July 22, 2011}}</ref>

In 2014, the Dane County Board and County Executive named a wildlife area along the Sugar River the Falk-Wells Sugar River Wildlife Area for Falk and her chief of staff, Topf Wells, in recognition of their commitment to preserving the county's natural resources.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://www.countyofdane.com/press/details.aspx?id=3337|title=County to Name Sugar River Wildlife Area in Hono... - Dane County Press Releases |website=www.countyofdane.com|access-date=2016-12-07}}</ref>

Falk was inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame in 2022.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://captimes.com/opinion/guest-columns/opinion-conservation-hall-of-fame-honors-three-including-kathleen-falk/article_e2c93a0e-3f8c-5db6-9e11-9ffe3345529e.html |title=Opinion &#124; Conservation Hall of Fame honors three, including Kathleen Falk |date=10 January 2022 }}</ref>

== Personal life == Falk is married to former Democratic State Representative [[Peter Bock]].<ref>{{cite press release |title=County Executive Falk and Representative Peter Bock Announce Wedding Plans|url=http://www.countyofdane.com/press/details.aspx?id=169|publisher=Dane County}}</ref> She has one son, Eric Phillips,<ref>{{cite news|title=2010 Capitol Rising Stars: 40 under 40 |url=http://nycapitolnews.com/wordpress/2010/06/40-under-40 |newspaper=The Capitol |date=June 14, 2010 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017035831/http://nycapitolnews.com/wordpress/2010/06/40-under-40/ |archive-date=2011-10-17 }}</ref> and is an avid baseball fan, bicyclist,<ref>{{cite news|last=Moe|first=Doug|title=Life came full circle on Falk's bike trip|url=http://host.madison.com/mobile/article_8dbc3434-32da-5c6a-a8c9-432542d73edd.html|newspaper=The Capital Times|date=June 15, 2011}}</ref> hunter,<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Capital Times|date=November 26, 2003}}{{full citation needed|date=September 2016}}</ref> and angler.

==Electoral history== {{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Gubernatorial Recall Election 2012 - Democratic Primary}} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = [[Tom Barrett (Wisconsin politician)|Tom Barrett]] |votes = 390,109 |percentage = 58 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = Kathleen Falk |votes = 228,940 |percentage = 34 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = [[Kathleen Vinehout]] |votes = 26,926 |percentage = 4 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = [[Doug La Follette]] |votes = 19,461 |percentage = 3 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = Gladys Huber |votes = 4,842 |percentage = 1 |change = }} {{Election box end}} {{Election box begin | title=Dane County Executive General Election 2009 (Non-partisan)}} {{Election box candidate with party link||party=Nonpartisan politician|candidate=Kathleen Falk|votes=59,180|percentage=59.29|change=}} {{Election box candidate with party link||party=Nonpartisan politician|candidate=Nancy Mistele|votes=40,495|percentage=40.57|change=}} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Attorney General Election 2006}} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Republican Party (US) |candidate = [[J.B. Van Hollen]] |votes = 1,065,453 |percentage = 50.15 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link| |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = Kathleen Falk |votes = 1,056,594 |percentage = 49.74 |change = }} {{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin | title=Wisconsin Gubernatorial Election 2002 - Democratic Primary}} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = [[Jim Doyle]] |votes = 212,066 |percentage = 38.36 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = [[Tom Barrett (Wisconsin politician)|Tom Barrett]] |votes = 190,605 |percentage = 34.48 |change = }} {{Election box candidate with party link | |party = Democratic Party (US) |candidate = Kathleen Falk |votes = 150,161 |percentage = 27.16 |change = }} {{Election box end}}

==Notes== {{reflist}}

{{s-start}} {{s-ppo}} {{s-bef|before=[[Peg Lautenschlager]]}} {{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[Attorney General of Wisconsin]]|years=2006}} {{s-aft|after=Scott Hassett}} {{succession box|title=[[Dane County, Wisconsin|Dane County Executive]]|before=[[Richard J. Phelps|Richard Phelps]]|after=[[Joe Parisi]]|years=1997 &ndash; 2011}} {{s-end}}

==External links== *[https://www.hhs.gov/about/leadership/kathleen-falk/ Biography at the Department of Health and Human Services]{{dead link|date=June 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Falk, Kathleen}} [[Category:1951 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Stanford University alumni]] [[Category:Politicians from Milwaukee]] [[Category:University of Wisconsin Law School alumni]] [[Category:Wisconsin Democrats]] [[Category:Dane County executives]] [[Category:Lawyers from Milwaukee]] [[Category:Women in Wisconsin politics]] [[Category:21st-century American women]]