Will share her expertise in talent development to statewide organization, represent region
Rebecca Deschane, vice president of talent development for New North Inc., the regional marketing and economic development corporation for the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin, has been elected to the board of directors of the Wisconsin Economic Development Association (WEDA). The board election took place at WEDA’s annual meeting, held on Feb. 2 during the annual Governor’s Conference on Economic Development.
“I am honored to join the WEDA board of directors and support their ongoing efforts to advocate for the economic well-being for all in Wisconsin,” says Deschane. “I’m excited about the opportunity to further collaborate with colleagues from across the state to help drive innovative economic- and talent-development solutions that advance economic growth in the great state of Wisconsin.”
“We are proud to have the representation of Rebecca on the WEDA board,” adds Barb LaMue, president and CEO of New North Inc. “As a statewide organization, its goals focus on collaborative economic development, much like those of New North. We know that Rebecca’s expertise in talent development will assist colleagues across Wisconsin, along with connecting state resources back to the companies and partners in our region.”
Deschane coordinates and manages initiatives, projects and programming around talent development for New North through collaborations with local and regional partners. Included among her responsibilities are the New North Talent Hub, military-veteran attraction efforts in conjunction with Mission Wisconsin, coordination of college-alumni recruitment with area institutions of higher learning, oversight of New North’s Inspire deployment and retraining initiatives like Microsoft/gener8tor Upskilling.
“WEDA is thrilled to welcome Rebecca to our board of directors. We look forward to her proven leadership and enthusiasm for WEDA and economic development,” says WEDA President and CEO Mary Perry. “We will rely heavily on her professional experience, and specifically her expertise in talent attraction, as we work to enhance WEDA member services and advance the Wisconsin economy.”
The Wisconsin Economic Development Association is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to growing Wisconsin’s economy. It represents the economic-development interests of its 400-plus members, in both the public and private sectors, through advocacy, education and leadership on statewide initiatives.
Prior to joining New North in January 2021, Deschane spent a decade with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), primarily in a talent attraction and development role, implementing statewide talent strategies to help meet current and future workforce needs.
A native of the New North region (Crivitz), Deschane is a graduate of Marquette University.
New North, Inc., is a 501(c)3 non-profit, regional economic development corporation fostering collaboration among private and public sector leaders throughout the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin, known as the New North region. The New North brand unites the region both internally and externally around talent development, brand promotion and business development, signifying the collective economic power behind the 18 counties. The counties include Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Waupaca, Brown, Shawano, Oconto, Marinette, Door, Kewaunee, Sheboygan, Manitowoc, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Marquette, Florence, Menominee and Waushara. www.thenewnorth.com
