Mike Brauer, Executive Director
It is an honor for me to have been named the first Executive Director of Journey21. Welcomed and affirmed by the founders and the Board, I am eager to work hard for the young adults whom our mission seeks to serve, giving them an opportunity to build a vibrant community on the western edge of Pabst Farms in Oconomowoc.
I have been in nonprofit management and fund development for 37 years. Following my graduation from Marquette University where I was the first in my family to receive a bachelor’s degree in 1984, I have worked for several universities, organizations, and schools in Southeastern Wisconsin. Additionally, I have done professional fund development consulting for many years as well.
Experienced in most aspects of fund development, I have embraced the missions of a variety of institutions including Messmer Catholic Schools, Milwaukee Catholic Home, Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, and Marquette. Over the years, I have deeply appreciated the relationships formed with donors and volunteers alike, grateful for the trust placed in me as a steward of their time, talent, and treasure.
In reflecting on my accomplishments, I think I am most proud of my work at Cardinal Stritch University that led to a campus park, a walking trail, and an area dedicated to the Sisters of Saint Francis of Assisi. I was also fortunate to play an instrumental role in concepting, fundraising, and then helping create a new chapel in an underused campus space.
At Messmer, I was able to vision and then develop a former worship space into what today is home for the Milwaukee Robotics Academy, an extracurricular program that serves 300+ high school age youth who live in some of the most challenged north side zip codes in Milwaukee.
I am the oldest of six children and am a native of the Milwaukee area. Married to my wife, Maggi, for 34 years, we make our home in Glendale and we have four adult children. A fan of the Brewers and Bucks, I enjoy spending time with family, woodworking, and bicycle-riding.
Phone: (262) 399-0104