I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the youngest of six children. I earned my Bachelor of Business Administration (with honors) from the University of Wisconsin (Madison) in 1984. I majored in Finance, Investment and Banking. After graduation, I worked for IBM in Endicott, NY for two years before heading to the University of Texas School of Law in Austin. In 1989, I was awarded my Juris Doctorate , with honors and inducted into the order of the coif. Since 1989: I worked at a large firm in Wisconsin for about five years, a small firm in Oregon for about three years, owned and operated a small business for 14 years, Upper Crust Bread Company, and have been self-employed for about 2 years.
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