Fessahaye makes mark with series of ‘firsts’

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Makda Fessahaye’s career has been one of firsts.

She’s a first-generation American, the daughter of Eritrean immigrants. She’s the first lawyer in the family, following along the path of public service her grandfather forged in Eritrea, an East African country. And this year, she made Wisconsin state history as the first woman of color and youngest person to serve as the administrator of the division of adult institutions at the Wisconsin Department of Corrections in Madison.

“Being a black woman in the United States from an immigrant family is not a perspective my predecessors held,” Fessahaye said. “This role has traditionally been held by men that started their careers as correctional officers in the prisons. I am not the traditional selection by any means. However, I believe my legal experience and perspective allow me to see opportunities and issues from a different lens than ever before.”

Fessahaye received her law degree from Marquette University Law School in 2014. She joined the Wisconsin DOC the same year and moved into the organization’s legal counsel role in 2016. Some of her achievements as legal counsel include leading the department’s transparency efforts and overhauling its public-records program.

In January 2019, Fessahaye advanced into her current role as administrator of the division of adult institutions, where she oversees 36 correctional institutions and six offices and bureaus, supervising close to 24,000 incarcerated people, more than 7,200 employees and a $1 billion budget.

As administrator, Fessahaye is working toward prison reform by reducing the use of restrictive housing in the DOC and offering more programming to inmates. She’s also intent on retaining employees by providing wage increases at maximum-security institutions, professional-development opportunities and training in diversity.

“Whether the cause is social or civic, volunteer or required, Makda is always willing to offer her time and attention to positively impact those around her,” said Kristen Hardy, counsel at Briggs & Stratton and a former classmate of Fessahaye.

Outside of work, Fessahaye serves as the president-elect of the Wisconsin Association of African-American Lawyers. She also donates her time to several other committees within the legal profession, and she helped found the Brunch of Professionals, a networking organization for women in the Milwaukee area.

“Growing up, I witnessed my father’s extensive involvement in the Milwaukee community and grew to understand the importance of giving back,” Fessahaye said. “Whether it be diversifying the legal profession, promoting literacy or planning a class reunion, I believe that I have an obligation to serve the communities I belong to.”