The University of Wisconsin–Madison Badger Talks program reflects the tradition of the Wisconsin Idea — to extend the resources of the University to citizens of the state. The program connects over 550 faculty and staff from hundreds of different disciplines with communities throughout the state to spark conversations on important topics, engage residents on critical issues, and share the latest UW research. Wisconsin schools, businesses, associations, as well as professional and civic organizations are invited to explore the website and request a presenter for an upcoming virtual or in-person event. Please reach out if you would like help identifying a presenter who matches your needs.
Thank you for all that the Badger Talks program does for the community. The depth and breadth of speakers and topics is fantastic! Your outreach efforts are very appreciated.
Sons of Norway Mandt Lodge, Stoughton, WI
Guidelines
NUMBER OF REQUESTS. Wisconsin groups are generally eligible to request two talks via Badger Talks per calendar year. Badger Talks reserves the right to turn down talk requests based on staff workload and schedule availability.
FEES. UW-Madison presenters typically volunteer their time, and the University covers their travel-related expenses. Some speakers may request honorariums, in which case Badger Talks is unable to cover their travel expenses. We do our best to list these preferences on the presenter profile page, and/or communicate this early in the process so you can find the best fit for your budget if this is the case.
CONTRACTS. As part of our efforts to streamline operations and focus on delivering high-quality public programs, Badger Talks will no longer be entering into binding service contracts for presenter services provided through our unit. Instead, we will continue to provide email confirmations outlining the details of the engagement. We are making this update due to the amount of time these contracts take to evaluate and edit and the limited bandwidth available. The University, by way of our confirmation email, still remains responsible for program content, branding and speaker conduct. Our presenters do not have the authority to contractually bind the University, so we would ask that you do not ask the presenter themself to sign any agreement made as a result of a Badger Talks engagement. This approach ensures compliance with university policies, while maintaining transparency between parties. Information about the UW-Madison liability coverage for employees, officers, and agents is available on the Division of Business Services website. Given the current challenges faced by the University, we hope you will understand our need to limit staff time to providing and curating connections to best serve the needs of the public.
VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON. Presenters are available for both in-person and virtual presentations. Those with specific preferences have listed this on their profile page.
ON-CAMPUS GROUPS. If your group is headquartered at UW–Madison, or if your event is serving UW-Madison staff or students, please contact presenters directly. Badger Talks is intended for use by off-campus organizations and businesses.
SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Advertised talent and/or topic availability is subject to change.
HOSTING RESPONSIBILITIES. Your organization is required to cover any non-travel, event-related costs, as well as designating a contact person who will meet the presenter(s) on the day of the event. We expect that host groups will do their best to accommodate any special needs presenters may have.
ATTENDANCE: As a general guideline, Badger Talks requests a minimum of 20 attendees at events. Exceptions can be made with presenter approval. We will do our best to help host groups promote events with low expected turnout. Groups hosting public events should utilize the marketing tools offered by Badger Talks to make the event known to as wide an audience as possible. We also ask host groups to report on final attendance before submitting another request for a presenter.
For in-person events located outside of Dane County, some presenters may reserve the right to switch to a virtual format if estimated attendance remains very low. The presenter is responsible for making this decision at least 1 week before the event out of respect to the host group’s planning efforts.
IN-STATE ONLY. Badger Talks is a service for Wisconsin entities only. For groups located outside Wisconsin, please contact presenters and negotiate fees and logistics directly.
CANCELLATIONS. Out of respect for presenters’ time and efforts, host groups are encouraged to carefully consider and be confident in their choice of presenter and choice of event date before submitting a request. However, if a cancellation becomes necessary, host groups are required to provide a minimum of three business days’ notice in the event of an unforeseen conflict impacting a scheduled engagement.
TIMING. Engagements with presenters should be booked at least three weeks in advance to ensure adequate time to confirm a presenter and make any necessary travel arrangements.
Badger Talks Staff
Fran Puleo Moyer
Associate Director of Outreach Programs
Fran oversees UW Connects, a statewide outreach program housed in the UW-Madison Office of State Relations. UW Connects includes Badger Talks, Bucky's Classroom, and the Badger Ambassador program. She has 20+ years of experience in program development, event management, community and public relations, marketing, and communications. Formerly the Community Relations Manager at Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center, she served as a spokesperson for the facility, managed events, and developed robust partnerships within the Madison business community. In addition, she previously served as an Outreach Program Manager at UW–Stevens Point, and has held administrative positions for several orchestras including the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, and the Lake Forest Symphony. Fran is an artist and musician and currently serves as an Arts Commissioner for Dane County. She earned a bachelor’s degree in music performance from the University of Illinois and an MBA in marketing from DePaul University but is a proud Badger in her heart, and is honored to support programming which shares information and resources from campus with the people of Wisconsin.
Maya Reinfeldt
Badger Talks Coordinator
Maya has been with Badger Talks since October of 2022. She is responsible for hosted talk requests and their marketing, human resources, office supplies and equipment, and travel and expenses for speakers, students and staff. Maya Reinfeldt is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Madison, where she earned her BA with Honors in International Studies and Russian Literature. During college, she was a Writing Fellow, an Interfaith Fellow, and a member of the Cabinet of Student Leaders. Her work experience also centers around the University - Maya has worked for Memorial Library, and as both a student employee and Community Engaged Intern at the Wisconsin Water Library under Wisconsin Sea Grant where she focused on elevating underrepresented voices in the library. Maya grew up near Madison and, as a very proud Badger, is excited to support and develop the Badger Talks goal of spreading the Wisconsin Idea throughout the state. In her free time, she plays with the UW-Madison Russian Folk Orchestra, having been raised bilingual in English and Russian.
Maggie Obst
Badger Talks Marketing Intern
I am a second-year undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, pursuing a degree in Microbiology on the pre-medical track. I am passionate about healthcare and plan to attend medical school, with a particular focus in Dermatology. I am originally from New Berlin, Wisconsin, and I enjoy spending my free time with friends, exploring new cuisines, and being around animals.