Early Career Chats is an interview series run by MMAC Communications Intern Elena Fowle. Elena sits down with early- to mid-career members to hear about their career journeys, professional growth and involvement at MMAC.
Lily Kopplin, Wisconsin Center District’s Contracting Manager, is our fourth interviewee in the series. Continue reading for the full Q&A.
Q: Introduce yourself, your name, your company, your role and then give a general description of what you do.
A: My name is Lily Kopplin, and I am the Contracting Manager here at the Wisconsin Center District. We own and operate three venues in the entertainment district of Milwaukee, including Baird Center, the Miller-High Life Theater and the UWM Panther Arena. As contracting manager, I have the opportunity to work with clients from inquiry all the way through execution, from redlines, negotiations and all things sales operations.
Q: Could you give a brief summary of how you ended up in that role, what your journey was like and what is keeping you in your industry or role?
A: When I was finishing out my college years in Ripon, I was really thinking hard about where I wanted to land. I knew I wanted to come back to the community that raised me; I was born and raised in Milwaukee. April of 2022, I received the opportunity from the Wisconsin Center District to become their sales operations specialist. The past two years, I’ve been given the opportunity to be promoted to contracting coordinator and now contracting manager.
Q: How long have you been involved at MMAC?
A: I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of MMAC basically since the day I started at the Wisconsin Center District.
Q: What is your favorite MMAC event or memory at an MMAC event?
A: My favorite MMAC event is definitely the Business After Hours events. It gives everybody a really relaxed opportunity to get to know one another, chat about important aspects of the Milwaukee community, and support local artists, businesses, venues, all of those things.
Q: What do you feel is the greatest benefit that you’ve gotten out of being involved at MMAC?
A: The greatest benefit I’ve gotten out of joining MMAC has definitely been the people. Not only the professional relationships, but also the friends you have the opportunity to make. People that you see at other events, see at festivals, out and about in the community.
Q: What’s one piece of advice that you would give to other early or mid-career professionals?
A: One piece of advice I would give early professionals is to find good people to work with. Surround yourself with people that are positive, that care about you, both professionally and personally, especially when it comes to your direct coworkers. It’s always a joy promoting Milwaukee, but it makes it even better when you love the people that you’re around..
