Aaron M. Zitzelsberger, J.D.

Title: Senior Director of Global Trade & Investment
Organization: Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation
Aaron Zitzelsberger is Director of Global Trade and Investment with the
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC). In this role, he
is responsible for management of WEDC’s export and the international
grants teams, both of which focus on initiatives that accelerate
Wisconsin exports. Additionally, the Director manages Wisconsin’s
federal SBA State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) grant and, in concert
with the International Grants Specialist, provides oversight of WEDC’s
Targeted Industry Project (TIP) program grants.
Aaron has over 15 years of nonprofit resource development and
corporate and foundation relations experience. Before joining WEDC,
he managed multiple divisions at United Way of Dane County where he
was responsible for building a donor base of thousands, contributing
annual charitable support of over $6 million.
Prior to United Way, Aaron served at multiple nonprofit organizations
including the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service (WIPPS)
as State Director of Development, where he was responsible for
implementation of a state-wide resource development plan to move
the organization from UW-System support to a self-sustaining non-
profit business model. Additionally, Aaron previously served as Director
of Corporate and Foundation Relations with the University of Wisconsin
Foundation where he oversaw a multi-million-dollar portfolio of annual
university support as well as working strategically with college deans
and department heads to implement funding solutions to strategic
initiatives.
A Wisconsin native, Aaron holds a BA in political science and a certificate
in American Indian Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as
well as a JD from Mitchell Hamline School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Aaron lives in Oregon, Wisconsin with his wife, Sarah, two boys, Jack and
Grant, and dog Bucky.