Meet Nicki Vander Meulen
Nicki Vander Meulen is a longtime advocate for strong, equitable public schools and a dedicated community leader in Madison.
She believes in honest leadership, meaningful collaboration, and policies that center students, families, and educators.
Nicki Vander Meulen is a juvenile attorney running for reelection to Madison School Board, Seat 7 - and her life’s work is a testament to what public education can be when we refuse to give up on children.
Nicki has spent her life fighting for equity and inclusion in public schools because, as a child, she had to fight for her own right to learn. Nicki is autistic and has cerebral palsy. At just five years old, she was told she was “uneducable” and should be institutionalized. Instead of accepting that future, Nicki - and her family - fought back. She sued for access to the public education she deserved.
That fight carried her all the way to graduating from the University of Wisconsin - Madison Law School.
But discrimination didn’t end with her degree. After applying to more than 300 law firms - openly disclosing her disabilities - Nicki was never hired. So she did what she has always done: she created her own path. She opened her own law practice, choosing to represent the clients who needed advocacy the most - juvenile mental health overflow cases. In doing so, Nicki became a powerful voice for children and adults with complex and often misunderstood needs.
Again and again, she saw the same injustices: students with disabilities being suspended, expelled, secluded, restrained, and pushed out of schools that were supposed to serve them. Nicki knew the system had to change - and she knew she had to be part of that change.
That’s why she ran for the Madison Metropolitan School District Board of Education.
When Nicki was elected in 2017, she made history as the first openly autistic school board member in the United States. Since then, she has been a tireless advocate for inclusion, dignity, and accountability. She has fought to reduce the use of seclusion and restraint, improve outcomes for marginalized students, increase special education funding, and secure cost-of-living raises for educators. She is also the first board member to visit every school in the district during her first term - because leadership means showing up.
Nicki Vander Meulen has made it her life’s mission to fight for those who are too often ignored, dismissed, or silenced. Her story is proof that when we believe in children - and refuse to give up on them - we all rise.
Help Nicki keep fighting. Vote for Nicki Vander Meulen on April 7th.
Why I’m Running
Madison’s schools thrive when leadership is clear, accountable, and rooted in community needs.
I’m running to ensure every student is supported and every voice is valued.
Read About My Visits to Every School in the District
Follow My Tour!
