Name: Lisa Miller Treu.
When and where I was born: Plymouth, Wis., June 24, 1964.
Education: Random Lake High School, 1982; Trans-American Broadcasting School (now the Madison Media Institute), 1982-83.
Family: Husband Harry and twin daughters Karinthia and Katrina, 18.
My work background: I started on-the-air broadcasting in 1983 at WRKR-FM in Racine. In 1986 I moved to Madison, where I was on the air at WIBA-FM for 15 years on and off. I also started a woodworking manufacturing company called Northwoods Mfg. Inc. with my husband. The customer base included Home Depot, Eddie Bauer and Blain’s Farm and Fleet.
We closed the doors to Northwoods in 2000, when I went back to WIBA. I also did print, voice-over and television ads in the Madison area with companies such as Lands’ End, Hilldale Shopping Center, East Towne and West Towne Malls, Fox’s Jewelers, Rocky Rococo, American Family Insurance and more.
How I came to work for FFRF: I met Dan and Annie Laurie in 2009 as the Director of First Impressions for iHeartMedia in Madison, where they record their weekly radio show, and we became fast friends! It was such a joy to see them each week, and they always stopped to visit with me. Then Dan included me in his book Life Driven Purpose and gave me an autographed copy. After reading it, I knew that my life had a new purpose and that was to be more involved with FFRF.
What I do here: Director of First Impressions and whatever I can do to help the Foundation get the message out.
What I like best about it: All the knowledge that I’ve gained and all the people that I work with.
What gets old: What I call the “Bubba calls.” They usually start with “Can I ask y’all somethin’?” and end with them telling me that I am going to hell.
I spend a lot of time thinking about: The world that I brought my daughters into and what they have to face in the future.
I spend little if any time thinking about: What’s on TV.
My religious upbringing was: Catholic.
My doubts about religion started: In first grade when Sister Andrienne yelled at me in front of the whole class for turning around in church. I told her that the little boy sitting behind me was pulling my hair. She said that was no excuse, that Jesus suffered for our sins and to be respectful of the altar in the front of the church. The little boy was not punished. It was my first taste of religious hypocrisy.
Things I like: Music (most of all), books and caring for my cats, Jasmin and Shadow, who also answer to Jazz, Shads or Tuna!
Things I smite: The Beltline and drivers who cut you off or don’t wait their turn to merge into traffic.
In my golden years: I hope to share my days with my husband and daughters, gardening, reading and staying healthy.
I wish you had asked: Who are the people that inspire me? My husband, my daughters, John Lennon, Peter Gabriel, Yoko Ono, Annie Laurie and Dan.
