Linda Netsch
Class of 1979
Some of Linda’s fondest memories of growing up in Tomah: Friday night fish fries, farms and dairy cows, snow storms, cranberry harvests, the Monroe County Fair, and working at Fort McCoy in the summer.
Linda was born in Tomah, where her father, Newell, was a veterinarian and her mother, Elizabeth, ran the family business. Linda graduated from Tomah High School as the valedictorian in 1979. She attended UW Green Bay for two years and then transferred to UW Madison, graduating with a degree in Molecular Biology in 1983. After attending Officer Training School, Linda accepted a commission in the US Air Force. She was stationed at Ramstein Air Base in Germany as a communications integration officer, working with NATO allies to establish intelligence information systems throughout Western Europe.
After returning from Europe, Linda was accepted to Harvard Law School. She elected to continue her military service while in law school, and became a judge advocate attorney (JAG) after getting her law degree. In addition to practicing law in the Air Force, Linda taught legal studies at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
After leaving the Air Force, Linda practiced law in Washington DC and in Los Angeles, CA before starting her own consulting company. As a consultant, Linda traveled the world helping business, legal, and government professionals improve their negotiation skills. In 2017, one of Linda’s clients, a Silicon Valley law firm, asked her to join the firm and run a business unit providing in-house lawyers to technology companies.
Linda also taught a course in negotiation at Harvard Law School for over 20 years.
Linda is grateful for the excellent education and guidance she got as a student in the Tomah school district. She credits her parents with teaching her to work hard, be respectful, and be curious; her sister with teaching her to talk less, listen more, and not take herself too seriously; and the community of Tomah with teaching her the value of good education and good neighbors.