Neighborhood House announces Jeff Martinka as its new Executive Director

The Board of Directors at Neighborhood House of Milwaukee has announced the appointment of Jeff Martinka as its Executive Director. Martinka will succeed Richard Cox, who is retiring in May after six years as Executive Director of Neighborhood House.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jeff as the new leader of an organization that has served this community for more than six decades,” said Joel Brennan, Chair of the Neighborhood House Board of Directors. “Jeff brings enthusiasm and a wealth of experience that includes work on the near west side and work with a diverse array of clients and funders. We are eager to partner with him to inject new energy and resources into the organization and the community.”

Jeff Martinka currently serves as the founding Executive Director of Sweet Water, an innovative partnership of environmental groups, local governments, business and academia, working to improve the water resources in the five Greater Milwaukee watersheds. Based at the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences, Sweet Water has become a national model in watershed-based, multi-jurisdictional environmental work.

In prior positions, Martinka was the Executive Director of the West 7th Community Center in St. Paul, MN, a multiservice community center with strong school, family and senior programs. He also managed Literacy Services of Wisconsin when its adult basic education programs were housed on Wells Street, just 2 blocks from Neighborhood House. Jeff has worked in management at the Milwaukee County Parks, in Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist’s Office, and at the Milwaukee Department of City Development. He earned an M.S. in Urban & Regional Planning and an M.A. in Public Administration at UW-Madison and a B.A. from UW-Milwaukee.

Reflecting on his new position, Martinka said, “I am so pleased to have this opportunity to return to community center work. Neighborhood House has a long and proud legacy; I look forward to working with the center’s board, staff and volunteers to build a strong future.”