Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley announced on March 17 the appointment of Nick Sinram as the new Director of the Milwaukee County Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance. Sinram will take on the role in April on an interim basis, pending confirmation by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
The appointment comes at a time when managing public resources and ensuring effective services remain priorities for county leadership. The Office of Strategy, Budget and Performance oversees strategic planning efforts, manages the development of Milwaukee County’s $1.4 billion annual budget, and leads operational improvements across departments.
Crowley said, “Since I’ve been County Executive, we’ve ended every single year with a budget surplus. Nick Sinram is well-suited to continue this track record, bringing new experience to this role that will allow us to address our fiscal challenges, responsibly manage taxpayer dollars, and maintain core services in the years ahead.” He added that he looks forward to the Board considering Sinram’s appointment soon.
Sinram brings experience from his recent position leading Financial Planning and Budget Services at Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS), where he managed a $1.6 billion budget supporting 9,500 employees and serving 60,000 students. His background also includes work as Assistant City Attorney for Milwaukee and roles in municipal budgeting and policy analysis. “I am honored to continue serving my community in this new role,” said Sinram. “I look forward to working with the talented team at Milwaukee County to ensure responsible stewardship of public resources and effective services for all residents.”
Milwaukee County schools serve a diverse student population. During the 2023-24 school year, Black students made up about one-third (33%) of enrollment with 38,530 students out of a total 116,758; white students were the second largest group at 29% (33,860), while Hispanic students were third at 24.5% (28,606), according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Multiracial students accounted for 5.5% of enrollment during that period according to state data, while Pacific Islander students represented just 0.1%, making them the least represented ethnic group according to DPI.
Among individual schools in Milwaukee County for the same school year, Oak Creek High School had the highest enrollment with 2,223 students; HAPA-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 followed with 1,894; Franklin High School was third with 1,606 according to DPI data.
Sinram will replace Joe Lamers upon confirmation by county supervisors. Lamers was recently appointed Director of the Milwaukee County Department of Transportation.
