Dan Terrio

For more than 25 years, Dan Terrio has inspired countless youth and adults from all walks of life through his story of perseverance, strength, and determination. 

At the age of 13, he began his journey as a motivational speaker and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion while recovering from injuries sustained in an automobile accident that temporarily confined him to a wheelchair. Terrio went on to serve two terms as National Co-President of United National Indian Tribal Youth, Inc. (UNITY), the largest American Indian youth organization in the United States. In that role, he traveled to all 50 states, sharing his story of growing up on an Indian Reservation, working in Washington, D.C., and the experiences that shaped him along the way.

Today, Terrio is an accomplished and award-winning national and TED-certified motivational speaker, trainer, and leader. He currently serves as Area Extension Director with the University of Wisconsin–Madison Division of Extension, providing leadership across Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties. In this role, he leads a team of approximately 30 staff across two offices and works at the intersection of community engagement, education, organizational leadership, and academic Extension programming.

Prior to joining UW–Madison Extension, Terrio served as the Director of Organizational Learning & Culture for Milwaukee County, where he led learning and development, organizational culture and diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts for approximately 4,000 employees within Wisconsin’s most populous county. During his tenure, he helped advance organizational culture, employee engagement, belonging, development, and community-focused initiatives. His appointment made him the first Native American to serve as a director in Milwaukee County history and the highest-ranking Two-Spirit government administration official in the State of Wisconsin.

Terrio is a member of the Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians in northern Wisconsin. In 2022, he was named one of Wisconsin’s Most Influential Native American Leaders by Madison365 Magazine. In 2024, Terrio received the Milwaukee Magazine Unity Award for his work advancing equity and inclusion in Milwaukee.

In 2025, he participated in NEW Dancing With Our Stars in Green Bay, using the event to raise funds and awareness for the History Project. He raised more than $96,000, placing second overall in fundraising, and was the runner-up for the Judges’ Choice Award for his barrier-breaking tango with dance partner Michael Witte of Studio 303 in Green Bay.

“As a Two-Spirit person, joining the board of the Wisconsin LGBTQ History Project is both an honor and a homecoming,” said Dan.

“My people have always been here, long before there was a word for it, and I’m proud to help ensure our stories, resilience, and contributions are finally seen and celebrated as an essential part of Wisconsin’s LGBTQ history.”

Dan holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, as well as an Executive Certificate in Diversity & Inclusion from Cornell University. A native of Bowler, Wisconsin, Terrio makes his home in Milwaukee.