Shane Hermsen
Menasha,WI
Summary
Dynamic paralegal with proven expertise at the Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office, adept in legislative advocacy and document filing. Successfully managed 300+ criminal cases, enhancing communication and evidence-gathering skills. Demonstrated leadership in nonprofit settings, driving impactful housing initiatives and budget oversight exceeding $4 million.
Overview
3
3
years of professional experience
Work History
President
Carthage College Habitat for Humanity
09.2024 - Current
- Restarted the chapter from the ground up as a first-year student at Carthage.
- Delegated weekly tasks to 4 board members to ensure smooth operations and event execution.
- Advocated for affordable housing policy and funding on Capitol Hill (Habitat on the Hill 2025).
- Coordinated 35+ volunteer events across WI, IL, and FL by partnering with nonprofits to support house builds, women and children's outreach, and serving hot meals to 120+ people in need.
- Organize and formulate significant budget requests exceeding $11,000 per semester.
- Collaborated with legislators to advance three housing-related bills, representing Habitat for Humanity's mission in policy discussions and legislative meetings at the WI State Legislature.
Member, Board of Directors
Habitat for Humanity of Racine and Kenosha Counties
09.2025 - Current
- Provided leadership in strategic planning, fiscal oversight, and policy development for a nonprofit organization with programs in construction, lending, retail, and social services.
- Reviewed and approved budgets exceeding $4 million annually, property acquisitions, staffing changes, and policy updates to ensure fiscal accountability and alignment with impact objectives.
- Contributed to board governance and financial management discussions focused on resource stewardship, operational efficiency, and equitable housing development in Racine & Kenosha.
Junior Representative
Carthage College Student Government
05.2025 - Current
- Served on the Finance Committee, reviewing $200K+ in budget requests from 130+ student organizations to ensure alignment with student-led financial regulations.
- Collaborated with faculty, administrators, and peers to advance 3 student-led resolutions, including financial decisions, DEI efforts, campus improvements, and ethical governance.
Retail Store Associate
CVS Health
De Pere, USA
06.2023 - Current
- Effectively complete weekly outdate sheets that require 1000+ pieces of merchandise to be checked for expiration.
- Created a chronological expiration list system that reduced beverage outdate time by 50%, a method later adopted by other team members to improve overall store efficiency.
- Restocked 18+ aisles weekly and assisted 40+ customers daily at POS while supporting planogram setup and resolving product/coupon inquiries to enhance store operations.
- Fulfilled quarterly compliance training modules with consistent 80% or higher pass rates.
Member
Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Carthage Chapter
09.2024 - Current
- Engaged with 10+ legal professionals and law school recruiters to explore new pathways.
- Attended yearly fraternity conferences in Washington, D.C., with keynotes, networking, and workshops about preparing to be a law student financially, academically, and professionally.
Volunteer
De Pere Christian Outreach Thrift Store
De Pere, USA
09.2022 - Current
- Conduct effective communication with other departments to accurately price and sell items.
- 300+ volunteer hours performing a wide variety of tasks among several departments, such as clothing, food pantry donations, books, and household pricing.
- Repaired donated equipment, bicycles, and shelves to maximize resale value.
Paralegal
Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office
Appleton, USA
06.2025 - 08.2025
- Drafted and filed legal documents (e.g., OACs, representation letters) for 300+ criminal cases to notify courts of client representation statuses.
- Spoke with 20+ clients daily to gather critical information, supporting attorneys in bail bond hearings and strengthening communication and evidence-gathering skills.
- Organized case files for 10 staff attorneys via eOPD (internal electronic filing) and CCAP (Wisconsin Circuit Court system), ensuring timely filings and efficient case management.
- Collaborated with the Department of Corrections (DOC), Division of Hearings and Appeals (DHA), Department of Administration (DOA), and District Attorney's Office to expedite resolution of client revocation cases and ensure due process.
- Submitted and authored a 17-page final project evaluating case backlogs, attorney shortages, and policy implications on the agency.
- Completed student diversity internship program (SWSDIP), gaining extensive experience working with individuals from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.
- Serving Outagamie and Calumet County
Education
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Political Science and Criminal Justice
Carthage College
Kenosha, WI12.2026
Skills
- Legislative advocacy
- Team Leadership
- Client communication
- Public speaking
- Legal networking
- Public policy exposure
- Community outreach
- Document filing
- Budget oversight
- Delegation
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Adobe Photoshop
- Canva
Awards
- Lincoln Scholarship Competition Winner, Full-Tuition ($40,000+ yearly, renewable)
- Humana Foundation Scholarship Recipient, ($3,000 yearly, renewable)
- Carthage College Silver Leadership Award, 2024-25 Student Organization of the Year Award
- 2025 Carthage College Rookie of the Year, Political Science Major - Student Spotlight
Timeline
Member, Board of Directors
Habitat for Humanity of Racine and Kenosha Counties
09.2025 - Current
Paralegal
Wisconsin State Public Defender's Office
06.2025 - 08.2025
Junior Representative
Carthage College Student Government
05.2025 - Current
President
Carthage College Habitat for Humanity
09.2024 - Current
Member
Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Carthage Chapter
09.2024 - Current
Retail Store Associate
CVS Health
06.2023 - Current
Volunteer
De Pere Christian Outreach Thrift Store
09.2022 - Current
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Political Science and Criminal Justice
Carthage College