Oral history interview with Christina Trombley

Author / Creator

Trombley, Christina

Available as

Physical

Summary

Christina was born in Germany in 1968 and grew up in a military family to an American father and a German mother. Her father, Floyd Trombley was born in 1934 of French-Canadian ancestry and grew up...

Christina was born in Germany in 1968 and grew up in a military family to an American father and a German mother. Her father, Floyd Trombley was born in 1934 of French-Canadian ancestry and grew up in a family of 13 children in upstate New York. He had a 30-year career in the U.S. Army, serving in Germany and Vietnam. Christina's mother, Heidi Wenzel Trombly was born in 1941 in the Frankfort area and lost her father, a German soldier, during WWII. Heidi and Floyd met while he was stationed in the Frankfort area and they were married in Germany in 1961. Christina has two sisters, Liz (b.1961) and Pam (b.1963). The family lived in the U.S. while Floyd was in Vietnam (1965-1966), then returned to Germany in 1967 where Christina was born in Munich. The sisters are bi-linqual in English and German. Christina attended military schools in Germany and public school in the U.S. as she was growing up. Christina graduated from Sparta High School in 1986 where she was involved in many extra-curricular activities in high school. She came close to making the National Honor Society. Christina excelled in forensics and debate. She attended UW Eau Claire and graduated with a BA in Telecommunications and Advertising in 1990. She interned with TV-13 in Eau Claire as a production assistant. From 1990-1992 she worked with a small market radio station in Wausau. She then moved back to Sparta as Director of Public Relations with Franciscan-Skemp in Sparta. In the summer of 1992, Christina started an MBA program at UW-La Crosse where she interned at the Mississippi Valley Archeology Center. Christina mentions several mentors in the graduate program at UW-La Crosse; particularly, Jim Finch and Steve Brokaw. In May of 1997 she began working at the Business Development Center at UW-La Crosse where she is currently the Business Outreach Coordinator. The office serves the seven county "Seven Rivers" area and she provides approximately 50 outreach programs to an audience of about 1,000 annually. in 2005, Christina, was one of ten recipients of the YWCA Outstanding Women of the Year award. She speaks fondly of her experiences as a graduate student, intern and employee at UW-La Crosse.

Show More