Humans of Neenah

Father’s Footsteps Her father would be beyond proud of her if he could see her now. Lieutenant Lara Vendola-Messer has lived in Neenah for 23 years. She has her Master’s degree in public administration and has been in law enforcement for 20 years. Her father Michael Vendola, wrote many law enforcement articles, as well as a few book chapters. He has received many awards, and acknowledgments for his work as an investigator for the Department of Justice. It was he who had brought the field of law enforcement to Lt. Vendola-Messer’s attention and instilled in her a passion for the field of police work. Off duty Lt. Vendola-Messer can be found running, gardening, or reading. She loves and highly recommends the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass. She also loves the music you can find downtown Neenah. Something she encourages teens to remember is that people take pictures, and post them, and once it’s up it can’t go back down. Make good choices, every choice you make impacts your life, some choices more than others. – Article by NHS Student Abby Stumke