UW-Green Bay Alumni Rise to the Distinction of Distinguished and Outstanding

The University’s 2023 best of the best to be recognized in April 2023 along with Terry Fulwiler who will receive the Honorary Alumni Award

Green Bay, Wis.— The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay will recognize a number of outstanding alumni and one honorary alumnus at the 2023 Alumni Awards Dinner on Thursday, April 20, 2023 in the Phoenix Rooms in the University Union. The event will begin with a reception at 5 p.m. and is followed by dinner at 6 p.m.  The program will begin at approximately 6:40 p.m. The event is open to the public. Tickets are $50 and can be purchased at UW-Green Bay Alumni Awards. For more information, contact the UW-Green Bay Alumni Office at 920-465-2074 or alumni@uwgb.edu.

“One of our strongest assets as a university is our alumni,” said UW-Green Bay Chancellor Michael Alexander. “UW-Green Bay graduates make a difference every day in communities across our region, state, nation, and the world. We need their insights and experience to help UW-Green Bay continue to grow and influence the next generation of graduates. We are honored to recognize these alumni for their career achievements and the impact they have made in our community and throughout the world.”

The Alumni Awards highlight UW-Green Bay graduates and other individuals who have made special contributions to UW-Green Bay, their communities and professions. The 2023 Distinguished honorees are Neil Jacobstein’76, Laurie Lindborg Parsons ‘80, Eric Lund ’89, siblings Rita Owino ’97, Peres Owino ’99, and David Owino ’03. Receiving the Outstanding Recent Alumni Award for 2023 will be Sarah Beckman ’08. Terry Fulwiler, retired CEO and Chairmen of the Chairmen of the Board of WS Packaging, who has worked tirelessly to advocate for UW-Green Bay and has extensive community involvement, will receive an Honorary Alumni Award.

“The true strength of UW-Green Bay lies in the collective accomplishments of all of our graduates,” said UW-Green Bay Alumni Relations Director Brian Rammer. “These recipients are examples of all those that have been able to use their talents and share their expertise to have an extraordinary impact on their profession and community. We are proud to be able to recognize these individuals for their achievements.”

About the awardees:

Receiving 2023 Distinguished Alumni Awards

Neil Jacobstein ’76 (Environmental Sciences) is the Chair of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Track at Singularity University. He is a founding Singularity Expert, and past President of Singularity. Neil was a MediaX Distinguished Visiting Scholar at Stanford University from 2007-2022, where his work focused on augmented decision systems. He was CEO of Teknowledge Corp, a pioneering AI company that did successful AI application work but was too early for the mass adoption we see today. Neil has practical and strategic AI/ML system building and R&D consulting experience with a long list of industrial and governmental partners, including: Deloitte, E&Y, PWC, Boeing, GM, Ford, BMW, GE, Applied Materials, Texas Medical Center, NASA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, National Science Foundation, NIH, EPA, DOE, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, GM, Ford, Boeing, Applied Materials, Xero, National Institute of Standards and Technology, and more. Neil served at the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Division of Earth and Life Sciences 2015-2020, and the Academy’s Strategic Planning Committee 2020-2021. He wrote the founding white paper for the Queenstown Machine Learning Institute in New Zealand. Neil provides public speaking and interdisciplinary technical consulting services to corporations, venture capital, and government organizations worldwide.

Neil received his B.S. in Environmental Science, Summa Cum Laude in 1976 at the University of Wisconsin’s Green Bay Environmental Campus. He earned his M.S. in Human Ecology, under a US Public Health Service Scholarship, University of Texas School of Public Health and the NASA Johnson Space Center, Environmental Physiology Simulation Program. He spent four years doing environmental systems research as a Research Associate at the Center for the Biology of Natural Systems at Washington University and the Research Foundation of CUNY. He completed the Stanford University Advanced Management College Executive Program and the Aspen Institute Crown Fellows Program.

Laurie Lindborg Parsons ’80 (Environmental Sciences/Chemistry) is the U.S. Water Resources Division Lead with Ramboll.  Her career began with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in water quality planning and policy development prior to attaining her Master’s Degree.  After receiving her M.S., she launched her consulting career at Warzyn Engineering, Inc where she worked both in water resources and environmental engineering capacities.  After seven years Laurie was offered an opportunity to establish engineering services for then-startup company Natural Resource Technology, Inc.   Thirteen years later she took on an ownership role with partners, and led NRT as president and CEO, doubling the size of the firm, expanding services, and adding offices in Illinois and Michigan. Having achieved national recognition for work in the environmental consulting sector with specialized expertise in cleanup and restoration of contaminated waterways, NRT attracted the attention of larger firms. After 10 years leading the firm, Laurie and the NRT team joined forces with a mid-size east coast engineering firm, O’Brien and Gere, expanding their Midwest footprint.  She then served in various leadership roles, and was a member of the company’s board of directors until 2019 when O’Brien and Gere became part of Ramboll, a 17,000-person engineering and consulting firm headquartered in Denmark.  In her current role at Ramboll, Laurie leads the US Water Resources Division, serves in leadership roles on the Americas merger and acquisition team, and the firm’s equity, diversity, and inclusion council.  All with a mission of being a partner for sustainable change in in the firm’s water, energy and environmental services.

As a recipient of the Milwaukee area “STEM Forward Engineer of the Year” award for 2015, that was endorsed by the American Society of Civil Engineers, Laurie is committed to public service, including her regular participation in events that expose young people to careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Through these events, Laurie has become a prominent role model, especially for girls and women.  Presently she is Chair of the UW-Madison, Civil and Environmental Engineering visiting board and is recipient of the College of Engineering 2020 Distinguished Achievement Award.

Laurie graduated from UW-Green Bay with a B.S. in Environmental Science/Chemistry in 1980 and received her M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from UW-Madison in 1987.

Eric Lund ’89 (Psychology/Human Development) is chief clinical officer at Caravel Autism Health.  Dr. Lund leads their team of expert clinician and is a licensed psychologist who has specialized in the diagnosis and therapy of childhood disorders for nearly three decades and has focused on autism spectrum disabilities for the last 20 years. Dr. Lund is passionate about setting the standard for quality clinical outcomes and building Caravel’s proprietary outcomes platform. He has a doctorate in clinical psychology and a post-doctoral master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology. He is board certified by the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BCBA-D) and the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). Dr. Lund founded Caravel in 2009 with Chris Van Dyke.

Eric graduated from UW-Green Bay with a B.S. in Psychology with aa minor in Human Development in 1989, a Psy.D. degree in Clinical Psychology from Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in 1993 and M.S. degree in Clinical Psychopharmacology from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2006. He is board certified in clinical psychology and behavior analysis and is licensed in WI, IL, WA, ID, MN. IA, CO, MI.

Rita Owino ’97 (Human Biology) is a healthcare executive with more than a decade of leadership experience and is currently a healthcare consultant. In this capacity, she collaborates with a variety of clients, from startups to multinationals, to implement transformation initiatives by leveraging innovation to design new care delivery and business models aimed at improving access, quality of care, and outcomes for health systems and patients in emerging markets.

Rita’s professional career spans 20+ years and is marked by roles of progressively increasing scope and responsibility with Fortune 100 companies in the United States and Africa. Her background is in medical and digital technologies at GE Healthcare, “big 4” management consulting at KPMG, and managed care at UnitedHealth Group.

At GE Healthcare she worked with the global health community to design and implement innovative primary healthcare delivery models that improved access to care and health outcomes for patients in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. She was awarded a GE Healthcare Hero Award by GE Healthcare’s global President and CEO in recognition of her work, contributions, and impact delivered both to communities served and the organization. As a healthcare advisor at KPMG, she advised a wide range of healthcare clients on strategy, care system redesign, and operations optimization. And in managed care, she worked across the healthcare value chain to manage the total cost of care related to quality improvement and cost reduction by implementing various managed care techniques.

A life-long learner committed to both personal and professional growth and development, Rita is currently pursuing her MBA at Boston University’s Questrom School of Business.

Peres Owino ’99 (Social Change and Development/Theater) is an award-winning Kenyan-American storyteller who came onto the scene with her directorial debut, “BOUND: Africans vs African-Americans”, which played in over two dozen festivals around the world winning the Women In Film- Lena Sharpe Award at the Seattle International Film Festival, the Audience Award for Best Documentary at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles, and the Best Film Directed by a Woman of Color Award at the African Diaspora Film Festival in New York. Her latest film projects, include the short films “Stray”, produced by 20th Century Fox Digital as part of Hulu’s Best of Huluween and “Glimpse.”

Peres’ feature credits include her original screenplay, “The Basket Weaver”; winner of the NYWIFT Writer’s Lab supported by Meryl Streep, “Seasons of Love”, produced by Taraji P. Henson, nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing of a Television Movie; and “Once Upon A Time in Africa”, currently in pre-production. Her original works for the stage include her one act play, “Cut” which premiered at The Walt Disney Concert Hall – REDCAT and her one-woman show, “Beauty For Ashes”.

The show, “African Queens” which she co-wrote for Netflix, Westbrook and Nutopia premiered on February 15, 2023. She is currently developing various TV projects for Warner Brothers, Berlanti, Hartbeat, TinkerToy Productions and Gaumont. Peres is repped at Creative Artist Agency and Yorn Levine et. al

David Owino ’03 (Business Administration) is the Vice President of Business Development at Forbes Marketplace. His role involves generating new business for the company, innovating the monetization funnel and maintaining partnerships across the world. At Marketplace he has been instrumental in leading the teams that secured brand partnerships for the award-winning performance media brands – Forbes Advisor, Forbes Health, Forbes Home and Forbes Wheels.

This University of Wisconsin – Green Bay Econ alum began his postgraduate journey at Schneider Logistics, managing the Northeast Market for all General Motors deliveries. Dave then took the position of Affiliate Manager at a small digital marketing startup in Florida to escape Wisconsin’s brutal winters. Learning the ins and outs of the digital marketing space, Dave led a team that built the Flexoffers Affiliate Network, which was later sold to Bankrate to power their partnership network. This network currently generates over $50 million annual revenue.

A two-time Affiliate Manager of the Year nominee, Dave recruited, onboarded and launched the affiliate programs for several big brands, including Nerdwallet.com, Thepointsguy.com, USnews.com, CNBCSelect.com and Comparecards.com.

Dave Owino currently lives in Miami, FL with his college sweetheart and their two kids.

2023 Outstanding Recent Alumni Award

Sarah Beckman ’08 (Social Work) started in a new role as Executive Director with Achieve Brown County in January of 2022. ABC is part of the StriveTogether network and one of over 70 organizations in the United States that focuses on collaboration and community led collective impact to ensure that every child from cradle to career succeeds regardless of race, income or zip code.

Sarah has always wanted to be in nonprofit administration. For most of her career, she worked in nonprofit fundraising. With each nonprofit she worked for, she gained more experience and more responsibility. In 2017, she decided to go back to school to pursue her MBA as she looked to take the next step towards a career goal of moving into a nonprofit Executive Director role. Halfway through her schooling, she achieved this goal when she was selected as the next Executive Director for Habitat for Humanity Lakeside in Sheboygan, WI. A major achievement since moving into this role has been Sarah’s efforts in working with the Habitat for Humanity Lakeside’s Board of Directors to create and launch a 5-year strategic plan for the organization. In addition to this, Sarah takes pride in her mission knowledge and length of service with Habitat for Humanity that dates all the way back to 2004 when she first got involved with Habitat for Humanity as a student at UW-Green Bay. Sarah has presented at statewide and national Habitat conferences and in webinars that have had a national audience. In 2019, she received her M.B.A. from St. Norbert College.

In addition to her work with Achieve Brown County, she currently is a volunteer with the Brown County United Way Advocacy Council, the Volunteer Center of Brown County’s Reading Coaches for Kids Program, with Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes and with the Greater Green Bay Chamber on the Partners in Education Board as well as the Young Professional Advisory Board. Sarah was previously named Emerging Leader of the Year by Brown County United Way in 2018, Future 15 and Young Professional of the Year by the Greater Green Bay Chamber in 2018 and Top 10 Best Under 40 Recipient by the Sheboygan County Chamber in 2019.

Sarah graduated from UW-Green Bay with a Bachelor of Social Work with emphasis in Child Welfare in 2008 and received her M.B.A. from St. Norbert College in 2019.

2023 Honorary Alumni Award

Terry Fulwiler currently serves on the UW-Green Bay Council of Trustees. Terry and his wife, Kris have supported UW-Green Bay establishing the Terry and Kris Fulwiler Phuture Phoenix Scholarship.  He is also currently on the bord of directors for the following corporations: Bellin Gunderson Health Systems, the Green Bay Packers, East Shore Industries, Bellin College, Northeast Technical College and On-Site Productions. He is also a strong supporter of the Boys & Girls Club of Green Bay, Bellin Foundation, Unity Hospice, and the Meyer Theater.  

 Terry is formerly CEO and Chairman of the Board of the WS Packaging Group of Companies.  He was selected Converter of the Year for 2000 by the Tag & Label Institute, which is the Trade Organization for the Tag & Label Industry. He also was selected as the 2010 winner of the Stanton Avery Lifetime Achievement Award [named after the inventor of pressure sensitive labels] which is presented to the person that has made a lasting mark on the label printing industry. In 2011, Terry was selected as the Green Bay Free Enterprise Award recipient which is presented by the Rotary Club of Green Bay to the person that has made an outstanding contribution to both business and the community.

Terry is a native of Algoma and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1972 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering.

Febraury 2023 Class Notes

1970s

David Wilda ’78 Majored in Business Administration. Retired.

1990s

Michael Smits ’99 Majored in Biology and double-minored in Human Biology and Secondary Education. Recipient of a 2023 Golden Apple Award from the Greater Green Bay Chamber.

2000s

Elizabeth (Betsy) Tanenbaum ’05 Majored in Theatre and minored in Communication and the Arts. Currently the Senior Manager of Alumni and Corporate Relations with University of Oregon.

Amy Seehafer ’02 ’07 Bachelor’s in Communication Processes and minored in Business Administration. Master’s in Management. New job as Chief Operating Officer for Packer Fastner.

2010s

Bradley Clark ’10 Majored in Communications. Employed as Development Manager with The Venice Symphony in Venice, FL. Married Amber Clark in 2020. Has a 1-year-old son named Madden and two pets, Cali and Sophie.

Brandon Wisneski ’10 Majored in Political Science and minored in Public Administration. Employed as the Self-Governance Manager with Oneida Nation.

Jennesa Johnston (Heiting) ’13 Double-majored in Human Development and Psychology and minored in Women and Gender Studies. Employed as the Human Resource Director for Landmark Resort.

Emily Novak ’13 Majored in Business Administration and minored in Public Administration. New job as Senior Recruiter for WorkCare, Inc.

Rachel Van Dam ’13 ’16 Bachelor’s in Biology and Environmental Science. Master’s in Environmental Science & Policy. Employed as Pharmacy Technician with Meijer.

Alyssa Gruenwald ’14 Majored in Design Arts and minored in Communications. Employed as the Digital and Graphic Designer for Grande Cheese. Member of the Young Professionals of Fond du Lac.

Mariah Vandertie ’14 ’17 Bachelor’s in Business Administration, minored in Economics. Bachelor’s in Elementary Education. Employed as the Positive Youth Development Program Educator with University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Nicole Briskie ’16 Majored in Psychology and double-minored in Human Development and Spanish & Latin American Studies. Employed as a Behavioral Specialist and Compliance Specialist for Rogers Behavioral Health.

Kia Murray ’17 Double-majored in Communications and Political Science. New job as Anchor & Reporter with WCNC Charlotte.

Rylee Schmott ’17 A.A.S. in Elementary Education. Recipient of a 2023 Golden Apple Award from the Greater Green Bay Chamber.

Hope Smeester (Kavier) ’18. Majored in Elementary Education. Recipient of a 2023 Golden Apple Award from the Greater Green Bay Chamber.

Megan Horejs ’19 Double-majored in Public Administration and Environmental Policy & Planning, double-minored in French & Francophone Studies and Political Science. Employed as the Sustainability Manager for Evergreen Credit Union. Is the Evergreen CU Representative on the Fox Crossing Sustainability Community. Is a member of Appleton’s Advisory Panel on Sustainability and Climate Resilience.

2020s

Whitley Harelstad ’21 Majored in Nursing. Employed as the Long-Term Care Nurse Case Manager for Dove Healthcare.

Dr. Rosa King’s Journey to and Through First Nations Studies

Meet one of the first graduates of our First Nations Education Doctorate program

Each fall, students in the Oneida language immersion program excitedly harvest the bounty from the Three Sisters garden located at their school in Oneida, Wisconsin. What might appear to an outsider as a simple outdoor activity for energetic children is actually much, much more. In fact, it’s a key milestone along a year-long learning journey led by their teacher, Dr. Yekuhsiyo Rosa King, and inspired by her own education journey at UW-Green Bay.

Beginning in the spring, Oneida students build mounds and plant the Three Sisters seeds (first corn, then squash, finally beans). With each step along the way – culminating in braiding harvested corn for winter storage – the children absorb crucial concepts in math, meteorology, agriculture and nutrition. But the process also instills in them their community’s customs, values, history, songs and ceremonial practices and the cultural significance of every action.

Knowing how natural and valuable the Three Sisters garden project is for the program’s students, it’s hard for King to remember that it didn’t always unfold in such a holistic way. She first started teaching it on a mainstream school calendar that didn’t allow for the summertime experience of caring for the growing plants. Yet once King started her doctoral program in First Nations Education studies at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, she began to see new and better ways she could advance student learning by using their own language and culture.

Because of the wisdom and resources King gained from her experience at UW-Green Bay, the young minds in the program now attend their 180 days of school in a year-round configuration that emphasizes holistic curriculum instead of subject segmentation. They are more connected to their culture and more prepared for life inside and beyond their community.

Their lives are transforming before King’s eyes – not unlike the way her own life has transformed through her UW-Green Bay journey.

Dr. King’s students using gardening tools as they plant the Three Sisters garden

Dr. King’s students using gardening tools as they plant the Three Sisters garden

College, Community and Career

King grew up in the Green Bay area. Naturally curious and driven, she earned a bachelor’s degree in American Indian studies at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and a master’s degree in tribal administration and government at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

In addition to her formal studies, she took on the very meaningful personal challenge of learning her native Oneida language with help from a friend in the community’s language department.

“When I first started my language studies, only two out of some 18,000 people spoke Oneida,” King recalls. Because of federal education policies, a lot of the language of the Oneida Nation, as well as most indigenous communities, is being lost and on the verge of extinction. Today, less than .0001% of Oneidas speak the language.

With such passion for her community and for learning, it is no surprise that King started her professional career working as a Native American advocate at a school district in Northeast Wisconsin.

Language as Identity

Her appreciation for the endangered Oneida language grew during the five years she spent in her advocate role – and with it, a new determination to ensure its survival. King now understood the impact language and culture could have on her community.

“Providing people with language gives a strong sense of identity, and when you’re strongly rooted, it guides you in all other areas of your life,” she explains. “There are a lot of social issues that affect our community, and if we can centralize our language and culture proactively, we can combat things like suicide and drug and alcohol use.”

King knew one of the best ways to revitalize a language was to instill it in children through immersion education, which means teaching through the use of only the target language. Yet at the time, there was no Oneida  language immersion program.

So she started one.

Dr. King teaching while sitting at a table of kids

The Birth of the Oneida Language Immersion Program

Since 2018, King has been teaching 3–6-year-olds in the Oneida language immersion program she created. Soon after she founded the program, she started looking for a new challenge to tackle – especially one that would enhance her leadership and teaching abilities within the program she founded.

“I always knew I would get my doctorate degree, but I didn’t know when,” King says. When her education networks started buzzing about a new, innovative First Nations Education Doctorate (FNED) program at UW-Green Bay, it didn’t take her long to decide to jump in with both feet.

Even though she had spent most of her life in the Green Bay area, King’s only experience with UW-Green Bay until that point was watching her mother earn her degree. Now, just a few years after her mom’s graduation, King herself was a Phoenix. She quickly realized she had made the right decision.

The 54-credit FNED program consists of core courses that address topics such as ancestral leadership, indigenous pedagogy, First Nations law and policy, generational healing and indigenous research methods. An applied dissertation project is the culmination of the doctoral program, and the students can direct their efforts into any area of their choosing. King’s focus? Indigenous language immersion education.

“Even though I was already doing the work, I needed an educational foundation in how to set up an immersive program so I could incorporate best practices into it,” King notes. “I got so much guidance and tools from my professors. No one else in our area is doing this, so they introduced me to things I never even knew existed!”

Flexibility and Financial Support Make the Difference 

Balancing King’s career with her doctoral work was manageable because of the flexibility of the program. Classes meet only on weekends, and the students can tackle individual or group assignments on their own schedules.

UW-Green Bay also helped King with the financial aspect of pursuing higher education. “I received some monetary support from my community, but also from the university. They wanted us to be successful, so they were always there to help to reduce those financial barriers.”

Even though she worked full time throughout her doctoral pursuit, King earned her degree in just four years. In May 2022, she and her three fellow cohort members (Crystal Leah Tourtillott Lepscier, Artley Murray Skenandore Jr. and Vicki Lee Young) became the first cohort to graduate with an education doctorate in First Nations Education. Because King was the first to defend her dissertation, she was technically the first to graduate.

Dr. King with her family at her mom’s graduation from UW-Green Bay

The Legacy of a Quality Education

The support King had come to rely on from UW-Green Bay didn’t end when she walked across the graduation stage.

“I think I’m even more connected to UW-Green Bay now than I was when I was in school!” laughs King. “I stay in touch with the cohorts that are pursuing their degrees to give guidance, but I also am in touch with so many of the new people I met during my doctoral work. I am now networked with other immersive programs around the world, so we share information and techniques to help strengthen and grow our programs.”

In fact, King recently attended the prestigious and influential National Coalition of Native Language Schools and Programs Summit. There, King learned from the industry’s top experts as a representative of the Oneida language immersion program – one of only 25 schools in the country invited to the event.

In this way, she says, UW-Green Bay’s FNED program is making an impact both locally and globally.

“As someone who works in education, I know it’s all about quality – never quantity,” King muses. “I was not just a number at UW-Green Bay; quality is the foundation there. It’s unmatched, and what I was able to do is so unique. I literally could not have done it anywhere else! I’m so grateful I was able to be a part of that.”

Rising Up

Before King arrived on campus, she was already a full-fledged trailblazer. With a doctoral degree in hand, she’s started to chart the next course.

“All the decisions I’ve made have directed me to where I am today,” she says. “My experience in the doctoral program was part of my journey and path. The support, mentorship and direction I got from UW-Green Bay helped me navigate this terrain I was building in my own community through language.

“It also helped me do a lot of inner work and crystallize what I value in this world: education and social justice. These are now at the forefront of my work as both a professional and as a person, and I’m doing it unapologetically so that I can make the path easier for others to walk.”

Many words can be used to describe the trail King is blazing: inspiring, impactful and impressive, to name a few. The same can be said for so many other Phoenix who – like King – use the incredible educational empowerment available at UW-Green Bay to chart their own unique courses toward personal and professional fulfillment.

Learn more about an Ed.D. in First Nations Education, degree options in First Nations Studies and how they’re empowering students to rise to their career potential.

Krash the Kress Event – Thursday, February 9th

Come network and socialize with fellow UW-Green Bay alumni and current students at the tailgate party in the Dick Bennett Gymnasium in the Kress Events Center prior to the men’s basketball game against Oakland on Thursday, February 9th!

Come enjoy food, beverages and activities for $15/person with doors opening at 5:45 p.m.  Game starts at 7 p.m.

Menu includes: Caesar Salad, BBQ Chicken Flatbread, Margherita Flatbread, Baked Ziti Primavera with Alfredo Sauce, Gluten Free Penne Marinara, Italian Sausage, Cookies & Brownies. No registration for the tailgate party is necessary. Pay at the door.

Game tickets sold separately by clicking here.  In the promo box enter “UWGBALUMNI”.  Select the February 9th game and select “Find Tickets”. Select section 212 and select any green open seats. Add to Cart and checkout.

See you at the Kress!

January 2023 Class Notes

1990s

Laurie Butz ’91 Majored in Business Administration and minored in Communication Processes. Currently president and CEO of Capital Credit Union. Recently announced the winner of the ATHENA Leadership Award from Fox Cities Chamber.

Susan Neuzil ’96 Majored in Business Administration and minored in Public Administration. Was recently promoted to vice president of human resources at the Bank of Luxemburg.

David Reetz ’96 Majored in Psychology and minored in Human Development. Started a new position at Cornell University as the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services.

Patrick Christie ’99 Majored in Art and minored in Communication and the Arts. Recently announced a Teacher of Distinction with the 2023 Golden Apple Awards.

Jason Krings ’99 Majored in Urban and Regional Studies. Recently announced a Teacher of Distinction with the 2023 Golden Apple Awards.

2000s

Elaine Skenandore-Cornelius ’00 Majored in Interdisciplinary Studies and minored in Business Administration. Was recently selected as the new board of directors’ chair for Bay Bank.

Brian Garrigan ’01 Majored in AAS Elementary Education. Recently announced a Teacher of Distinction with the 2023 Golden Apple Awards.

Juan Corpus ’03 Majored in Public Administration. New job as vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at New North, Inc.

Oksana Kobzar-Schweiner ’04. Majored in Applied Leadership in Teaching and Learning. Recently named a Teacher of Distinction with the 2023 Golden Apple Awards.

Hope Voigt ’04 Majored in Accounting and Business Administration. Currently is the CFO at Tweet Garot Mechanical. Recently named “Contractor of the Year” by Organization Management Services (OMS).

Wayne Pierre ’05 Majored in Music and minored in Secondary Educaiton. Recently named a Teacher of Distinction with the 2023 Golden Apple Awards.

Jake Ditttmann ’07 Majored in Economics and minored in Human Biology. Recently promoted to vice president of commercial lending with Bank of Luxemburg.

Joe Hanrahan ’07 Majored in Business Administration and minored in Accounting. Started a new position at Thornberry Creek at Oneida as General Manager.

Nathan Yineman ’08 Majored in Biology and minored in Environmental Science. Currently HR Manager at Salm Partners. Has two children, Noah and Madeline.

Matthew Dufek ’09 Majored in Mathematics and minored in Business Administration. Currently Actuarial Manager for Society Insurance.

2010s

Kevin Block ’11 Double majored in Accounting and Business Administration. Was recently named partner at MBE CPAs.

Mitch Babe ’13 Majored in Business Administration and minored in Economics. Currently Director – Global Transportation at McCue Corp. Has a 1 year old daughter named Hadley with his wife, Autumn.

Douglas Cox ’13 Majored in Interdisciplinary Studies and minored in Environmental Science. Currently Land Management Director for the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin.

Riley Peterson ’14 Majored in Social Change and Development. Recently promoted to Sergeant with Green Bay Police Department.

Melissa Jagodinsky ’16 Majored in Human Development and minored in Psychology. Started a new job as the member and event manager for Volunteer Fox Cities.

Rylee Schmitt ’17 Majored in AAS Elementary Education. Recently named a Teacher of Distinction with the 2023 Golden Apple Awards.

Hope Smeester ’18 Majored in Elementary Education. Recently named a Teacher of Distinction with the 2023 Golden Apple Awards.

2020s

Adela Kadiasi ’21 Received a Master’s of Science in Management degree in 2021. Started a new position as a software developer/project manager with RC Mowers.

Savory McGee ’21 Majored in Business Administration. Works at R.S. Hughes Co., Inc as a customer support representative.

Jordan Ogren ’21 Majored in Business Administration. Started a new position as a digital communications strategist for O’Connor Connective.

Charlotte Berg ’22 Majored in Communications and minored in History. Currently Disney College Program Participant with Walt Disney World.

UW-Green Bay Alumna Laurie Butz Receives ATHENA Leadership Award

 

Congratulations to Laurie Butz ’91, President and CEO of Capital Credit Union on winning the ATHENA Leadership Award! Sponsored by Bergstrom Automotive, this award is given to a woman who has achieved the highest level of professional excellence. This individual contributes time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the Fox Cities community and actively assists others, particularly women, in realizing their full leadership potential.

Butz has held senior leadership roles in HR, Organizational Development, Training, Sales Administration, Investments, and Insurance Services for profit and not for profit organizations including Community First Credit Union – Appleton Wisconsin, Alta Resources, United Health Care and Associated Bank. She has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, a master’s degree in Business Administration from University of Wisconsin Oshkosh and earned a three-year designation as Certified Chief Executive (CCE) through CUES. She is also a certified Six Sigma Green Belt through Juran Institute. Most recently, UW Oshkosh, where she was an adjunct faculty member for over 10 years, selected Butz as the 2022 Beta Gamma Sigma honoree to recognize her achievements in business and exemplify her pursuit of wisdom. In November of 2022 she was also appointed to the Advisory Board of the Business College at UWGB. Her commitment to community has been demonstrated through Board Chair, and or Personnel Chair roles for YMCA of the Fox Cities and United Way Fox Cities, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Fox Valley, as well as through management oversight of the Fox Cities Marathon.

Laurie will receive this award at the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce’s Celebrate Fox Cities Dinner on January 26.

December Class Notes

2000s

Joseph Kucksdorf ’07 Majored in Human Biology. Currently works with Bellin Health as a physical therapist.  Was a finalist for the 2023 Future 15 & Young Professional Awards.

Shannon Baumann ’09 Majored in Psychology, Human Development, and Business Administration. Is the Owner of Sparkle Pics Photo Kiosk.

Kimberly Vickman ’09 Majored in Environmental Science. Currently works as the Sustainability Events & Operations Manager at Best Practices Magazines & Expo.

2010s

Keith Doxtator ’10 Majored in Earth Science and minored in Environmental Science. New job as CFO for the Oneida Nation.

Michael Fehlhaber ’11 Majored in Business Administration and minored in Environmental Science. Works at CESA 8 as the Director of Human Resources.

Cameron Fuller ’13 Majored in Business Administration and minored in Corporate Communication. Currently works at Horizon League as assistant commissioner. Was a finalist for the 2023 Future 15 & Young Professional Awards.

Ashley Jones ’13 Majored in Public Administration and minored in Political Science. Currently works with the Bellin Health Foundation as a grant writer. Was a finalist for the 2023 Future 15 & Young Professional Awards.

Erica Ritchie ‘13 Majored in Communications. New job with The Greater Green Bay Community Foundation as public relations and communications manager.

Jose Villa ’16 Majored in Business Administration and minored in International Business. Was a finalist for the 2023 Future 15 & Young Professional Awards.

2020s

Molly Vandervest ’20 Earned a Master of Science in Applied Leadership for Teaching and Learning. Is currently the Vice President of Bellin Health.

Marianna Grimaldo ’21 Majored in Elementary Education. Currently works in the Howard-Suamico School District as a 3rd grade teacher.

Carl Semrow ’21 Majored in Mechanical Engineering.  Currently works at Kohler Co. as a new product integration metals engineer.

Alexis Hall ’22 Majored in Psychology. Currently is a shelter advocate at the CAP Service Family Crisis Center.

Amanda Leigh ’22 Double majored in Management and Human Resource Management. Started a new position with Green Bay Packaging as a Human Resources Generalist.