April Garza-Leon ’14 and Jose L. Villa ’16 to be Honored as Outstanding Recent Alumni
UW-Green Bay will recognize four outstanding alumni and two honorary alumni at the 2025 Alumni Awards Reception & Dinner on Thursday, March 27, 2025 in the Phoenix Room in University Union. The event will begin with a reception at 5 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. with the program to follow. The event is open to the public.
Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients being honored at the event are Randy Charles ’87 and Wendy Wimmer ’97. Outstanding Recent Alumni Recipients are April Garza-Leon ’14 and Jose L. Villa ’16 an Honorary Alumni Recipients: Kathy and Larry Treankler. Congratulations to all!
Tickets are $30 per person and can be purchased at UW-Green Bay Alumni Awards Dinner. Registration closes on March 13, 2025.
April Garza-Leon ’14 (Nursing) for Distinguished Alumni Award
April received her B.S. in Nursing in 2014 from UW-Green Bay and her Master of Science in Nursing from UW-Oshkosh. April Leon is a dedicated and accomplished professional with a strong commitment to nursing education, professional development, and community service. As the Manager of Nursing Education at Aurora BayCare Medical Center, April plays a pivotal role in shaping the future of nursing by focusing on education and professional growth. She is also the Co-Chair of the North Wisconsin PSA DE&I Council for Advocate Aurora Health, where she actively promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion.
April’s dedication to her community is evident through her involvement in various organizations. She serves as a Board Member for CASA Alba Melanie, the Green Bay Hispanic Resource Center, and is a member of the Spanish Health Navigator Advisory Committee and Co-Chair of the Development Committee. Additionally, she is a Founding Member of the Latino Professional Association (LPA) of Northeast Wisconsin and a member of the Greater Green Bay Chamber.
Her professional affiliations include membership in the Association of Nursing Professional Development and the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN), Milwaukee Chapter, where she was honored with the 2022 Leader Award. April is also actively involved with the Northeast Wisconsin Community Action Program (NewCap), serving on both the Whole Family Guiding Coalition (WFGC) and the Multidisciplinary Advocacy Committee for the Hispanic Community.
Jose L. Villa ’16 (Business Administration) for Outstanding Recent Alumni Award
Jose graduated from UW-Green Bay with his Bachelor of Business Administration in 2016. He went on to earn his MBA through St. Norbert College in 2024. As the son of immigrant parents, the Sturgeon Bay native started his working life at age 14 by dishwashing at Village Café and feeding calves at a local farm. Jose is currently Vice President of Commercial Lending with Fox Communities Credit Union. Jose is responsible for originating, managing and supervising a portfolio of commercial loans with the overall objective of maintaining strong asset quality through underwriting and monitoring, and growth by developing new and existing business relationships. Villa joined Fox in 2020 and began as a Commercial Lending Officer working through multiple levels of growth. Villa, a first-generation college graduate, is passionate about helping people reach their financial goals.
Jose’s commitment to supporting our communities has been recognized by various organizations throughout 2023. He was named a Future15 Young Professional by Current Young Professionals and the Greater Green Bay Chamber, received a 40 Under 40 award by Insight on Business, and was named a Top 40 of Wisconsin’s Most Influential Latino Leaders by Madison 365. He was recognized by Fox Communities Credit Union as a Jackie Johnson Living It award winner in summer 2023. Jose serves as Treasurer on the Board of Directors for the Green Bay Botanical Garden and is President of the Board for Casa ALBA Melanie in Green Bay. He previously served as treasurer for Casa Alba. Jose is an active member of Latino Professionals Association of Northeast Wisconsin (LPA).
