Dr. Joan M. Prince Vice Chancellor Emerita– The University of Wisconsin Milwaukee US Citizen Ambassador Emerita, General Assembly of the United Nations President and CEO, Executive Strategies On September 12, 2012, Dr. Joan M. Prince was nominated by President Barack Obama to the General Assembly of the United Nations as a public delegate, with the honorary rank of Ambassador. This diplomatic position also maintained an appointment as a Senior Advisor to the Department of State. In these roles, Prince occupied the United States chair in the General Assembly of the United Nation where she delivered policy statements on behalf of the United States regarding global economic and human rights issues such as global health delivery systems, the education of Women and girls, and other humanitarian issues. She worked closely with UN committees and related organizations such as The World Bank, USAID, UNICEF, the World Health Organization and UN Women. She is a native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and was the first African American to hold undergraduate and graduate degrees in Clinical Laboratory Medicine with a specialty in flow cytometry and hematology, and a doctorate degree in Medical Science Education from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. In her professional career, Dr. Prince served as an administrator for fifteen years at Medical Science Laboratories, four years at the University of Wisconsin Medical School as the Director of The Health Professions Partnership Initiative, and over two decades at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee as a Vice Chancellor and Clinical Associate Professor in Biomedical Sciences. She has executive level expertise in health policy, education and its associated pipelines and supply chains, and is known as a global civil rights advocate with a commitment to education and health equity, with a passion for literacy for all.
PEGGY WILLIAMS-SMITH | VISIT MILWAUKEE
Peggy Williams-Smith is a Milwaukee native and veteran of the hospitality industry who joined VISIT Milwaukee as the company’s first female president and CEO in 2019. Under her direction, the company has launched exciting, dynamic marketing campaigns to increase economic impact to the community and elevate the city’s reputation. Peggy’s focus on strategic partnerships has deepened the company’s local connections while developing a nimble team that is more responsive than ever to changes within the travel and hospitality industries. Under her leadership, the team launched a new brand for Visit Milwaukee in early 2024. From promoting the city to the nation during the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship run to leading the city’s bid to secure the 2024 Republican National Convention to the many industry events that are booked into the city for future years, Williams-Smith’s strategic leadership has resulted in year over year growth in economic gains for Milwaukee. Prior to her work at VISIT Milwaukee, she honed her love for hospitality at Marcus Hotels & Resorts for over 22 years. Williams-Smith is a proud mentor of other women in business and uses her free time to support numerous charitable causes through board service.
TRACIE PARENT | KAHLER SLATER
As Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Operations Officer, Tracie is a multifaceted leader who strategically influences the future direction of the firm. Her versatility and strength in optimizing business performance is evident in Kahler Slater’s ability to continually grow and solve clients’ challenges. With an authentic and honest approach, she maintains a close relationship with our staff and clients while she leads the financial, operational, risk and technological aspects of the firm.
KELSEY ELLSWORTH | JOHNSON FINANCIAL GROUP
Kelsey joined Johnson Financial Group in 2019. As Vice President, Wealth Portfolio Manager, Kelsey works to understand her clients’ financial goals and works to construct customized investment portfolios. Prior to joining JFG, Kelsey worked at Fifth Third Bank in Chicago. She started her career in 2014 in Fifth Third’s Leadership Development Rotational Program learning about all aspects of investments and wealth management. Kelsey earned her Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2023. She has a Masters in Business Administration degree from Marquette University and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree from the University of Dayton. Kelsey volunteers at Marquette as a mentor to undergraduate business school students.
PATTI GORSKY | MAKE-A-WISH WISCONSIN
Patti Gorsky, President and CEO of Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, has been working to ensure all medically-eligible children living with critical illnesses have their wishes granted. Since she began this work in 1999, the number of wishes granted by the Wisconsin chapter has quadrupled from about 100 wishes annually to more than 400! In addition, the budget grew from $1 million to $9 million plus a solid endowment! Since Make-A-Wish Wisconsin was founded in 1984, more than 8,000 wish kids and their families can attest to the power of a wish. Patti works with her involved and dedicated Board of Directors, 28-member staff across three offices in Wisconsin and more than 400 trained volunteers statewide to make wishes come true. She and her husband are also an active volunteer wish granting team as well in their “spare” time. This is a BIG year for Patti. Earlier this year, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin granted its 8,000th wish for Lulu who wished to sing with an orchestra, she is celebrating her 25th anniversary as CEO in May and she recently announced her impending retirement for Q1 2025. If you ask her, Patti will tell you her greatest professional accomplishment is serving as Wisconsin’s fairy godmother.
JASMIN TRESKE | BADER PHILANTHROPIES
Jasmin brings a wealth of experience in leadership and fostering relationships across banking, technology, and talent development sectors. She recently transitioned to her role as Grants Director at Bader Philanthropies in October 2023 from the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, where she served as the Director of Early Talent. In her previous role, Jasmin spearheaded strategic K-20 initiatives aimed at nurturing the Milwaukee tech landscape, emphasizing the ethical implications of data and AI, as well as talent cultivation. Before her time at the MKE Tech Hub Coalition, she spent over a decade as a commercial banker at BMO, honing her expertise in the financial realm. Beyond her professional endeavors, Jasmin is deeply engaged in community service, co-founding Unite Ministry in Walker's Point and serving on the board of the Hope House and City on a Hill, Milwaukee nonprofits addressing essential needs for individuals of all ages. She holds a bachelor's degree in communications from UW-Milwaukee and an associate degree in business management from the Milwaukee Area Technical College. She lives in Milwaukee with her husband, Eric, and son, Jayden.
BETSY RADUE | STELLA & CHEWY'S
Betsy Radue is Senior Director of Media, PR, & Digital Marketing for Stella & Chewy’s. With brand, agency, and internal agency experience, she has experiential, digital, and traditional advertising expertise. She has built marketing programs for pet, technology, consumer packaged goods, lifestyle, and publishing industries. She is most proud of her ability to lead cross-functional teams, create unique marketing solutions by integrating technology, and leverage my creativity to infuse personality into marketing programs and initiatives. In her current role she has led the transformation of a small organic social team into a comprehensive digital marketing team and eventually into a complete media and integrated marketing communications team, contributing to a 220% revenue growth. Her leadership in developing automation, content marketing, consumer privacy, performance marketing, and data strategies, driving the brand's first omnichannel national media launch, redeveloping the website, and implementing privacy, accessibility, and AI policies are all significant professional milestones
JENNIFER MAKARY | KNOTMAGIC
Jennifer Makary is a marketer by trade with over 10 years of experience in building brands for startups and Inc.5000 fastest-growing companies. Jennifer has led marketing departments through complete re-brand initiatives, product launches, and employee engagement campaigns. She joined KnotMagic, a business growth firm, in 2022 as their Senior Director of Marketing Operations and has since been promoted to VP of Operations. As a marketing strategist and supporter of go-getters, she also consults entrepreneurs through her freelance business and leads the marketing for Apple Works Winery, her family’s winery. She has been able to share her insights with young minds and business leaders through the Independent Business Association of Wisconsin (IBAW), Scale Up Milwaukee, and Concordia University Wisconsin, her alma mater. A proud wife and girl mom, Jennifer enjoys adventures with her family, being outdoors, dance, music, and wine, of course.
NISHA GAHDHI | KEYCARE
Nisha Gandhi is the Chief Growth Officer at Keycare. As a Chief Growth Officer with 20+ years of experience, she ignites exponential growth in healthcare through systems thinking, data-driven strategies, and customer-centric solutions. Her passion lies in transforming healthcare experiences, revitalizing underperforming functions (achieving up to 800% growth in some cases!) and delivering frictionless experiences that exceed expectations. With two decades of experience, her journey has been marked by strategic acumen in operational, technological, marketing, and sales leadership. She skillfully untangles and brings order to immensely complex and multifaceted situations all while creating transparency, setting priorities, restoring fragmented management groups, and facilitating trusting consensus amongst stakeholders. She optimizes and mobilizes teams by identifying the under-utilized capability of each individual to align them collectively around a strategic goal and vision to drive results.
YOLONDA EVANS | MGIC
Yolonda is an enthusiastic change leader and strategist with nearly two decades of extensive experience leading enterprise transformation for Fortune 500 companies, local government agencies and small businesses. Yolonda’s current role as the Senior Change Management & Communications Advisor at Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC), a leader in the private mortgage insurance industry that believes in the importance of helping everyone achieve their dreams of homeownership. She combines her expertise as a change practitioner, experienced corporate trainer, certified continuous improvement and organizational effectiveness consultant to deliver a robust enterprise change strategy to transform the way we process, respond and embrace change. Prior to her current role, she held leadership roles in both the public and private sectors supporting talent development initiatives, enterprise alignment, cultural transformation and organizational effectiveness efforts. As a facilitator of change, she has developed several workshops focused on the development of transformational leadership. Yolonda is a committed change practitioner and leader with experience integrating Lean Six-Sigma methodologies combined with OCM strategies to promote successful sustainable change. Yolonda combined her passion and purpose of helping others through her own company, Project T.I.M.E* LLC. It was created to help small businesses in south-eastern Wisconsin with employee engagement, diverse recruitment and workforce development strategies. It has since expanded with a focus of connecting individuals with barriers to employment with opportunities to improve their quality of life, securing sustainable employment, earning family supporting wages and creating generational wealth.
KATE BRAASCH | MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
Kate Braasch is the Chief of Presidential Affairs at Marquette University. She has nearly 25 years of non-profit leadership and fundraising experience; mostly in higher education. In her current position, Kate oversees and drives key presidential initiatives and priorities, managing all aspects of projects – from start to finish. Most recently, she served as chair of the 2023 Sport at the Service of Humanity Conference, a 3-day international conference inspired by the Vatican and in partnership with the Big East Conference focused on sport and faith, how they intersect to make the world a better place.n addition, she cultivates and stewards top-tier presidential relationships, from benefactors to corporate and community leaders and influencers throughout Milwaukee, the region, and around the country. Kate has served on several steering committees at Marquette, including the 2023 and 2024 Convention Planning, 2031 Strategic Plan Implementation, President’s Commission on Racial Equity, President’s Task Force for Corporate Engagement, 100-year Anniversary of Marquette Men’s Basketball, University Master Plan, and the 2014 Marquette Presidential Inauguration. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Community Health Education from UW-La Crosse and a Master’s in Leadership Studies from Marquette University. Kate is a graduate of the Future Milwaukee program, is on the Board of Directors for the Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation and VISIT Milwaukee and is a current member of Chief. She also serves on the Dwyane Wade vs Travis Diener Literacy Champions Leadership Event Committee (2023 and 2024), was a co-chair of 2024 Vince Lombardi Cancer Foundation Award of Excellence Event, she is a member of the Advancement Committee of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, TEMPO Milwaukee, and has served as a mentor to TEMPO Emerging Women Leaders. In 2021, she received the Women of Influence award from the Milwaukee Business Journal.
MAGGIE DAUN | CIVIC MEDIA | RADIO HOST
Ms. Daun is General Council for Civic Media a radio network based in Madison. Prior to that she was Chief Corporation Counsel for Milwaukee County and in that role, oversees a legal staff of ~25, as well as countless outside counsel relationships, and is responsible for all of the County's civil litigation and transactional work. In addition to her work in the public sector, Ms. Daun also maintains an active private practice. Her training in applied economics provides clients with an interdisciplinary and pragmatic business-centered approach to their legal issues. This background allows her to generate trial and transactional negotiation strategies sensitive to business needs. She frequently works directly with expert witnesses to develop testimony related to market position, pricing, and damages. Because Ms. Daun is a member of the Wisconsin, Illinois, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Georgia, Ohio, and New York bars, she is able to serve clients across jurisdictions. As an expert witness consultant, Ms. Daun assists other law firms and private businesses with every step of the expert witness process, from retention, to legal and technical strategy development, report drafting, deposition preparation, exhibit development, and direct and cross examination trial testimony. Ms. Daun's consultancy clients also enjoy the protection of attorney-client privilege.
MARGARET HENNINGSEN | RETIRED
Margaret Henningsen is a life-long resident of Milwaukee. She has spent the majority of her 77 years making Milwaukee a better place for those coming behind her. She is a mentor to hundreds and enjoys helping them become successful. During her real estate and banking careers, she helped over 1,700 families become homeowners. She started the Milwaukee Juneteenth Day celebration in 1971 that has grown into the largest one in the country. Margaret has an even longer history of social justice activism. As a student activist involved in civil rights protests; registering thousands of people to vote; serving on political campaigns or arguing for and receiving mortgage loans for black families she neve let racism or discrimination stop her. As the founder of Legacy Bank, that specifically provided services to traditionally under-served groups, she has brought the objective of social change to all her work. She led the fight to end discrimination against minorities and women by the real estate, mortgage, and banking industry. After seeing the impact of discrimination against women and minorities, Margaret decided to start a bank. She said, “The day after my 50th birthday, I went temporarily insane and said I'm just going to start my own bank”. She was joined by two, other women. It was the first time in the history of the state of Wisconsin women successfully chartered a commercial bank. Following the closure of Legacy Bank Margaret was appointed Executive Director of the Women’s Fund in 2011. She brought the objective of social change to her work in philanthropy. Social change initiatives funded by grants from the Women’s Fund to local nonprofits supported women and girls. Following her service to the Women’s Fund, she joined Forward Community Investments (FCI) as their Community Advisor for Southeast Wisconsin with a focus on lending to nonprofit s. FCI focuses on funding projects that address racial and social inequities. She retired for the third time in 2022. Margaret has served on more than thirty boards and received numerous accolades and awards for her many accomplishments focused on racial justice and equity.
DEVONA WRIGHT COTTRELL | GMR MARKETING
Wright Cottrell is a results-oriented Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel with over 20 years of experience as a trusted business partner advising clients on corporate and transactional matter. Her expertise in advertising, marketing, municipal finance, securities, real estate, information security and privacy, contract analysis, and employment matters has provided her broad experience and the ability to balance details and to see the big picture while managing projects and providing advice. She is an effective leader, mentor and team builder with demonstrated success in building strong partnerships and working passionately to develop best practices, identify strategic solutions and resolve legal issues efficiently and effectively. Wright Cottrell has a proven ability to identify and leverage strengths of team members and develop strong relationships at all organizational levels. Wright Cottrell is also very proud to be a diligent volunteer and mentor in the greater Milwaukee-area community. Wright Cottrell believes that Education provided access to opportunities and Faith unlocked the door to unleash those opportunities for her. She is a proud wife and mother of two children.
