To submit donations or any hard copy documents to WILS, please contact us at:

Wisconsin Leadership Seminars, Inc.
P.O. Box 237
Milwaukee, WI 53201-0237
Fax/Phone: (888) 284-2033

Questions?
For questions about seminar or nominating a student, email [email protected].
For financial questions or to request a copy of our tax return, email [email protected].
For other questions about WILS or problems with the website, send a message to Star at [email protected].

For questions about the WILS Alumni Association, contact [email protected].
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Board of Directors

President: Sarah Perkins

Sarah Perkins is the President of the Board of Directors and is the Assistant Director of Student Services at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from Eastern New Mexico University and worked in the healthcare industry for 8 years before earning her Master of Education in College Student Personnel Administration from Marquette University. Sarah is an alumna of the WILS program and has been a volunteer with the organization for over 25 years. She has served as a member of the junior and adult seminar staffs, the Director of Programs for the seminar, Alumni Association Advisor and Secretary of the Board of Directors. Meeting amazing young leaders through WILS year after year keeps her inspired and motivates her to keep her energy levels up to keep up with their drive and enthusiasm!

Vice President: Shannon Clark west

Shannon Clark West is the current Vice President of the Board of Directors. She is an alumna of Thomas More High School in Milwaukee, and she received a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Masters in Educational Leadership from Cardinal Stritch University. Currently, Shannon is the Principal of J.E. Jones Elementary School and a district coordinator of RtI/PBIS systems for the School District of Cudahy. Since the beginning of her involvement in WILS in 2003, Shannon has demonstrated a desire and passion for supporting the organization that has made such a significant impact on Wisconsin teens. Shannon continues to volunteer to ensure that student leaders develop their understanding and application of inclusive leadership, service, and responsible decision making in their everyday lives.

Treasurer: Janine Lisser

Janine Lisser is the Treasurer of the Board of Directors. She worked in the dental laboratory industry for 17 years as an office manager. Currently, she is focusing on supporting her family as a stay at home mom and construction on their, over a century old, home. Janine has been a volunteer with WILS for over 9 years. Working with youth has been a lifetime passion for her and she has found her greatest fulfillment as mother of her two children. She is motivated to support the positive experiences that WILS provides and the significant difference that WILS makes in the student leaders, the alumni and our communities.

Secretary: Cassie Kriefall

Cassie Kriefall is the Secretary of the Board of Directors and is a Title 1 Reading & Math Teacher for the School District of Janesville in Janesville, Wisconsin. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from UW-Oshkosh. She continued her education at UW-Whitewater, earning a Master of Education in Reading and a Reading Specialist license. Cassie has been a volunteer with the WILS organization for over 15 years. She has served as a member of the adult seminar staff, Director of Transportation, Director of Facilitators, and currently serves as the Director of Registration for seminar. Cassie returns to WILS year after year because of WILS’ ability to foster student leaders who think, listen to others’ views, and make informed decisions. The youth of Wisconsin has a positive energy that revitalizes your soul!

Alumni Co-Advisor: Hannah erdman

Hannah Erdman is an Alumni Co-Advisor and Director of Facilitators. She works for Ripon College as an Admission Counselor. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Politics and Government from Ripon College. She attended WILS in 2008. WILS has given so much that she wants to help give back to the organization who shaped her life.  .

Alumni Co-advisor: Maggie Erdman

Maggie Erdman is a Co-Advisor of the WILS Alumni Association on the Board of Directors. She is currently working at Rogers Behavioral Health In Residential Care. She has been involved in WILS since she attended seminar in 2013. She has been very active with the planning committee and served as the Alumni Association Board President. She stays very active in WILS because of the great friendships, the energy, and seeing a new group of leaders come in and create change year after year!

Alumni co-advisor : Derek Johnson

Derek Johnson is a Co-Advisor of the WILS Alumni Association on the Board of Directors. He first attended WILS in 2009 and has been active ever since. Derek is originally from Elkhart Lake, WI and graduated from UW Madison with a degree in economics. While at UW Madison, Derek was an active member of the Badger Marching Band and was able to go to “as many sporting events as humanly possible, and then some more”. He is an avid fan of all major Wisconsin teams except for Marquette. Derek currently works at WCG in Madison, WI as the Quality Manager.

Alumni co-advisor : nicholas mack

Nicholas Mack is a Co-Advisor of the WILS Alumni Association on the Board of Directors. He graduated from UW – Madison in 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology and Certificate in Classical Studies, while also playing and traveling with the UW Marching Band. He is currently working as a Microbiologist at the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene in Madison, WI, performing testing for the diagnosis and surveillance of tuberculosis disease in Wisconsin. He first attended WILS in 2011 and attended a few alumni events before returning to seminar as a group facilitator. He takes great fulfillment from seeing new groups of young leaders grow and learn at Seminar, while forming those lasting connections that all WILSers know and love.

Member at Large : christina kender

Christina Kender is a Member at Large and a Co-Director of Recruitment. She works as a Process Owner for Milwaukee Tool, project managing the New Product Development Process. Christina has been an active volunteer with WILS for 19+ years and has volunteered as junior, adult, or office staff at over 17 WILS seminars. She has been on the Board of Directors with a minor break since 2003 and has previously served as Seminar Chair, President of the Board of Directors and Alumni Board as well as having served in various roles on the Seminar Planning and Recruitment Committees. Christina holds a Bachelors of Science Degree in Educational Studies from University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. WILS has played a very important role in Christina’s life since she attended the seminar in 2002. Not only allowing her to meet her husband, but also cultivating amazing friendships that have withstood time and distance. WILS provides Christina with inspiration and examples of exceptional leadership that continues to push her to be her best self every day.

Member at Large : Chris Lisser

Chris Lisser is a Member at Large and is the Networking & Security Engineering Manager for vcpi. Chris has been an active volunteer with WILS for 25+ years and has volunteered as junior or adult staff at over 20 WILS seminars. He has been a Director since 2002 and has previously served as Seminar Chair, Vice President and Alumni Advisor as well as having served in various roles on the Seminar Planning Committee. Chris holds an Associates Degree as a Network Specialist from Milwaukee Area Technical College. WILS has had a tremendous impact on Chris’ life since he attended the seminar as a student leader in 1992. WILS has become like a family to him. He volunteers to ensure young leaders are exposed to new ideas and to interact, learn and bond with fellow seminar attendees from different backgrounds across our state.

Member at Large : Nathan Schumacher

Nathan Schumacher is a Member at Large for the Board of Directors and the Women’s Clubs Lead for fundraising. He currently works for Farmers Insurance as an Agency Recruiter. He received an MBA with a focus in Managerial Leadership from Northern Illinois University. In his free time, you will find him in the kitchen or at the grill cooking up something new. He loves watching all UW sports, especially UW Volleyball. He started his leadership journey when he attended Illinois Leadership Seminar (ILS) in 2005 as a student leader; his first WILS event was seminar 2009 as Junior Staff. In WILS, he has been a Junior Staff member, Facilitator, and Office Staff. WILS is a fantastic organization that provides an opportunity for young adults to participate in a hands-on leadership experience.

Member at Large : Rachel Schumacher

Rachel Schumacher is a Member at Large for the Board of Directors and a WILS 2008 alumna. She works as a Premium Account Manager for Appcast, Inc., a global provider of recruitment advertising technology. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2014 with dual-Bachelor degrees in Consumer Science and Communications, with certificates in Entrepreneurship and Leadership. In her free time, Rachel likes to play volleyball, complete crossword and Sudoku puzzles, watch the Badgers with her husband (Nate), and snuggle with her dog (Hershey, 16 years old). For WILS, she serves on the Board of Directors as Optimist Club Lead for fundraising. Rachel believes the student leaders that attend WILS are the next leaders of our governments, schools, healthcare systems, and corporate and non-profit worlds; it is important to prepare and provide them the tools and confidence to make the improvements and creations they believe will make our communities better places.

Member at Large : Taylor Bould

 

Taylor Bould is the Director of Public Relations for the Board of Directors and a Change Management Consultant for Sustainable Tech at Accenture. She earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the Wisconsin School of Business at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. In her free time you can find Taylor outdoors by the water, hanging with friends, or attempting a DIY project. Taylor attended WILS in 2014 and has been volunteering with the organization every year since. She has served as the Secretary, Vice President, and President of the Alumni Association and has helped with Recruitment and Seminar Planning. She continues to volunteer with WILS to help give young leaders the tools to feel confident and the support system that will help them achieve!

Member at Large : Zainab Manzoor

 

Zainab Manzoor is the Director of Transportation and a Member at Large for the Board of Directors. She works in Indianapolis at the Marion County Public Health Department with the Epidemiology team for the “Overdose Data 2 Action” grant, focusing on opioids and prescription drug overdose as a Public Health Associate. She earned her Bachelor of Science in International Studies, with a focus on Culture in the Age of Globalization, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and also received a certificate in Global Health. When not working, Zainab spends her free time drawing, playing Dungeons and Dragons, playing video games, reading, and taking lots of naps with her giant ragdoll cat, Jasper. Zainab attended WILS in 2015 and has been volunteering since! She has served previously as the Secretary, Vice President, and President of the Alumni Association and volunteered at various events, Recruitment, and Seminar planning. She loves watching student leaders grow as leaders, taking back what they learn to their communities, and feeling confident in themselves!

Member at Large : olivia Kreyer

 

Olivia Kreyer is one of the two fabulous Seminar Co-Chairs for the Board of Directors and a 2013 WILS alumna. When she isn’t helping out with all the cool aspects of WILS, she is a 7th grade English teacher at Jack Young Middle School in Baraboo, WI. During her free time she goes on hikes, especially Devils Lake since she only lives 10 minutes away! She also goes for runs, snuggles her corgi puppy, and hangs out with all the cool friends she met through WILS!

Member at Large : Kyla Peterson

Kyla Peterson is a Member at Large for the Board of Directors and is a Member of the Social Media Committee. She is a 2014 WILS alumna and currently works at Exceed Upper Charter School in Brooklyn, New York as a High School Placement Coordinator. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Community Engagement with a minor in Education and dual-focus in Community-Based Education and Childhood Mental Health from Temple University in 2020. In her free time, Kyla is a proud plant mom who enjoys thrifting and singing! Kyla stays involved in WILS to help young leaders recognize and grow into their leadership potential!

Member at Large : Riya Talwar Maus

 

Riya Talwar-Maus is a Member at Large for the Board of Directors and a 2008 WILS alumna. Since her seminar year, she has staffed and planned seminars, reunions, volunteer events, and fundraisers. She works as a Technology Business Analyst at Baird, a multinational investment bank and financial services company. Riya studied Marketing and Management Information Systems at the University of Minnesota. In her free time, she loves to spend time with her rescue pup, Lambeau. Whenever possible, Riya and her husband love to travel. In fact, they have a goal to watch the Packers play in every NFL stadium, and to run a half marathon in every U.S. state! Looking forward to another year volunteering for an amazing organization.

Member at Large : Dana aschaker tamms

 

Dana Aschaker Tamms is a Member at Large for the Board of Directors and a 2005 WILS alumna. Dana has been an active WILS volunteer for 15+ years and has volunteered as junior or adult staff at over 15 WILS Seminars. She works as an Account Supervisor at GMR Marketing, an experiential marketing agency. Dana holds a Bachelor of Arts and Communication Degree in Advertising, Marketing, and General Business from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In her free time, Dana enjoys going to the gym, running, hiking, baking, and spending time with her husband and pup, Mika. Dana continues to be involved in WILS because of the relationships she has made throughout the years and the opportunity to help youth leaders grow their skillset and find their drive.

Member at Large : Nathan Plym

 

Nathan Plym is a Member at Large for the Board of Directors. He currently lives in Stevens Point, WI and is a senior at UW-Stevens Point. He’s majoring in Professional Communication, and double minoring in Business Administration and Psychology. He works as a server at Michele’s Restaurant in Stevens Point, and also volunteers with Operation Not Alone, Inc. as the Director of Marketing and Advertising. Nathan plays men’s club volleyball at UWSP and runs the UWSP Club Sports Coalition. In his free time, Nathan enjoys hanging out with friends, playing guitar, listening to podcasts, watching movies, and taking long naps. He has served on the Alumni Association Board for four years as its First-Year Liaison, Co-Member at Large, Vice-President and President. Nathan values the connections he has with others, and volunteering with WILS has provided him with another family and amazing friends. He’s excited to continue helping young leaders grow and discover more ways to better their community.

Member at Large : Joseph Sedivy

 

Joseph Sedivy is a Member at Large on the Board of Directors and is a 2014 WILS amuni.  He studied Applied Math and Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin-Stout and currently lives in Stevens Point working as a software developer for Sentry Insurance. In his free time, Joseph enjoys going to the gym, cooking tasty meals, playing video games with friends, and watching educational videos on Youtube.  Joseph appreciates having an opportunity to make positive impacts on the youth in Wisconsin and the connections he’s made over the years. He is serving his second term on the board.

Member at Large : Brandon Lamberty

Brandon Lamberty is a Member at Large for the Board of Directors and a 2014 WILS alumni. He currently lives in Arlington, VA after attending school at Temple University in Philadelphia where he earned his Master of Public Policy. He is currently interning for the US House of Representatives and plans to begin a career on the Hill. In his free time, Brandon competes in Ultimate Frisbee, enjoys biking, working out, and cooking. He values his role with WILS as a way to support future leaders who want to branch out and live new experiences outside of their comfort zones and hopes to inspire more young leaders to take big risks and seize opportunities.

Member at Large : James Doerner

 

James Doerner is a Member at Large on the Board of Directors for WILS and currently works for Climate Pros LLC as a warehouse coordinator. He attended UW Madison 2002-2006, and later Madison Area Technical College where he received an Associate Degree in Automotive Technology. James first attended seminar in 2000 and has volunteered at seminar as a group facilitator and volunteer service chaperone along with attending various WILS fundraisers. James credits WILS with giving him the confidence to become the leader he is today and is passionate about contributing to the organization to ensure today’s youth are equally inspired.

Member at Large : Beth Huesca

 

Beth Huesca is a Member at Large on the Board of Directors and has been involved in Wisconsin Leadership Seminars, Inc. since 2002. She has served on the Board of Directors and has been a member of the Seminar Planning Committee and the Recruitment Team. Beth works at Madison Area Rehabilitation Centers as an Administrative Assistant. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and majored in Political Science and Philosophy. A Wisconsin native, she is originally from Hillsboro, and lives in Evansville, WI with her husband, and enjoys playing soccer and doing yoga. She keeps coming back to WILS because she loves watching student leaders grow and develop confidence that will serve them well in their futures.