This is the fourth of a five-part series. Part 1 is here, Part 2 is here and Part 3 is here.
Daniel Kigeya
Daniel Kigeya is principal of Madison West High School, where he leads a school of about 2,200 students and 130 teaching staff – and the school he graduated from in 1997. Initially set on a career in law, he earned a degree in legal studies at UW-Madison, then had a change of heart. He entered the UW School of Social Work while also running the PEOPLE precollege program back at West. After earning a master’s in social work, he went on to earn another master’s degree in educational leadership and policy analysis and got his first taste of educational administration as an associate principal in Verona and then principal at Sennett Middle School in Madison before returning to West.
Dr. Angie Hicks
Dr. Angie Hicks is assistant superintendent for secondary schools at the Madison Metropolitan School District. A product of Madison schools, she began her career there 34 years ago as a clerk/typist before going back to finish her degree at UW-Madison. She went on to teach at several schools in Madison including Whitehorse and Emerson and went on to administrative roles as assistant principal at Sherman Middle School and Hamilton Middle School. After earning a doctoral degree at Edgewood College, she became principal at James C. Wright Middle School, which she led for 10 years before stepping into the assistant superintendent role.
Dr. Joe Gothard
Dr. Joe Gothard is superintendent of Madison Metropolitan School District, a role he took on earlier this year. A Madison native and product of Madison schools, he started his education career as a teacher and then dean of students at La Follette High School then principal of Toki Middle School and assistant superintendent for secondary schools before being named superintendent of schools in Burnsville, Minnesota in 2013. In 2017 he was named superintendent of St. Paul Public Schools and earned the titles of Superintendent of the Year both for Minnesota and nationally in 2023. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Madison College and Board of Directors of the United Way of Dane County. He spent four years as president of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. He holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from Edgewood College.
Mark Chambers, Jr.
Mark Chambers, Jr. was elected to represent Milwaukee’s Second District as alder in 2022 in his first bid for elected office. Alderman Chambers grew up in the Westlawn Projects and is a lifelong resident of the Second District. After graduating from Bay View High School, Mark attended Milwaukee Area Technical College where he served as Vice President of the Black Student Union. He worked briefly as a Correctional Officer before entering the finance industry with Wells Fargo Bank, PNC Bank and Peoples State Bank. He has also worked as a business consultant for Community Related Training (CRT) in Milwaukee. He is also a member of the Greater Milwaukee African American Business Resource Group (GMAABRG) and an advisor for Governor Evers’ Financial Literacy Council where he continues to teach financial literacy courses for members of his community. He holds a degree in business from Concordia University.
Nyra Jordan
Nyra Jordan is Associate Vice President of Community and Social Impact at American Family Insurance. As one of the founding directors of the American Family Insurance Institute for Corporate and Social Impact, she leads efforts to address major social challenges, including economic insecurity, educational disparities, systemic racism, mass incarceration, and climate change. In her role as Social Impact Investment Director, Nyra invests in high-impact social entrepreneurs, startups, and transformative public-private partnerships aimed at increasing access to opportunity, social equity, and financial mobility. Nyra’s work focuses on supporting individuals impacted by the criminal and civil justice system, believing in the power of people-centered technology solutions designed by and for those directly affected. She co-leads a coalition to bring funding to underrepresented founders in the justice tech sector, driving systemic change through innovation. She was chosen as Large Business Executive of the Year in the 365 Leadership Community Choice Awards in 2024. She holds an undergraduate degree in mass communications from the University of Wisconsin and master’s degrees in sociology and criminal justice administration from Valdosta State and social innovation from Edgewood College.
Tiffany Wynn
Tiffany Wynn is regional senior director of marketing at Ascension in Milwaukee. She stepped into that role early in 2024 after consulting independently for two and a half years on marketing and especially inclusive marketing practices. She previously served as vice president for marketing and communications at Carroll University, marketing director at Vivent Health and marketing manager at GPS Education Partners. She earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations at Mount Mary University and an MBA at Alverno College.
Kenneth Ginlack
Kenneth Ginlack is CEO and Executive Director of Serenity Inns, a drug treatment center for men in recovery. Before helping launch the organization in 2021 and opening its first facility in 2024, he served as the Director of Outpatient Programs for the Milwaukee County Behavior Health Division (BHD), and as an ad-hoc instructor at the University of Wisconsin Continuing Education extension program. At UW-Milwaukee, Ken instructs professionals on best practices for clinical supervision. He is the President of the Board of Directors for Revive Youth and Family Services, a Board member for SALS Recovery Houses & Coaching, and previously served as Vice President of the Board of Directors for Daystar Inc. Most recently, Ken was invited to become a member of the Milwaukee County Mental Health Board. Mr. Ginlack is a recipient of the President’s Award at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) for his academic achievements and outstanding work in the community. At the 2022 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Wisconsin Annual Conference, Ken was honored with the IRIS Award for Outstanding Mental Health Professiona. He earned his undergraduate degree from Upper Iowa University in human services and a graduate degree from Loyola University in social work.
Carmen Jeschke
Carmen Jeschke, CPA, is the vice president of finance and operations for the Madison Community Foundation. As chief financial officer, she has spearheaded the management and growth of the foundation’s $400 million in total assets. She brings a unique perspective to the foundation, leveraging over 20 years of accounting experience from multiple industries, including public, for-profit, and nonprofit organizations. Carmen received a BA in Journalism from San Diego State University and an associate degree in accounting from Madison College before becoming a CPA. She holds professional certifications in nonprofit management from the University of Reno and foundations of management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Part 5 coming tomorrow!
