In the Ring Season 3 Episode 7: “Improving Lifelong Success Through Early Intervention” with Laura Gutiérrez

WATCH NOW: Héctor gets “In the Ring” with UCC Chief Executive Officer Laura Gutiérrez

Laura Gutíerrez
Chief Executive Officer, United Community Center

Laura Gutíerrez is the Chief Executive Officer of the United Community Center (UCC). UCC serves clients on Milwaukee’s southside ages 6 weeks to 100+ years old. Its programs include Early Childhood Education and elderly care. UCC operates one of the largest K-8 schools in the state, Bruce-Guadalupe Community School, and the UCC Acosta Middle School.

Laura has held several leadership positions within private and public education. She served as Assistant Principal and Director of Instruction at Bruce Guadalupe Community School. Most recently, Laura served as secretary of the state of Wisconsin’s Department of Safety and Professional Services. While there, Laura oversaw a staff of more than 250 people and managed a biennial budget of $100M.

Before working for the State of Wisconsin, Laura was Vice President of Academic Affairs at St. Anthony School in Milwaukee. Previously, Laura served as an elementary and middle school instructor in various capacities. Additionally, she worked as a clinical and microbiology laboratory assistant at Waukesha Memorial Hospital.

Education

Laura earned her master’s degree in leadership and policy from Marquette University and her bachelor’s degree from Carroll University. She also completed the District Administrator Licensure Program at Cardinal Stritch University and received her Superintendent license in 2016.

Leadership Recognition

Laura’s leadership and impact on the community is recognized throughout Wisconsin. Milwaukee Business Journal gave Laura the “Women of Influence” award and named her to the “Milwaukee-area Power Brokers” list. In 2022 Marquette University gave Laura an “Alumni National Award”. Carroll University also recognizes her as a distinguished alumnus.

Community Involvement

Laura is an active member of the Greater Milwaukee Committee (GMC), serves on the education committee of the Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce (MMAC) and was an active advocate with City Forward Collective and the Milwaukee Health Department during COVID ensuring continued education for all students in Milwaukee.

She serves on the board of the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, All-in Milwaukee, Waukesha State Bank, and is an active member of Milwaukee Women Inc., an organization focused on increasing the representation of women onboards of directors to improve Wisconsin businesses.

LSS to be featured on “Viewpoint with Dennis Quad”

LSS to be featured on “Viewpoint with Dennis Quad”

Leading non-profit, Lutheran Social Services of WI and Upper MI (LSS), will be featured on the acclaimed public television program “Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid.” Their corporate documentary is scheduled to air nationally this fall – and throughout 2025 – on national PBS TV stations. The feature will highlight LSS impact on mental health for Wisconsin families.

LSS has been serving communities for over 140 years, empowering people to address life’s toughest challenges around housing, adoption and foster care, disabilities, refugee resettlement, mental health, and substance use disorder. Inspired by the belief in the infinite worth of every person, LSS envisions healthy communities filled with people using their God-given gifts to serve.

The feature on “Viewpoint” will delve into the story of Yolanda. Her daughter Antonia “Toni” was recommended to the LSS School-Centered Mental Health program after her older sister died. Yolanda was surprised to find that the program was also there for her and Toni’s sisters. The LSS family coach and therapist worked with Yolanda on supporting Toni and her whole family through their grief, and they helped her to secure necessary basic needs resources for the family when needed. Viewers will get an in-depth look at Yolanda and Toni’s story as well as the dedicated team of LSS colleagues who are in homes, schools and community places where families are, working tirelessly to address barriers to health and well-being.

LSS President & CEO Héctor Colón expressed his excitement about the upcoming feature. “We are honored to be recognized by ‘Viewpoint with Dennis Quad.’ This is a fantastic opportunity to share LSS’ mission and the incredible work carried out by more than 800 colleagues with passion, expertise, and Servant-Led hearts. We also are humbled to share the incredible resilience and strength of the people we serve.”

Viewpoint Cinematographer, Jacob Lopez, says, “Viewpoint with Dennis Quaid” is known for its in-depth exploration of social issues and features on organizations making a significant impact in their communities. The series, hosted by Golden Globe and Emmy nominated actor Dennis Quaid, provides a platform for non-profits, innovators, and thought leaders to share their stories. “I think LSS is an amazing organization. Viewpoint wanted to highlight…their contributions to the Greater Milwaukee and Wisconsin area.”

The episode featuring Lutheran Social Services is expected to inspire viewers and encourage support for the organization’s ongoing efforts. LSS hopes that this exposure will lead to increased awareness, community-based advocacy, and contributions, allowing them to expand their reach and continue their vital work.

In the Ring Season 3 Episode 5: “Wisconsin Workforce Shortage: A blow-by-blow analysis” with Dale Kooyenga, Joel Brennan, and Tara Treglowne

WATCH NOW: It’s 3-on-1 as Héctor steps “In the Ring” with Dale Kooyenga, Joel Brennan, and Tara Treglowne

Joel Brennan
President
Greater Milwaukee Committee

Joel Brennan was selected as the President of the Greater Milwaukee Committee in December 2021 and began his tenure in January 2022. Joel Brennan brings more than 25 years of experience in and around public policy in Wisconsin to his current role. Prior to his selection as President of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, Brennan served in the Cabinet of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers as the Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Administration. Joel served as President & CEO of Discovery World from October 2007 through January 2019. He grew up in the Milwaukee area and worked his way through Marquette University, graduating with bachelor’s degrees in English literature and political science. He was selected as a Harris Fellow and earned a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. Brennan lives with his wife Audra and their two children, Allison (18) and Conor (17), in Milwaukee’s Brewers Hill neighborhood.

 

Dale Kooyenga
President
Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce

Dale Kooyenga is president of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of commerce. He is also a Lt Colonel in the US Army Reserves and is currently serving as the Battalion Commander of the 407th Civil Affairs Battalion.  Dale has served in the US Army for over 19 year and was awarded the Bronze Star for his service in Iraq.  He maintains his C.P. A. license and has over twenty years of experience as a C.P.A including 10 years at KPMG and twelve years working as a C.F.O, for start-up, early stage, and private equity companies.  Prior to joining MMAC, Kooyenga was elected and served in the Wisconsin State Assembly followed by four years of service as a Wisconsin State Senator.  Kooyenga played NCAA Div III basketball at Lakeland University and graduated with bachelor’s degree in accounting.  He obtained an M.B.A. from Marquette University. He is married with four children.

Tara Treglowne
Vice President
Adult Residential & Long-Term Care, Lutheran Social Services of WI and Upper MI

Tara M. Treglowne serves as Vice President of Connections. Since 2001 Tara has welcomed the opportunity to support various programs within LSS serving first within youth residential and foster care before moving on to housing and urban development. Beginning in 2014 Tara had the unique opportunity to help build Connections, an IRIS Consultant Agency of LSS.  Connections was built from the ground up with a philosophy build around Collective Leadership, Empowering Collaboration through Contribution.  Tara strives to create space for her team that is focused on collaboration and co-creation, which can only happen authentically if all colleagues have an opportunity to be included, to lead. In 2015 Tara graduated with an MBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Tara was part of a newly developed executive MBA path specifically developed for executives and leaders, which focused on building skills and conceptualization at an enterprise and leadership level. She received her undergraduate degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point.

In the Ring Season 3 Episode 4: “The Return on Investment of Early Intervention” with Sam Sipes

WATCH NOW: Lutheran Services Florida President & CEO Sam Sipes is “In the Ring” with Héctor!

This week Héctor Colón is “In the Ring” with his good friend Sam Sipes, the President & CEO of Lutheran Services Florida. The two talk about the massive return on investment Sam’s state of Florida saw from investing in social services, the future of A.I. in the non-profit space, the value of taking calculated risks in new endeavors, and much more!

Sam joined LSF as CEO in September 2007.  At that time, LSF had several hundred employees and an annual budget of approximately $30 million.  During his tenure, Sam has led the agency’s tremendous growth to more than 2,500 employees and a budget of more than $400 million.

Prior to joining LSF, Sam served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Lutheran Social Services of the South (LSSS) in Austin, Texas.  Under his leadership LSSS became the largest provider of children’s residential services in Texas. Sam also was instrumental in expanding residential and non-residential services to senior citizens along with disaster response efforts across Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. In 2005, Sam was among the key leaders that helped organize and manage the regional and national response to Hurricane Katrina.

Sam has served on numerous boards including the Council on Accreditation of Child and Family Services, the Florida Coalition for Children, and Lutheran Services in America. He was a member of the Florida Faith-Based and Community-Based Advisory Council to identify ways to deliver services more effectively. Sam received both a Master of Science in Social Work and a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin.

In the Ring Season 3, Episode 3: “Overcoming Legislative Pitfalls & Partisanship” with State Rep. Barb Dittrich

WATCH NOW: State Representative Barb Dittrich is “In the Ring” with Héctor!

State Representative Barbara Dittrich is a lifelong resident of Southeastern Wisconsin, currently residing in Oconomowoc with her husband Steve as she has for the past 30 years. She graduated from Hamilton High School – Sussex and attended the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.

After working in the investment industry for 13 years, Barbara founded a charitable non-profit serving the parents of children with disabilities and chronic illnesses. Barbara served as the organization’s Executive Director for 16 years until the non-profit merged with another faith-based organization where she served as Director of Advancement for one year. She currently serves on the board of directors of that ministry.

Representative Dittrich sits on several committees, including those that directly relate to Social Services:

Committee on Children & Families

Committee on Education (Vice-Chair)

Committee on Health, Aging and Long-Term Care

Committee on Mental Health and Substance Abuse (Vice-Chair)

She was the first legislator to sign the Education Freedom Pledge and was honored for this with the Inaugural Common Sense Award in 2021 and was named the National Foundation for Women Legislator’s Woman of Excellence in 2019.

LSS awarded $75,000 grant to help meet transportation needs of older adults

LSS awarded $75,000 grant to help meet transportation needs of older adults

WEST ALLIS, Wis., Mar. 13, 2024 – Lutheran Social Services of WI and Upper MI (LSS) is proud to announce it has been awarded the Elderly Endowment Grant from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Lutheran Services for the Elderly. $75,000 over a span of three years will go to expand and enhance LSS’ volunteer driver program “Make the Ride Happen” as well as its Cycling Without Age program in Waupaca, Outagamie, Winnebago, and Calumet counties.

These projects help to meet the mobility needs of the low-income, older adult population and adults with disabilities, the majority of whom live alone or lack reliable transportation. Each year, the LSS Make the Ride Happen call center receives nearly 3,900 calls from individuals requesting information and assistance with their transportation needs. Volunteer drivers accompany the elderly to medical appointments, grocery shopping, or other errands as needed.

“Transportation is one of the key Social Determinants of Health the older population struggles with,” said Héctor Colon, President and CEO of Lutheran Social Services. “By collaborating with transportation stakeholders, human service providers, and private & public transportation providers, LSS is aligning its efforts to improve the health and well-being of the elderly by addressing this key need.”

Elderly populations are often at risk of social isolation, which can negatively affect physical and mental health and well-being. Through these programs LSS seeks to expand dependable and safe ride options. With this increase, LSS hopes these individuals will be able to live independently, engage with others, and remain connected to their communities.

“Our synod includes many rural communities, where lack of transportation can lead to isolation and other challenges, especially for people who are elderly and people with disabilities,” said the Rev. Anne Edison-Albright, Bishop of the East Central Synod of Wisconsin and LSS Board Member. “LSS provides a lifeline and an opportunity for connection to those most in need, and that connectedness is so important to us as people of faith.”

For more information on Make the Ride Happen call (920) 225-1719 or go to lsswis.org/service/disabilities/make-the-ride-happen

 

ABOUT LSS

Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (LSS) is made up of nearly 800 Servant-Leaders including licensed therapists, professional social workers and counselors, and certified peer specialists located throughout our two-state reach. Every year, our colleagues strengthen families, inspire recovery, and empower independence & belonging for nearly 30,000 individuals and families at every stage of life. Driven by the belief in the infinite worth of every person, LSS provides affordable housing & homelessness services; public adoption & foster care; long-term care & disability services; refugee resettlement; residential treatment for substance use disorder & mental illness; and additional supportive community-based services.
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In the Ring Season 3, Episode 2: “Flipping the Script” on Héctor

WATCH NOW: Héctor Colón gets “In the Ring” and answers YOUR questions!

You asked and we delivered. This time Héctor Colón is “In the Ring” as guest. LSS Director of Communications Sharon Hudy filled in as “guest host” and spoke with the champ about his experience so far, his goals for 2024, and much more. Here are some of your questions for Héctor:

“What does a workday in the life of Hector look like?  I would think people would be interested in knowing!  Also, perhaps future goals?  There are always the politics rumors…” – Patty 

My workday consists of a mix of strategy thought and development, meeting with direct reports and assisting with key decisions, coaching, setting company direction, relationship building and fundraising. 

 Future goals: Pay our staff at Market or better. I would like to become a leader in our industry for paying our colleagues better.  I would like to innovate new programs that address the true needs of the people we serve through new fundraising dollars. And I’d like to ensure the financial viability of our organization so that it is secured for the next century. 

“Where do you see long term care going in the future and where does LSS fit in?” – Kevin

 I see our continued growth in our connections program serving individuals with long term care needs in their home as long as possible.  I envision this as a key program that is part of our growth strategy. 

“What strategies do you believe have been crucial to the success and growth of LSS, and how do you see them evolving in the future? ” – Tara

  1. The quality, diversity, and talent of our board. 
  2. The talent of our Leadership team
  3. The compassion and passion of our colleagues that make a difference in the lives of the people we serve.
  4. Our growth strategy
  5. Our divestment strategy

We need to continue to build on these strategies to ensure our future success.  We also need to stay on top of industry trends to ensure we capitalize on opportunities and are prepared for potential headwinds.

“How would Hector assess LSS progress of being a Workplace of Choice and what actions/items does he think have been the most impactful over the past few years?”  – Susan

 It’s been a wonderful journey to become a workplace of choice.  When I first started, I felt the organization and leadership team were mired in challenge that did not allow them to think past the deficits that existed.  It’s been wonderful to work with the board, leadership team and colleagues to make this a workplace of choice.  I think there are many key points that have been most impactful:

“With the amount of homelessness in Wisconsin growing at an exponential rate, is LSS planning to expand our existing programs to areas in need this year? Our area in Wausau, WI Could benefit from current programs such as the Rapids Rehousing/TBRA, HUD, and help from our Support Brokers. This would greatly benefit our existing clients in the Forensic programs!” –  Rebecca 

It’s sad that we live in the richest country in the history of the world and yet we still have homelessness.  So yes, we want to play a role in addressing this through our programs.  Having said that, I’d like to focus more on upstream programs to prevent homelessness by focusing on the broader social determinants of health at birth. 

“LSS has such a large geographic footprint as well as a wide scope of essential services. How have you been able to keep leaders and colleagues aligned and motivated given this?” –  Keri

I believe it’s because our value of co-creation.  We are doing this together, it’s not a top-down approach.  We are also one of the best social service organizations in the country so doing more means we are having a greater impact on those that could benefit from our services. 

“What does Hector see as critical to focus on to continue to engage and retain our colleagues?” –  Susan

“Considering the rapid advancements in AI and technology, how do you see AI influencing or transforming key aspects of LSS operations and strategy in the coming years?” –  Tara

This is a must.  We must not be afraid of this technology.  We need to learn as much as possible and as quickly as possible on how AI would help us become more efficient and effective. 

In the Ring Season 3, Episode 1: Changing the “Terrible Truth” with Alesia Frerichs

Héctor Colón kicks off the third season of “In the Ring” with Lutheran Services in America President & CEO Alesia Frerichs

Alesia Frerichs
President & CEO, Lutheran Services in America

Alesia Frerichs is the President & CEO of Lutheran Services in America. Alesia previously served as the chief strategist for the network’s collaboration and innovation efforts. During her tenure, Alesia launched several groundbreaking initiatives, including the Results Innovation Lab, Rural Aging Action Network, Reimagining Diversity Collaborative and other programs that connect national partners with social sector leaders and empower older adults, children, families and others experiencing need.

Prior to joining Lutheran Services in America, Alesia was an entrepreneur who launched and led an independent consulting practice for 10 years, providing strategic management support to nonprofit executives. She also held senior leadership positions at MCI WorldCom and Sapere Consulting. She currently serves on the board of Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing and the Lutheran Financial Managers Association and is a member of the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Washington, DC.

Alesia earned an M.S. in statistics from The George Washington University and a B.S. in economics from St. Olaf College.

In the Ring Season 2 Episode 9: Moving from I/Me/Mine to We/Us/Ours with Mike Victorson

Héctor Colón concludes season two with M3 Insurance CEO Mike Victorson 

Mike Victorson
CEO, M3 Insurance

Mike Victorson is the chief executive officer (CEO) of M3 Insurance, responsible for the strategic direction and vision of the agency, identifying opportunities for growth and innovation, cultivating organizational culture, and serving the community. Victorson serves on the M3 Insurance Board of Directors and is a member of M3’s Executive Operating Committee.

Mike earned degree in political science and speech communication from Augustana College. He joined M3 in 1992 and learned business through a variety of roles in customer service, sales, and sales management. Mike served as vice president of M3’s employee benefits division from 1999-2003 when he advanced to president of M3. Mike was named CEO of M3 in 2005.

 

In the Ring Season 2 Episode 8: Fresh Perspectives on Mental Healthcare with Meg Kissinger

Héctor Colón speaks with journalist and author Meg Kissinger in episode eight of our second season

 

Meg Kissinger
Journalist, Author of “While You Were Out”

Meg Kissinger spent more than two decades traveling across the country writing about America’s mental health system for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Her work on the abysmal housing conditions of people with chronic mental illness led to the creation of more than 600 new housing units in Milwaukee. She has been honored with two George Polk awards, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel.

In 2009, Kissinger and Susanne Rust were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in investigative reporting for their work uncovering the government’s failure to protect the public from dangerous chemicals in everyday products. Those stories won the Oakes Award and the National Journalism Award for Public Service.

Before coming to Milwaukee, Kissinger covered criminal and civil courts for The Cincinnati Post and was a general assignment reporter at the Watertown (NY) Daily Times. She was named Wisconsin Watchdog of the Year in 2015. Meg has consulted on projects for Frontline, ProPublica, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Seattle Times and the Solutions Journalism Network, among others.

Kissinger teaches investigative reporting at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and was a visiting professor at DePauw University, her alma mater.