In the Ring Season 2, Episode 7: The Power of Peer Support with Brittany Nessel and Sara Kieffer
Héctor Colón speaks with both Brittany Nessel and Sara Kieffer of LSS in episode seven of our second season
Brittany Nessel
Licensed Professional Counselor, Clinical Substances Abuse Counselor, Independent Clinical Supervisor
Brittany Nessel has been with LSS for 11 years and has been working in social services since 2006 from Menomonie WI to Minneapolis/St.Paul MN, and even Oceanside CA, before heading back to Eau Claire, WI.
Brittany primarily works in adult treatment for trauma, mental health, and substance abuse. Birttany received her both Bachelors of Science Human Development and Family Studies (2007) and Master of Science Clinical Mental Health Counseling (2010) from University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin.
Sara Kieffer
Certified Peer Specialist
Sara Kieffer has been employed with LSS since January of 2022 as a Human Services Professional and Certified Peer Specialist in Gaining Ground and a Certified Peer Specialist in Renewed Strength.
Sara got her start by working at Eau Claire Sober Living, a woman’s sober home as the house manager/mentor in September 2020 and was there for two years.
Prior to social services, Sara was in the hospitality and tourism industry for more than a decade which is what she has a BS in from UW Stout. Sara received my Certified Peer Specialist training from WIPSEI (Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative) and certification in April of 2021.
In the Ring Season 2, Episode 6: The Changing Landscape of Mental Health Treatment with Jill Chaffee
Héctor Colón speaks with Jill Chaffee in episode six of our second season
Jill Chaffee
Vice President Community Based Services, LSS
Since 2018 Jill Chaffee has led the LSS community-based services team as the Vice President of Community Based Services. Community-based services include a variety of mental health and substance abuse services (therapy, skill-building, mentoring, etc.) as well as foster care, public adoption, and various service facilitation programs. With over 24 years of experience in human services, Jill is a servant-leader to approximately 400 employees and believes that our communities are at the core of the lives we touch and critical to a person’s recovery and access to services.
Early in her career, Jill provided direct county-based social work services as well as substance use services and mental health psychotherapy. With a foundational understanding of the provision of both public and private sector services, she has spent the last 17 years in human service administration. Throughout her career, she has focused on developing accessible and high-quality systems of service delivery that result in impact for those in need. Through county work, and the development of county consortiums across several counties Jill has become an expert in program development and managing statewide services.
Jill received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. Jill has a passion for meeting people where they are, with the right services, in the community. She is energized by LSS’s diverse services available to people throughout Wisconsin and the collaborative approach to service delivery.
In the Ring Season 2, Episode 5: Evolving Milwaukee County Mental Health to Prevention-Centered Care
Héctor Colón speaks with Mike Lappen in episode five of our second season
Mike Lappen
Administrator
Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services
Mike Lappen is the Administrator of Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services. He leads a dedicated team in reform efforts to redesign Milwaukee County’s mental health system to a community-based system of care that is less reliant on psychiatric inpatient admissions and emergency room visits.
Mike oversees a vast community-based system of care that includes crisis services, care coordination/case management, outpatient care, prevention, treatment and recovery efforts across the lifespan.
Lappen serves on the Wisconsin County Human Service Association Behavioral Health Policy and Advisory Committee, the Wisconsin Council on Mental Health Legislative and Policy Committee and is the current Chairperson for the Mental Health Emergency Center Joint Venture Board.
Mike graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Master of Science in educational rehabilitation counseling. Lappen previously worked as a clinical coordinator for the Wisconsin Correctional Service, and as a supervisor and eventually director with the Ozaukee County Department of Human Services.
In The Ring Season 2, Episode 4: Making Health Insurance an “Honest Business”
Héctor Colón speaks with Common Ground Healthcare CEO Cathy Mahaffey in episode four of our second season.
Cathy Mahaffey
CEO, Common Ground Healthcare
Cathy Mahaffey is a 25-year veteran of the health insurance industry, starting her career in insurance service and sales. Shortly into her career, Cathy found her passion working in the non-profit insurance sector for a health insurance cooperative. She went on to start her own insurance agency and consulting business, and helped found the Farmers’ Health Cooperative of Wisconsin, a nonprofit that was successful in helping thousands of Wisconsin farmers gain access to higher quality health insurance coverage.
Cathy was instrumental in getting CGHC off the ground in 2012, helping to pen the business plan and loan application that secured the funding to start the cooperative. She was appointed CEO in 2014 after serving as the cooperative’s first Chief Operating Officer during its start-up phase.
Season 2, Ep. 3: How You Can Get Closer to “Yes” on State Budget Considerations
Héctor Colón speaks with Bill McCoshen in episode three of our second season
Bill McCoshen
Bill is a Partner with Michael Best Strategies. His combined decades of experience in the Wisconsin Governor’s office, as cabinet secretary, and as a successful lobbyist enable him to be an effective advisor and advocate for clients.
Before joining Strategies, Bill served as Managing Partner of Madison-based Capitol Consultants, Inc., a government relations and public affairs firm, for over 23 years. He worked with both public and private sector businesses, as well as nonprofits, to build strategic relationships, manage their public images, and implement grassroots advocacy programs.
Bill previously served as Chief of Staff to former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, and then as Gov. Thompson’s campaign manager during his successful third-term gubernatorial campaign in 1994. Gov. Thompson’s landslide 67% victory was the second-highest margin in state history and the largest margin since 1922. Following the election, Gov. Thompson appointed Bill to serve as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. Over the next four years, Bill oversaw economic development programs throughout the state. Bill remains the youngest person ever to hold the position of gubernatorial chief of staff and cabinet secretary.
LSS Refugee Client, Arif Faizi, Featured in Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Hundreds of Afghan refugees have come to the United States and have been given support by Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (LSS) over the past couple of years. Each individual and family has a unique story full of challenges, successes, dreams, and realities. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently shared the heartwarming story of Arif Faizi and how LSS went the extra mile to give him a new life in Wisconsin.
Arif Faizi was paralyzed in a car crash in Afghanistan several years ago, making it difficult for him to get around without help from family and friends. Upon arriving in Wisconsin through the LSS Refugee Resettlement program, Faizi’s struggles were shared among the organization. How could LSS help get Faizi and his family the support they needed to succeed in their new home?
One day, LSS President and CEO Héctor Colón spoke with Kyle Weatherly as the two spent time together on the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. Weatherly wanted to donate to LSS to help with Afghan refugee resettlement. However, he didn’t want to give a general donation; he wanted to help one family.
Colón then connected with Mary Flynn, program manager for LSS Refugee Resettlement. She thought of Fiazi, who needed a specialized wheelchair to get around and improve his health and way of life. The rest, as they say, is history. You can read the story by clicking the link below!
Season 2, Ep. 2: Maximize ROI by Harnessing Your Organizational Superpower
Héctor Colón speaks with Melanie Varin in episode two of our second season
Melanie R. Varin
Melanie is an author and insightful business leader and change-agent combining strategy, Lean Six Sigma, sales, marketing and international leadership experience to help global teams grow via positive and sustainable change.
Melanie’s book – Ignite Topline Growth: How RevOps and Go-To-Market Alignment Spark Success – was written based on her passion for sales and marketing alignment. She’s experienced the superpower that comes with a great alignment of revenue-generating teams and wants to share that wisdom with others.
Melanie has 25+ years of experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, global marketing, national sales management, channel development, and operations. She has led three significant business turnarounds in Europe and the USA in Fortune 500 companies.
In her current role as Owner and Chief Operating Officer, TopLine Results Corporation, she applies her leadership and process skills to optimize current business operations as well as helping clients do the same. Her passions are developing high-performing teams, sales and marketing alignment, and business productivity. TopLine Results uses technology to bring together the right tools to help clients build positive and valuable relationships. These tools include customer relationship management (CRM) databases and integrated digital marketing platforms. Using the insights gained from these systems, clients can become better versions of themselves and offer improved services to their customers.
Melanie has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of International Business Studies from the University of South Carolina.
She has been married for almost 35 years to her life and business partner, Fred Varin, and has three grown children: Patrick (married to Rose), Clark, and Stephanie. When she is not working or writing, she loves to travel, enjoy long walks, read, and eat (and cook) fine food, preferably with family and friends.
Third Year in a Row! LSS Named Best and Brightest Company to Work For
For Immediate Release
Lutheran Social Services Named Winner of Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® in Milwaukee for Third Year in a Row
WEST ALLIS, Wis. (April 19, 2023) – For the third consecutive year, Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (LSS) has been officially recognized as one of the “Best and Brightest Companies to Work For®” by the National Association for Business Resources (NABR). LSS is one of only 15 Wisconsin companies to earn the 2023 award, which goes to organizations that provide “exceptional human resource practices and an impressive commitment to their employees,” according to the NABR.
The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® identifies LSS as a Milwaukee-area organization that displays “a commitment to excellence and employee enrichment,” areas the NABR identifies and honors as part of the program. Organizations are assessed on several categories, including diversity, work-life balance, communication and many more. Through determination, exceptional leadership, and daily ingenuity, the Best and Brightest like LSS are seen as ideal organizations that “epitomize Better Business. Richer Lives. Strong Communities.”
“I am so appreciative of everything our LSS colleagues do each and every day throughout our two-state reach to serve people who have incredible odds stacked against them,” said LSS President and CEO Héctor Colón. “Because of them, we are able to do this great work now and in the future. They care so much about one another and the nearly 30,000 people we help each year. The leadership team and our board are focused on ensuring LSS is a Workplace of Choice today, tomorrow and for many years to come.”
In 2022, LSS commemorated its 140th year of Servant-Leadership. Across three centuries since its inception in 1882, LSS has empowered people to live their best lives offering a path to recovery, safe and affordable homes, forever families, and independence.
Nominations for the “Best and Brightest Companies to Work For” are accepted across the United States and broken down by various regions. Employees then complete a survey to calculate an organization’s score to compare with its peers in a particular geographic location. Historically about 10% of all nominations received make the winners list.
ABOUT LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES
LSS is called to serve with compassion and courage. Every year, tens of thousands of people in Wisconsin and Upper Michigan come to LSS with incredible odds stacked against them. With 140 years of proven results as a social service provider, more than 90% of the people served say LSS improves the quality of their lives. For more information, visit LSSwis.org.
MEDIA CONTACT
Tim Muma, PR Specialist
414-840-6551
LSS Hires Mara Dučkens, Strategic Thought Leader Philanthropic Advocate, as Chief Advancement Officer
Milwaukee, WI – Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan (LSS) is pleased to welcome Mara Dučkens as the organization’s first Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) beginning March 23. Dučkens’ proven track record of leading successful multi-million-dollar campaigns within philanthropic circles established her as a recognized leader, mentor, and innovator in the industry.
“LSS has been an organization that has drawn my interest because of its compassionate approach to positively impacting children, adults, and families in need,” Dučkens said. “In fact, it’s the multifaceted programming…that most appeals to me. As the chief fundraising strategist for the organization, helping donors understand the power of the programs within LSS – and their combined impact – will be my top priority.”
Mara’s experience in fundraising has shaped her into a strategic relationship-builder and advocate perfectly suited for the LSS leadership team. It is another step forward as LSS continues its strategic plan around new growth and innovation.
Héctor Colón, LSS President and CEO, and key driver of a multi-year, $30 million turnaround for the organization, explains, “I am excited about working with Mara and LSS leadership to enact a robust philanthropic plan that will yield strong donor partnerships around helping people live their best lives and thrive. Her demonstrated strategic approach to fundraising will certainly grow our capacity to better serve the nearly 30,000 individuals and families that seek support from LSS each year.”
José Olivieri, LSS Operating Board Chair, and Pat Wesner, LSS Foundation Board Chair, agree with Colón, “Mara brings the passion and empathy for others we value and admire in all our colleagues. We are confident in her ability to increase giving for LSS and grow the endowment to support the organization’s important mission work in perpetuity. We are grateful that Mara has chosen to continue her esteemed career with LSS and to support our vision of healthy communities filled with people using their God-given gifts to serve.”
LSS Adoption Family Earns 2022 Governor’s Award
Carl and Marcella BlomWillis were 2022 recipients of the Governor’s Outstanding Adoptive Parent Award in Wisconsin, one of six families honored by the state. In working with Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin & Upper Michigan (LSS), Carl and Marcella’s 20-year devotion to foster care and adoption parallels the dedication LSS shares in strengthening families.
Tanya Meyervandeurzen, a social worker for LSS, nominated the BlomWillis family for the award through the Wisconsin Department of Children and Families (DCF). Speaking of Carl and Marcella, Tanya said it is a privilege to work with them, and “their home is open, warm, and friendly. It is filled with an overwhelming sense of love and commitment to all of their children.” Tanya’s role through LSS continues to be a substantial factor in the BlomWillis story.
“Our family is eternally grateful for Tanya and the role she played in our family’s journey,” Marcella said. “She was always incredibly responsive and warm. Our entire family came to adore her for the time we worked together.”
Tanya and her many colleagues across Wisconsin live for the opportunity to help the more than 300 children LSS serves in public adoption. These children are between pre-adoptive foster homes and county foster homes. Families like Carl and Marcella’s are vital, with so many children needing foster homes and “forever” homes through adoptions.
The BlomWillis family is full of love – and kids – with two biological children and seven adopted members. In a unique twist to their two-decade welcoming spirit, they recently adopted two children of one of their former foster daughters. They understand and value the connection between birth parents and their children as a cornerstone for long-term success through foster care and adoption.
None of the families welcome children into their homes to earn praise or win awards; however, it’s essential to recognize their efforts when possible.
“All adoptive families deserve to be celebrated,” DCF Secretary Emilie Anderson said. “We appreciate the dedication and commitment of adoptive parents, as well as those who work with families in the adoption process.”
That includes organizations like LSS, which has proudly served the community and assisted with adoptions for over 100 years as they continue strengthening families through Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. The award and overall success require a total team effort between families and LSS.
“We are very humbled by this recognition,” Marcella BlomWillis added. “We’re very grateful for LSS and the role they’ve played twice in growing our family.”