2025 Campaign Leadership
Every year, United Way’s Campaign is led by four Campaign Co-chairs and over 150 volunteers that make up the Campaign Cabinet. This group is comprised of leaders from all sectors of our local community working together to encourage individuals and organizations in supporting local issues effecting Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha counties.
Campaign Co-chairs
Kurt Bechthold
Walbec Group
Kurt Bechthold is the Chairman & CEO at Walbec Group. He began his career in 1978 at Payne and Dolan (a Walbec Group company) as a summer intern. After obtaining his master’s degree, he rejoined Walbec in 1990.
Kurt is a community advocate serving on the board of directors of various civic and industry organizations. Previously, he served as chairs of several organizations and was a board member of the Next Door Foundation, Milwaukee Opera, St. Coletta of Wisconsin, Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, and Urban Land Interests.
He earned his Master of Business Administration from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and his Bachelor of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Wisconsin.
Steve Booth
Baird
Steve Booth is Chairman, CEO, and a member of the board of directors of Baird Financial Group and affiliated entities including Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated. Steve joined Baird in 1994. He has held a variety of different leadership positions before becoming CEO in 2016.
Steve serves on the board of directors of several organizations including the United Performing Arts Fund and Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce. He also serves on several executive boards for higher education and is the Chairman of the American Securities Association (ASA)’s Board of Directors.
He received his MBA degree from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance, and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Southern Methodist University.
Raquel Filmanowicz
VC 414
Raquel Filmanowicz is Founder and Managing Partner of VC 414, a Milwaukee-based venture capital firm that invests in early stage, high potential startup companies led by women and under-capitalized founders. Previously, Raquel held executive positions at BMO for ten years. She was also CEO of the 2020 Democratic National Convention Host Committee.
Raquel currently serves as a board member for Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and United Community Center. She previously served as a board member of Wisconsin Center District and as Chairman of the Board for Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee.
She attended Cardinal Stritch University, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration.
Scott Lauber
WEC Energy Group & We Energies
Scott Lauber joined Wisconsin Energy Corp. in 1990 and was named president and CEO of WEC Energy Group in February 2022. In his role, he also is CEO of WEC Energy Group subsidiaries We Energies, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas and is president of Michigan Gas Utilities, Minnesota Energy Resources and Upper Michigan Energy Resources.
He is on the board of directors for American Transmission Co. and Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce.
Scott graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in accounting. He is a certified public accountant.
Cabinet
Cabinet Members
Ambassador
Sarah Butz - ProHealth Care, Inc.
Jill Didier - Miron Construction Company
Madison Fiedler - Weyco Group
Robert Kennedy - WEC Energy Group
Doug Kunde - Plunkett Raysich Architects
Jon Lord - Children's Wisconsin
Thomas Rosenthal - Northwestern Mutual Foundation
Bobbi Sagan - Husco
Charmyse White - Johnson Controls
Corporate Engagement
Lisa Cieslak - GMR Marketing LLC
Rob Ewing - Wenthe-Davidson Engineering Company
Chris Goller - PNC Bank
John Florsheim - Weyco Group
Courtney Graybill - Kohl's Corporation
Anthony Hudson - BMO
Rob Jansen - Bridgewood Advisors
Craig Jorgensen - VJS Construction Services
Ramesh Kapur - Kapur and Associates
John Kissinger - GRAEF
Bridget Kraus - Walbec Group
Jody Lowe - The Lowe Group
Jay Mack - Town Bank
Jay Magulski - Landmark Credit Union
Molly Mulroy - WEC Energy Group
Ugo Nwagbaraocha - Diamond Disc
Amanda Payne - Waukesha County Business Alliance
Renee Ramirez
Mark Sobczak - Sikich
William Stone - Town Bank
Peggy Williams-Smith - VISIT Milwaukee
Diversity Leadership
Dante Houston - Center for Independence
Ashley Smith - Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Tracie Sparks
Education
Phyllis King - Waukesha County Technical College
Dr. Katrice Cotton - School District of Brown Deer
Emerging Leaders
Lindsey Ashenden - ManpowerGroup
Alex Lackore - EY
Jackie Whelan - Chorus Health Plans
Healthcare
Coreen Dicus-Johnson - Network Health
Caryn Esten - Froedtert ThedaCare Health
Cathy Jacobson - Froedtert Health Retiree
Juliet Kersten - Children’s Wisconsin Retiree
Reggie Newson - Wellpoint Care Network
John Raymond - Medical College of Wisconsin
Jane Bradley Pettit Society
Julie Ebert - Quarles
Tom Florsheim - Weyco Group
Ted Kellner - Kelben Foundation/T&M Partners
Don Layden Jr.
David Lubar - Lubar & Co.
Linda Mellowes
John Miller - Arenberg Holdings
Cory Nettles - Generation Growth Capital
George Oliver - Johnson Controls
Jonas Prising - Manpower Group
Tim Sullivan - Carroll University
Labor
Pam Fendt - Milwaukee Area Labor Council, AFL - CIO
Leadership Society
Jim Bedore
Danielle Bly - We Energies
Craig Cookle - Wipfli LLP
Julie Esch - Milwaukee County Transit System
Ken Garfinkel - Broan - NuTone
Samantha Green - Children's Wisconsin
Alex Kramer - BMO
Patrick Lubar - Ixonia Bank
Dave Margolis - Medical College of Wisconsin
Joe Rock - KPMG
Josh Smith - A. O. Smith Corporation
Legal
Peggy Kelsey - WEC Energy Group
Rebecca Greene - Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C.
Joshua Welsh - The Marcus Corporation
LINC
Rachael Chupka - Northwestern Mutual
Brianna Hogans - Baird
Jaquilynn Huff - Mortar Board National College Honor Society
Non-Profit
Mara Duckens - Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin & Upper Michigan
Colleen Foley - Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee
Felice Green
Clarence Johnson - Wisconsin Community Services
John Hyatt - IMPACT, Inc.
Pride United
Micah Oge
Angela Quigley - Married in Milwaukee
Jay Roby - Carmen High School
Retire United
Deidra Edwards
Dave Michalski - U.S. Bank Retiree
Sports Marketing
Brennan Feldhausen - Green Bay Packers
Angela Gilman - Milwaukee Bucks
Cecelia Gore - Brewers Community Foundation
Jon Greenberg - Milwaukee Admirals
Duane Wilson - Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee
Technology United
Julia Boss - GE HealthCare
Greg Treichel - Baird
Stacy Zaja - Northwestern Mutual
Tocqueville Society
Patty Cadorin
P.J. DiStefano - Deloitte LLP
Jane Durment - The Marcus Corporation Retiree
Reid Engstrom
Tony Fuerst - PwC
Cristy Garcia-Thomas
David Gay - EY
Linda Gorens-Levey - General Capital Group
Kelly Grebe
Bryan House - Foley & Lardner
Bill Krugler - JobsWork MKE
Tim Lightner - Two Men and a Truck
Ray Manista - Northwestern Mutual
Teresa Mogensen - ATC
Al Orr - Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren S.C.
Lynn Sprangers - 54 Hands Productions
Brad Quade - First Business Bank
Joe Wilson - Quarles
Devona Wright-Cottrell - GMR Marketing LLC
Lindy Yeager
Women United
Lee Anne Conta - Von Briesen & Roper, s.c.
Erika Smith - Froedtert Health
Team Baird
Tim Byrne - Baird
Alex Craig - Baird
Erik Dahlberg - Baird
Meg Dean - Baird
Sharon deGuzman - Baird
Scott Falk - Baird
Jennifer Grayson - Baird
Charlie Groeschell - Baird
Dustin Hutter - Baird
Rodney Jones-Tyson - Baird
Amy Junker - Baird
Peter Kies - Baird
Jon Langenfeld - Baird
Pat Lawton - Baird
Mike Lindemann - Baird
Geoff Mackey - Baird
Antoine McDuffie - Baird
Joe Packee - Baird
Craig Peotter - Baird
Warren Pierson - Baird
Reik Read - Baird
Paul Schultz - Baird
Jay Schwister - Baird
Mary Ellen Stanek - Baird
David Tarantino - Baird
Angela Taylor - Baird
Laura Thurow - Baird
Stephanie Warren - Baird
Ross Williams - Baird
Stacy Williams - Baird