Kathleen Pritchard President and CEO |
“The most exciting thing for me about working at the Planning Council is that I learn something new every day. One day I might be involved in a project that is looking at gaps in our dementia care system, and the next I might be engaged with specialists on childhood obesity or infant mortality. This interaction with so many different people from various organizations and sectors is what helps me make connections between sectors to tackle some of the really tough issues facing our community. I get to work with really smart people, from seasoned experts to sharp young interns, people who care and who want to make a difference.”
Kathleen Pritchard holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her academic work focuses on comparative social policy and evaluation. Her resume includes extensive experience in collaborative planning, participatory evaluation and applied research. She was the former Director of Community Impact at the United Way of Greater Milwaukee. She has worked with hundreds of local programs and organizations in defining and documenting their outcomes and dozens of communities in pursuing system level change. Dr. Pritchard is the author of several monographs, articles, and chapters in professional journals and books.
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Jean Allen Community Health Worker
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“My favorite saying is ‘People only do what they know! So if they learn more, they will do more.’ I enjoy working for the Planning Council, because they are out to help people.”
Prior to joining the Planning Council as a Community Health Worker, Jean worked with Salvation Army; COA; and Milwaukee Public Schools. Jean enjoys working with children, parents, and coordinating family functions. She is a graduate of John Marshall High School and holds a CNA/HCA certificate.
Most recently, Jean, completed the CITI: IRB-Social & Behavioral Researcher Training which fulfills the IRB requirements for Medical College of Wisconsin and University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ethical research on human subjects.
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James Baldwin
SER Volunteer |
“My godfather told me a long time ago, ‘Every day you wake up, help somebody.’ Those are words I live by. Here at the Planning Council, I am helping out every day and at the same time, I am building new skills. I like it because it is a chance to step outside the box and meet new people.”
James Baldwin is working at the Planning Council as part of the SER Jobs for Progress program, through which seniors get on-the-job training opportunities that help them to update their skills. He has many years of experience in the service and truck driving industries. For several years, James was a HUD counselor, helping people with credit problems to manage their bills, mortgages and other financial challenges. |
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Julie Whelan Capell, M.S., C.P.H.
Director of Planning and Development
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“I joined the Planning Council in 2009 after eight years as an independent consultant to local nonprofits. I am excited about all the opportunities to work on large scale projects here at the Planning Council that would have been beyond my reach when I was on my own. For instance, I love coordinating regional coalitions, conducting countywide needs assessments and developing relationships with our many supporters throughout the area. With the talented planners, researchers and evaluators of the Planning Council backing me up, I know I can provide outstanding service to our clients every time. The work being done by the Planning Council is vital to the health of area nonprofits, and I am thrilled to be a part of the team.”
Julie Whelan Capell has a Master of Science degree in Curriculum & Instruction from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee and recently completed a Certificate of Public Health in that university's School of Public Health. Her nonprofit career has focused on urban communities through program development, implementation, planning, research, evaluation and fund raising. She has done work for agencies in a wide variety of fields including youth development, the arts, public health and the environment. Ms. Capell is the president of the Association of Fundraising Professionals-Greater Milwaukee Chapter and a member of the American Evaluation Association.
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Tommie
Colón-Longoria |
“In my work here at the Planning Council, I am excited to be able to use my penchant for organization, my keen eye for detail, my positive and personable nature, and my ability to perform under pressure.”
Ms. Colón-Longoria has over 35 years of experience working with diverse organizations including Miller Brewing, United Migrant Opportunity Services and Sixteenth Street Community Health Center. She has extensive experience in office administration, client services and work-flow management. Some of the skills she brings to the Planning Council include office management, business operations and exemplary customer service. Additionally, Tommie is bilingual and has experience in party/catering management. |
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Jim Dressner Project Consultant |
“One of my favorite quotes is attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt: ‘It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness.’ Too often we become so discouraged at the scale of the problems we face that we lose hope. I have spent my career designing and managing programs that, in the face of serious challenges, helped people improve their quality of life in sustainable ways. This passion for lasting impact in people’s lives drove my involvement in Bangladesh, and now drives my efforts in the greater Milwaukee area. The problems we face are significant, defy easy solutions, and are deserving of our best efforts and ideas. I’m enthusiastic about opportunities at the Planning Council due to the scope for helping many programs develop ways to enhance their long-term impact.”
Jim Dressner has a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture from the University of Virginia and over 20 years of experience in Bangladesh leading community development programs. These programs ranged across multiple sectors, including microfinance, adult literacy, mother & child health, vocational training, and disaster relief. Much of his work involved program planning and management, including government relations, grant writing and strategic planning. He effectively brought together people from multiple countries and agencies to implement a wide range of programs. He also led networking meetings that brought together over 20 organizations to discuss common concerns and possibilities for sharing resources. Recently relocated back to Milwaukee, he networks with and serves multiple non-profit organizations. |
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Lisa Larson, Ph.D.
Director of Research and Evaluation |
“I’ve been with the Planning Council for over 15 years, beginning as an Assistant Researcher trying to finish my doctoral dissertation and now, all these years of learning later, as the Director of Research and Evaluation. What keeps me engaged and excited about my work is the incredible variety in what I do, the commitment of the people and organizations in our community, and the important contributions the Planning Council makes in so many arenas of health and human services. I find the collaborative nature of my work so rewarding, including the collaborations we have here among our staff and interns, and the collaborations we have with our partners in the community. I particularly enjoy one part of our work that is not as visible to the public, and that is the many ways in which we build capacity among our partners: the capacity to set realistic and meaningful outcomes; the capacity to collect useful, quality data; and the capacity to understand and make use of data results.”
Lisa earned her Ph.D. in Child Clinical Psychology from Southern Illinois University. For the past 15 years, she has been conducting applied research and program evaluation for the Planning Council. Lisa has extensive experience in working collaboratively with stakeholders in evaluation design and in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. She has served as the lead evaluator for a number of projects funded by federal grant dollars, including six Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) grants and two Drug Free Communities (DFC) grants. Lisa is a member of the American Evaluation Association and the Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues.
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Erin Malcolm, M.A.
Associate Researcher |
“When I joined the Planning Council in 2008, I was looking for a position within an organization that was making a meaningful contribution to the local community. Since then, in my work as an Associate Researcher, I have had the opportunity to develop collaborative relationships with local agencies, support them in providing valuable services, and produce useful information to help them improve programming and communicate results. What really excites me about the work of the Planning Council is the variety of issues and people that our work touches in so many important ways. I also truly value our shared commitment to advancing community issues and the passion for ongoing learning that we bring to our work on a day-to-day basis.”
Erin Malcolm earned her Master of Arts degree in Public Service with a Non-Profit Specialization from Marquette University. She has been conducting community-based research and program evaluation with the Planning Council for over a year. Her background also includes applied anthropology and assisting community-based agencies in conducting needs assessments and program evaluations. She has experience evaluating multiple human service and health-related programs. Ms. Malcolm is a member of the American Evaluation Association (AEA).
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Sue McKenzie,
Program Manager |
“In my first year at the Planning Council I have been so lucky to have found a set of colleagues that have deep expertise and passion for the work of research, planning and evaluation. My experience in the community is that so many work very hard to make a positive impact and often do not have the resources to do the deeper analysis of our efforts that would lead to improvement and broader reach. The Planning Council not only offers that, but does it in a way that respects the value of a collaborative partnership with clients to create and sustain a healthy community!”
Sue McKenzie has over twenty-five years’ experience leading the development of educational programs and collaborative projects focused on improving health outcomes and reducing disparities. She earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Education. She has taught middle and high school youth and adults, directed the development and delivery of innovative health education programs, developed state and national curriculum and led training for teachers and community leaders in multiple topic areas. At the Planning Council, as Director of Programs, Sue coordinates the School Community Partnership for Mental Health and facilitates listening sessions around the state to gain community input for the development of a state plan for Alzheimer’s care. Sue also provides facilitation services and consults in curriculum development and collaborative leadership training for Planning Council clients. |
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Valerie Nash Project Manager Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families |
“I am intimately connected and committed to the work of the Lifecourse model. When I first read about it, I knew that I wanted to be involved in some way. I am happy to be a part of what we are working towards. Our work can be stressful and overwhelming at times, but I know that we are joined together in great joy as we advance the voices of those mostly likely to not be heard.”
Valerie Nash is a long-time resident of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has a long history of community organizing, social justice and family enrichment work. She received her B.A in Behavioral Science from Mount Mary College and her M.S. in Human Service Administration with an emphasis on Organizational Management and Leadership. Valerie is a trainer, facilitator, and mentor who believes that when the strengths of individuals are combined they form a powerful collective for social change. Her past professional and community work has included developing strategies to address ending violence against women, implementing programs and trainings on leadership development and skill building as well as key involvement in legislative work around educational reform and fair housing.
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Barbara Pleasant
SER Volunteer |
“I have been so impressed at the variety of projects the Planning Council is involved in. I never know what I will be working on from one day to the next, which makes my time here exciting and fun.”
Ms. Pleasant returned to Wisconsin in December of 2008 after spending about 20 years in Texas and Louisiana, respectively. She has a BA in General Studies from Northwestern State University in Louisiana. She has had previous positions with various public school systems and has also worked with the Louisiana Federation of Teachers. Barbara has a special interest in community activities, especially those involving children. She is placed at the Planning Council through the Senior Community Service Employment Program at SER—Jobs for Progress. In her spare time, Barbara is serving as the community representative on an Institutional Review Board for the Medical College of Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital, reviewing research studies involving human subjects for safety, compliance with regulations, scientific quality and ethical standards. |
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Audrey Potter
Project Consultant |
“During the last several years, I have experienced the great work done by the Planning Council. In my role with the Milwaukee Public Schools, I found them invaluable in bringing the breadth and depth of their experience with numerous community and health care agencies to the initial stages of developing the School Community Partnership for Mental Health. Since October 2011, I have enjoyed working even more closely with the Planning Council in implementing a grant related to this project. I continue to be impressed by their commitment to health and social justice issues and in addition, enjoy experiencing how they work together as supportive, genuine and energizing people.”
Audrey Potter earned her BA in psychology and education from the University of New Mexico as well as a master's and PhD from Marquette in Educational Psychology. She has been working in the field of education for 36 years as a school psychologist, university instructor, and administrator. In addition, for several years, she had a private practice as a psychologist, while also managing a mental health clinic. Recently retired as the Coordinator of Psychological, Speech/Language and Allied Health Services for the Milwaukee Public Schools, she is now implementing a Faye McBeth grant aimed at reducing the stigma of mental illness through bringing information to teachers, parents and students as part of the School Community Partnership for Mental Health. |
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Curtis Smith
Project Specialist |
“After I saw a presentation on infant mortality—managed by the Planning Council along with Public Allies—it became apparent that this could be an opportunity to utilize my various skills to help in a very important cause. The Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative for Healthy Families is something I wanted to personally invest in. As an African-American male, I have seen the effects of poverty upon the minorities in this community, and I look to use my identity in the processes of planning, writing and collaboration in the region.”
Curtis has a bachelor’s degree in Psychology/Theatre Arts which gave him a grounding in group dynamics and team building. He has experience educating at-risk youth and people with developmental disabilities, and worked in a program for the National Park Service focused on engaging the interests of Philadelphia youth. Curtis is currently taking graduate classes at UW-Milwaukee in pursuit of a community counseling degree.
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Carrie Koss Vallejo
Project Assistant |
“I find myself really enjoying the spectrum of projects that the Planning Council is working on. Conducting an outside evaluation, assessing a project, improving weaknesses and celebrating the strengths are necessary to any organization focused on maximizing outcomes. The knowledge bas the Planning Council builds and contributes to the non-profits of Milwaukee is invaluable.”
Carrie Koss Vallejo holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Carrie’s current role as Project Assistant includes updating inventory of medical clinics for 2-1-1 IMPACT, researching best practices on Alzheimer’s challenging behaviors for the Alzheimer’s Association and working as a Community Health Worker for the School Community Partnership for Mental Health. Prior to Carrie’s work with the Planning Council, she conducted survey research with the Center for Urban Initiatives Research at UWM and the US Bureau of the Census.
Most recently, Carrie, completed the CITI: IRB-Social & Behavioral Researcher Training which fulfills the IRB requirements for Medical College of Wisconsin and University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ethical research on human subjects.
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Dana Wilson
Outreach Specialist/Community Health Worker |
“My passion has always been working with people in communities where there are many barriers. Often times, these are the communities that have the hardest time having their voices heard in order to reach a better way of life. I enjoy having the chance to be a part of an effort to make positive changes in the community on many levels. What I’ve found is that there is no one person that gets the work done here at the Planning Council. We work as a team which emulates how the Planning Council brings people together, makes sure their voices are heard, and provides the resources necessary to bring about change in areas of need where it may not have seemed possible throughout the community.”
“Words mean more than what is set down on paper. It takes the human voice to infuse them with deeper meaning.” – Maya Angelou
Dana Wilson has over 10 years’ experience working with the community as an advocate of workplace equality as well as helping those in need of public services in order to regain self-sufficiency. At the Planning Council, as an Outreach Specialist/Community Health Worker, Dana assists with various projects surrounding the Milwaukee Lifecourse Initiative for Health Families and also is engaged in research for a select number of Milwaukee Public Schools via the School-Community Partnership for Mental Health project.
Most recently, Dana, completed the CITI: IRB-Social & Behavioral Researcher Training which fulfills the IRB requirements for Medical College of Wisconsin and University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ethical research on human subjects.
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Peter Zarimba
Project Consultant |
“I have enjoyed being an evaluation research consultant to the Planning Council since 1997. For the Planning Council, I developed the template and conducted multi-year impact evaluations of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee HOPE VI Community Revitalization programs.”
Peter specializes in housing, community development, workforce development, health and human services. In addition to his work for the Planning Council, Peter has been a Milwaukee-based consultant for Annie E. Casey Foundation Initiatives. As an agent of the Casey Foundation he works with community based partners to build their capacities in strategy, program development, and results accountability reporting. During the mid-1990s he was a project research director for the Pacific Basin Rehabilitation and Research program. This program focused on disability and vocational rehabilitation research and was administered by the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii. During this time he also developed distance learning programs as an instructor for the School of Education at the University of Hawaii. |
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