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United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County will celebrate and honor five community leaders and one outstanding youth for their commitment to the Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County area as the winners of the 2021 Philanthropic 5 Awards.
The awards, created by United Way’s Emerging Leaders, recognize five community leaders, in their 20s, 30s or 40s, and one exceptional youth, under 21, who give, advocate and volunteer for change throughout our local community. Each Philanthropic 5 winner is awarded $500 to invest in a United Way strategic issue area of their choice, and the Philanthropic Youth winner is awarded with a $500 scholarship for continuing education.
The award ceremony and recognition event will take place on Thursday, August 5, 2021 at GATHER at Deer District, 333 W Juneau Ave Ste B, Milwaukee from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Guests can learn more at UnitedWayGMWC.org/2021-P5-Winners. (There will also be a virtual option.)
The 2021 Philanthropic 5 Award winners are:
Mark Boergers is the chair of visual and performing arts at Cardinal Stritch University as well as co-artistic director of The Arc Theatre in Chicago, IL and co-founder of “Shakespeare on the Ridge” in Evanston, IL. An advocate for the community impact of artistic craft across all demographics, Mark’s work in both academic and professional arts settings centers around the ability for artists of all ages and backgrounds to explore their voice, tell meaningful stories, present accessible experiences, and create a rich community dialogue. Most recently, Mark’s leadership and vision through creativity and nimbleness resulted in new ways to present and share these stories despite a global pandemic. Not only did that help his students, programs and university remain relevant, but it demonstrated we can (and do!) respond to any challenge. Mark received his Bachelor of Science in Business and Theater from Marquette University and his Master of Fine Arts in Acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University. He recently received the honor of tenure and promotion to associate professor at Cardinal Stritch University.
Caitlin Cullen is the chef and owner of the Tandem restaurant at 18th and Fond Du Lac on Milwaukee’s North Side. A former schoolteacher, Cullen shifted gears upon arriving in Milwaukee in 2013, and learned the ins and outs of restaurant life by taking every job she could get her hands on. From schlepping cheesesteaks at the now-defunct Philly Way on Brady Street, to prep cooking her way up to the sous-chef position at Bavette La Boucherie in the Third Ward, she found joy in cooking people a solid meal. After three years in the industry, she had the ill-advised inspiration to open her own restaurant and ended up loving every minute of it. Since 2016, the Tandem has been serving scratch southern cooking while training the future of Milwaukee’s culinary workforce, one young person at a time. In addition to her commitment to strengthening the future of the youth of Milwaukee’s North Side neighborhoods, Caitlin is committed to building bridges between communities to make Milwaukee a more inviting place for all.
Clintel Hasan is co-founder of LiberatED Consulting, an anti-racist education consulting service dedicated to building the critical consciousness of educators and school leaders on topics of race, class, power, and privilege. She is also the strategic initiatives manager at Milwaukee Succeeds, working for educational equity in Milwaukee and leading their High School Success initiative, Youth Forward MKE and co-leading Milwaukee’s K12 Covid-19 Civic Response Team. In her early career, Clintel worked as the director of leadership development at Teach For America-Milwaukee. She provided teacher support aligned with culturally relevant pedagogy across the region, harnessed the power of TFA alumni in Wisconsin to advance educational equity, and led regional initiatives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. A Milwaukee native and proud homeowner and resident of the St. Joseph’s neighborhood, her passion for social justice developed early on while studying Sociology and Gender & Women Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She also holds a master’s degree in Educational Policy and Leadership from Marquette University.
James Madlom serves as chief executive officer at Mueller Communications, Wisconsin’s leading strategic communications firm. Mueller is known for leveraging its strong relationships and problem-solving abilities to support the organizations making our community great. Through both his professional role at the firm and his volunteer commitments in the community, James is committed to expanding educational and economic opportunities for everyone in our community, but particularly for youth. He serves on numerous boards including SaintA, Near West Side Partners, Coalition for Children Youth & Families, Jewish Community Center and St. Charles Youth & Family Service. He holds a bachelor’s degree and J.D. from Marquette University. He and his wife Gina were foster parents and adopted each of their three children. When he’s not at Mueller or volunteering, you’ll find him on adventures with his family.
Bob Van Himbergen is the vice president & corporate controller for Johnson Controls, leading the global finance functions, global facilities and security. Bob has been with the company for 14 years, holding many positions with increasing responsibility. He has extensive global experience and has lived abroad in Shanghai, China on two different assignments. Prior to joining Johnson Controls, Bob worked at PriceWaterhouseCoopers for nine years. Bob currently sits on the Board of Next Door Foundation where he recently completed his 12th year serving the organization, including the last three as chairman. Bob is also the chairman of Ascension Southeast Wisconsin, where he has served for four years and the Ascension Southeast Wisconsin Foundation, where he has served for seven years and the last three as board chair. Bob received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from St. Norbert College, and earned his CPA certification in Wisconsin in 2003.
Philanthropic Youth
Anya Ramos will be attending Marquette University in the fall of 2021 to pursue an education in social welfare and justice. During her high school years, she was an active leader and community steward. She co-led a team project to replace her high school’s drinking fountains with filtered fountain fixtures to address Milwaukee’s lead water crisis. She assisted in planning and organizing a school-wide community service day resulting in over 400 hours of service, two years in a row. Anya also co-founded a community service group at her Boys and Girls Club site mentoring younger classmates, helping to guide them in the professional world. Through Anya’s journey with O.C.D., she realized mental health stigmas were a rising issue and has spent time advocating for mental health during her Youth of the Year competition. Most recently, Anya worked on the Milwaukee Public School’s district election with Leaders Igniting Transformation writing testimonies, educating students on the importance of local elections, and advocating for students’ needs.
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