Post from Community: Kellogg PEAK Initiative (PEAK) announces new executive director | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
PEAK Initiative
January 24, 2022
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Kellogg PEAK Initiative (PEAK ) announced today that they have named Demetria Smith of Milwaukee, Wisconsin as their next Executive Director, succeeding previous Director Dan Schiller. Smith has served with PEAK since 2018 as the organization’s Senior Director of Programs and has been an innovative, invested, and trusted leader in the Milwaukee youth programs space since 2007.
As Executive Director, Smith will provide leadership, vision, and direction for the entire organization as it enters its next phase. In her time as overseer of PEAK programs, Smith played a pivotal role as the organization redefined itself as a year-round provider, leveraging the power of experiences and relationships to bring out the limitless potential of Milwaukee’s young leaders. Her leadership and creativity has spurred growth and promoted quality in the organization’s offerings.
Smith will succeed Schiller in February of 2022. Schiller has served as PEAK’s Executive Director since 2015, leading a reorganization, expansion, and rebrand from Lake Valley Camp to PEAK to better exemplify the organization’s renewed focus on supporting young people in reaching the heights of their potential as leaders. In his tenure, Schiller also shepherded the public private partnership between PEAK, Milwaukee County, and neighborhood residents to revitalize Tiefenthaler Park and expand the PEAK program center into a vibrant space for hands-on learning and community gathering. Schiller leaves to continue his work in the community, serving as owner and operator of Future Found LLC, providing leadership recruiting, coaching, and strategic consulting services to non-profit organizations and social enterprises.
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PEAK is a progressive leadership program that helps youth, Grades 1-12, understand and practice how to positively influence people and places. Since 2003, PEAK has fostered exploration and discovery for Milwaukee’s youth through experienced-based learning. Serving 500+ Milwaukee area youth per year, PEAK offers programming year-round to help young people connect, reflect and grow at no cost to families.