Friends of PBS Wisconsin

The Friends of PBS Wisconsin is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and exists to ascertain the needs of the communities served and support PBS Wisconsin through the securing financial support, positive community relations, a strong and effective volunteer system, and related administrative services.

Organizational Structure

The Friends of PBS Wisconsin has a Board of Directors comprised of individuals selected from across the state. New appointments are approved by current Board members. The Board is responsible for oversight of policies, budgets, financials, and the duties of the Executive Director. The Officers of the Board of Directors include the President, Vice President, Executive Director, Secretary, and Treasurer. The board is structured with the following standing committees: Executive Committee, Governance Committee, Finance Committee, and Advocacy and Engagement Committee.

“To support the educational, cultural, and community broadcasting services of PBS Wisconsin…”

—From the Mission Statement of Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

Board of Directors

Kyle LaFond, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Kyle LaFond, President
MOUNT HOREB, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2025

Kyle LaFond is founder, president, and CEO of Natural Contract Manufacturing and American Provenance, both Blue Mounds-based small businesses that specialize in natural personal care, lifestyle, and home products. His manufacturing and consumer packaged goods career had humble beginnings as his first company was launched from a former machine shed situated on his fourth-generation family farm. LaFond has degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in Natural Resources and Broadfield Science Education. Prior to his time as an entrepreneur, he was a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist, beer brewing industry executive, and middle school science teacher.

Portrait of Friends of PBS Wisconsin board member Paula Bonner.

Paula Bonner, Vice President
MADISON, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2025

Paula Bonner was president of the Wisconsin Alumni Association and chief alumni officer for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, retiring in 2017. She was a member of the UW’s leadership council and Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association executive team. Bonner served on major university search and screen committees including chancellor, athletic director, deans, and other leadership academic and non-academic hires. She served as chair of the Board for the Council of Alumni Association Executives, comprised of the 100 largest public and private universities in the U.S. and Canada. Bonner currently serves on the International Board of Trustees for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. In 2015, she was inducted into the UW Athletics Hall of Fame.

Nick Mischler, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Nick Mischler, Treasurer
WAUNAKEE, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2025

Nick Mischler is emeritus co-manager of Wisconsin Investment Partners, LLC, where he serves on the advisory board. He is active in angel investing, early-stage companies, community service, and philanthropy. After his community, clinical practice in the Madison area, Mischler moved into the business side of healthcare, serving in numerous leadership positions for major local and national companies, such as Physicians Plus Insurance Corporation, Milliman & Robertson Health Practice, Wausau Benefits, Prevea Health Plan, Avidyn Health, and Fiserv Health. He is a serial innovator and entrepreneur and serves on the boards of several startup companies and nonprofits. Mischler served in the U.S. Armed Forces as a Navy flight surgeon.

Jen McClure, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Jen McClure, Secretary
OCONOMOWOC, WI
Term (1st) end date: June 2026

Jen McClure is a board director and advisor with extensive executive experience in the media and communications, information services, and technology industries. She was previously vice president of digital and social media at Thomson Reuters, chief marketing officer of Redwood Collaborative Media, as well as founder, chairman and CEO of Society for New Communications Research. She serves on the boards of LUCI Creative and Miracle Messages, and previously served on the boards of KQED, Observer Publishing, and the United Nations Social Media Advisory Council. McClure holds a master’s degree from Stanford University, Bachelor of Arts degree from Sarah Lawrence, and a graduate certificate in history, politics and society from Oxford University.

Reed Hall, Immediate Past President
MADISON, WI
Term (3rd) end date: June 2025

Reed Hall served as general counsel of Marshfield Clinic for 24 years and as executive director of the clinic system for 10 years, retiring in 2010. He served as secretary/CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation for three years. Hall is an active member of the Madison Rotary Club and currently serves on the Wisconsin Historical Foundation Board, the Wisconsin Rustic Roads Board, and as member emeritus of the University of Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association Board. He served as National Chair of the Wisconsin Alumni Association Board from 2008 until 2009. Hall holds a B.A. degree from UW-Madison, J.D. degree from the University of North Dakota, and a M.S. degree in health law from the University of Pittsburgh.

Masood Akhtar, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Masood Akhtar
MADISON, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2025

Masood Akhtar is an Indian-born proud American Muslim entrepreneur who has lived in Madison for over 35 years. In addition to starting multiple businesses, he has been actively involved with numerous community projects, the most notable of which is We Are Many – United Against Hate, a movement addressing hate, bigotry, and racism. Akhtar has received many awards including President Joe Biden’s “Uniter” award at the White House, the prestigious national FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award, a Certificate of Appreciation from the Southern Poverty Law Center, a Certificate of Achievement from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, and the Manfred E. Swarsensky Humanitarian Service Award from the Rotary Club of Madison.

Sujhey Beisser, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Sujhey Beisser
MADISON, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2026

Sujhey Beisser is an assistant vice president of strategy and development for Park Bank in Madison, where she has a distinguished 22-year tenure. Within her leadership role, she has co-chaired the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee since its inception in 2019. Under her guidance, the bank has implemented impactful strategies, including unconscious bias training for managers by Franklin Covey, a comprehensive equity and inclusion assessment by Nina Collective, and the establishment of the bank’s first Associate Resource Groups in 2024. Beisser’s commitment to community progress is evident in her decade-long service on the Centro Hispano of Dane County board and her current role on the Madison Public Market Foundation board of directors.

Lee Caraher, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Lee Caraher
EAU CLAIRE, WI
Term (1st) end date: June 2025

Lee Caraher is president and CEO of Double Forte, a national public relations and strategic communications firm. She has served on many nonprofit boards including Governors of Public Advocates, Wisconsin Farm Technology Days, Public Relations Council, KQED Public Media, San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, Community Gatepath, the Marine Mammal Center, and St. Paul’s Choir School. Caraher is the author of two acclaimed books, “Millennials & Management: The Essential Guide to Making it Work at Work” and “The Boomerang Principle: Inspire Lifetime Loyalty from Your Employees (even after they leave).” A graduate of Carleton College, she has a Bachelor of Arts in medieval history.

Tom Fisk, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Tom Fisk
APPLETON, WI
Term (1st) end date: June 2025

Tom Fisk is a partner at NAI Pfefferle and serves as managing broker for the firm. He is responsible for sales and leasing of retail, office, industrial, and investment properties in northeastern Wisconsin. Fisk has been in the real estate business for over 30 years and has been involved in leasing, site selection, property management, and property sales for both development companies and for brokerage firms. He is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers, the Commercial Association of Realtors Wisconsin, and the Commercial Council Chairman of the Realtors Association of Northeastern Wisconsin. Fisk attended the University of Wisconsin-Fox Valley and is a licensed real estate broker. He has been awarded numerous state of Wisconsin professional achievements for his brokerage work.

Eve Galanter, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Eve Galanter
MADISON, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2026

Eve Galanter founded the Wisconsin Civics Games, a statewide competition for high school students, as part of her work on the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation board. She is the former president of Galanter Public Affairs Consulting, has served on the Madison City Council, and was formerly the director of Sen. Herb Kohl’s Madison office. She served on boards for Wisconsin Women in Government, TEMPO Madison, the Madison Civics Club, the Madison Public Library, and Capital Times Kids Fund. As chair of the Wisconsin Women’s Network, Galanter spearheaded the Wisconsin Women’s Policy Institute, the first nonpartisan training program with the goal of increasing the number of women leaders in public policy.

Karen Michel, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Karen Michel
TOMAH, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2027

Karen Michel is president and CEO of IndiJ Public Media, a nonprofit organization that owns ICT, which covers the Indigenous world through ICT Digital and ICT Broadcast. Previously Michel was publisher and editor of Madison Magazine and past board president of Wisconsin Watch. She is former executive editor of The Daily Advertiser in Lafayette, Louisiana, and former assistant managing editor of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. She has written extensively about Native American issues as a freelancer and columnist. Michel holds a master’s degree in journalism, an honorary doctorate degree from Marquette University, and a degree in industrial technology from the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Michel is a Ho-Chunk tribal member.

Regina Millner
MADISON, WI
Term (1st) end date: June 2025

Regina Millner came to Madison with her family in 1976. In 1992, after graduating from University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Law and Graduate School of Business, she founded a commercial appraisal company and later a consulting firm that specialized in complex real estate projects. In 2012, Millner was appointed to the UW System Board of Regents. From 2012 to 2019, she served for four years as vice president and president of the UW System Board of Regents, as well as chair of several standing committees of the board. Millner is active on the Chazen Museum Council, the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra, and Rotary Club of Madison as its program chair.

Oscar Mireles, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Oscar Mireles
MADISON, WI
Term (1st) end date: June 2025

Oscar Mireles has been the executive director of Omega School since 1994. During his tenure, he has personally assisted thousands of Dane County young adults with earning their GED/HSED credentials. Mireles published a book of poetry titled “Second Generation” and was poet laureate for the city of Madison from 2016 through 2020. He was also the editor of three anthologies titled “I Didn’t Know There Were Latinos In Wisconsin.” Mireles is the co-founder of Art Party Madison, a monthly networking event for artists and social activists. He is founder and director of Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development, and he led the Madison Murals project which documented murals in downtown Madison.

Lisa O’Flyng
WAUSAU, WI
Term (1st) end date: June 2024

Lisa O’Flyng is the marketing director at Ruder Ware, a full-service business law firm headquartered in Wausau. She oversees the firm’s advertising, marketing, public relations, and social media efforts. Civic leadership and engagement have played an important role in her professional life. Most recently, she initiated Ruder Ware Cares, a program connecting employees to community organizations through volunteer projects. O’Flyng holds a Bachelor of Arts in communications with a double minor in journalism and public relations from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. A devoted fan of PBS, she and her husband are raising two boys with a passion for public television.

Marc Perry, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Marc Perry
BELOIT, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2026

Marc Perry has 30 years of experience working with youth and adults from diverse backgrounds. Perry is the executive director of Community Action Inc. of Rock and Walworth Counties. He is responsible for ensuring Community Action Inc. stays true to its mission of moving families toward economic self-reliance. Perry provides technical assistance for partner organizations and facilitates cultural equity workshops for private and public institutions throughout the Midwest. He has directed youth development and family development initiatives for Wyman, Mentor St. Louis, and Kohl Children’s Museum. Perry’s background includes working with youth impacted by HIV, directing camping programs, and youth and family programming.

Steve Plumb, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Steve Plum
WALES, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2027

Steve Plum has been a public educator since 1993. Having worked in Minnesota and Wisconsin, his ideal concept of education provides a functional application to future student success as well as a springboard to creative and critical thought. Plum holds bachelor’s degrees in philosophy from St. John’s University and biology from Bemidji State University, and master’s degrees in biology and administrative leadership from Bemidji State and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He earned his Ph.D. in urban education at UW-Milwaukee. Plum taught science and biology in public education for 27 years and developed and directed the High School of Health Sciences in the Kettle Moraine School District, where he currently serves as superintendent.

Tracey Robertson, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Tracey Robertson
STURGEON BAY, WI
Term (1st) end date: June 2027

Tracey Robertson is CEO of QUAD DEI Consultants and is an equity coach, consultant, and social justice advocate. She is also workforce solution coordinator at We Are Hope Inc. Robertson co-founded FIT Oshkosh, active in 2014 through 2020, providing anti-racism education, training, advocacy, and research. She founded Colorbold Business Association to support Black entrepreneurs through collaboration, economic sustainability, access to capital, and education. Named one of the Most Influential African Americans in Wisconsin, Robertson was featured on PBS Wisconsin’s “Here & Now,” WBAY’S “Power 2 Change,” TEDxOshkosh, and has been keynote speaker for community and statewide events. She created Real Gospel Radio and hosted shows from 2017 until 2019. Robertson is a published author finalizing her second book “Growing Up Stained.”

Julie Steinert, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Julie Steinert
KOHLER, WI
Term (2nd) end date: June 2027

Julie Steinert has a 35-year background in philanthropy, advancement, and community engagement. As philanthropy manager at Sharon S. Richardson Community Hospice, she leverages her expertise to drive strategic initiatives while developing meaningful relationships with those served in palliative and hospice services. Formerly, she was senior director of advancement at Lakeland University. Steinert earned a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism from Marquette University where she was actively involved in National Collegiate Athletics Association Women’s Track & Field and Marquette University Television. Complementing her professional endeavors, Steinert has dedicated her time to serving on the board of directors for the Sheboygan Pine Hills Country Club and as a celebrity dancer for Lakeland University’s Movers and Shakers Gala.

Randy VanRooyen, a member of the Friends of PBS Wisconsin board

Randy Van Rooyen
LA CROSSE, WI
Term (1st) end date: June 2027

Randy Van Rooyen is senior vice president of strategic relationships at Trust Point with over two decades of investment experience with individuals, families, executive management teams, and nonprofit organizations. He works in concert with Trust Point’s development and client contact teams and directly with assigned clients to reinforce Trust Point as a trusted partner. Van Rooyen earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and earned the “Chartered Financial Analyst” designation, one of the highest distinctions in the investment management profession. Van Rooyen is involved in Rotary Club and serves on various boards and investment committees. He enjoys maintaining an active lifestyle by biking and spending time outdoors.

Jon Miskowski, Ex-Officio
MADISON, WI

Jon Miskowski is the director of television at PBS Wisconsin and currently leads the six-station PBS Wisconsin network, which includes high definition and multicast channels, local and national production, online services, and community outreach.

MEETINGS

The Friends of PBS Wisconsin Board of Directors meets at least three times per year in locations across the state. Meetings of the Board of Directors and most of its committees are open to the public. To ensure that we have space for all who want to attend, we ask that members of the public who are interested in coming to a meeting phone us at (608) 263-2109 within the five days prior to a specific meeting.

FULL BOARD MEETINGS
FISCAL YEAR 2025

Friday, October 11, 2024, 1-3:30 p.m.
Location: 3031 N Pleasant View Rd, Middleton or via Zoom
Agenda: TBA

FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETINGS
FISCAL YEAR 2025

Thursday, October 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Online Only: Zoom link TBA
Agenda: TBA

Thursday, November 2 at 2:00 p.m.
Online Only: Zoom link TBA
Agenda: TBA

Thursday, March 6 at 2:00 p.m.
Online Only: Zoom link TBA
Agenda: TBA

Thursday, May 8 at 2:00 p.m.
Online Only: Zoom link TBA
Agenda: TBA

Thursday, June 5 at 2:00 p.m.
Online Only: Zoom link TBA
Agenda: TBA

JOINT ADVOCACY COMMITTEE
FISCAL YEAR 2025

Dates and time: TBA
Location: Online Only
Agenda: TBA

GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING
FISCAL YEAR 2025

Dates and time: TBA
Location: Online Only
Agenda: TBA