The Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books could not happen without the input and hard work of community members. Volunteers spend months planning, organizing, staging, and finally presenting the Festival.
COMMITTEES
Coordinator:
Candace Decker, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Staff
Program Chair:
Barry Wightman, Author, Writer, Editor and Voiceover Talent
Event Chair:
Duane Stein, Retired Waukesha School District Educator
Advisory Council:
Lillian Boese, Former UW-Waukesha Foundation Executive Director; Andrea Bryant, Waukesha Philanthropist; Candace Decker, Coordinator; Bruce Gay, Waukesha Public Library Director; Jim Hahn, Executive Director Greater Waukesha Literacy; Kori Hall, Waukesha Reads Program Director, Waukesha Public Library; Karol Kennedy, Menomonee Falls Public Library Director; Laraine O’Brien, UW-Waukesha Foundation and Founder of Festival; Amanda Payne, Waukesha County Business Alliance; Emily Reddy, Waukesha School District, Literacy Specialist; Debra Running, UW-Waukesha Foundation Executive Director, Sponsorship Chair; Stephen Schmid, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Interim Dean; Duane Stein; Event Chair, Festival Authors Connect to Schools Chair; Timothy Thering, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Faculty; Holly Wehrhahn, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Continuing Education; Larry Nelson
Executive Committee:
Candace Decker, Coordinator; Lisa Baudoin, Books and Company Owner, Festival Bookstore; Jill Fuller, Bridges Library System, Marketing & Communications Librarian, Marketing Committee; Karren Jeske, Marketing Specialist, Marketing Chair; John Klima, Waukesha Public Library and Website/Social Media Chair; Alexandria Lawver, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Staff; Ellyn Lem, English, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Faculty; Angela Ma, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Student, Volunteer Chair; Barry Wightman, Program Chair; Sharon Wood, Century Fence Essay Contest Chair; Debra Running, UW-Waukesha Foundation Executive Director, Sponsorship Chair; Laraine O’Brien, UW-Waukesha Foundation and Founder of Festival, Sponsorships, Marketing & Communications; Duane Stein, Event Chair, Festival Authors Connect to Schools Chair
Program Committee:
Candace Decker, Coordinator; Barbara Geiger, Retired Waukesha School District Educator, Raffle Chair; Kathie Giorgio, AllWriters’ Workplace & Workshop Program Director & author, literacy specialist; Ellyn Lem, English, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Faculty; Kay Maas MS, RD, CD, Consulting Clinical Dietician, Cookbook Stage; Larry Nelson, Waukesha County Board of Supervisors, Friends of Waukesha Public Library Board; Laraine O’Brien, UW-Waukesha Foundation and Founder of Festival, Sponsorships, Marketing & Communications; Susan Otto, Waukesha School District; Margaret Rozga, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Faculty Emerita; Debra Running, UW-Waukesha Foundation Executive Director; Duane Stein; Event Chair; Barry Wightman, Program Chair
Program Design:
z2 Marketing: Debra Zindler, Owner
Site Planning & Logistics:
John Volz, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha Maintenance
Administrative Support:
Candace Decker, UW-Waukesha Foundation
Finance:
Richard Abbott, UW-Waukesha Foundation Treasurer
Sponsorships:
Debra Running, Laraine O’Brien, Duane Stein
Authors & Presenters Reception Music:
Craig Hurst, Nancy VanBrunt
Exhibits & Authors Marketplace:
Alexandria Lawver, UW-Milwaukee at Waukesha, Chair
Volunteers:
Angela Ma, Chair
Raffle:
Barb Geiger, Chair; Sally Lunde
Website/Social Media:
John Klima
Marketing & Communications:
Karren Jeske, Chair, Jill Fuller, Candace Decker, Laraine O’Brien
Century Fence Student Essay Contest Judging:
Sharon Wood, Chair: Kathy Hager, Allan Jackson, Larry Nelson, Margaret Rozga, Millie Wenzel
Festival Authors Connect to Schools:
Duane Stein Chair; Kathie Giorgio, Susan Otto
Art Exhibit Coordinator:
Trevor Huskey
Live Art Workshop:
Rose Lange and Jan O’Brien, Waukesha Catholic School
Festival Photographer:
Michael Jeske
Food Service:
Pat’s Tasty Eats