WHO WE ARE

Women’s Fund Board of Advisors at the 2024 Luncheon

The largest charitable fund in Door County that focuses on the

NEEDS OF WOMEN AND GIRLS

A group of local residents believed there were underserved women and girls in Door County. These committed volunteers interviewed and listened to nearly two dozen charities and not-for-profits to gather information and identify needs. After months of hard work and devotion, the Women’s Fund of Door County was founded.

OUR MISSION

The Women’s Fund of Door County builds, enriches, and nurtures the lives of women and girls through collective wisdom and philanthropy.

OUR MISSION IN ACTION

To put our mission into action, we've identified our top 5 strategic touchpoints. These touchpoints are at the foundation of everything we believe in and everything we do:

  • Encouraging Her Potential
  • Supporting Her Health and Wellness
  • Promoting Her Economic Opportunity
  • Fostering Her Appreciation for the Arts
  • Recognizing and Honoring Her

OUR HISTORY

Door County has always been a treasured destination for tourists and a retirement haven for many. It is also a place where women and girls are disproportionately impacted by unemployment, low incomes, limited educational opportunities, lack of affordable housing, drug and alcohol abuse, and domestic violence. In 2009, a group of visionary Door County residents asked the question: "How can the Door County community change the lives of women who struggle and offer hope for a better, more secure life?"

 

Thanks to Jane Stevenson, Sue Todey, Bret Bicoy and BJ Cassidy for the kernel of an idea which would grow into what we know as The Women's Fund of Door County.

 

When she thrives, we all prosper!

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$1.6 MILLION

ENDOWMENT FOR SYSTEMIC CHANGE

BOARD OF ADVISORS

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Ann Glessner

Chair

Originally from Iowa, Ann moved to Door County in 2018 after a career with Caterpillar, Inc.  Ann joined Caterpillar upon graduation from the University of Iowa with a degree in...

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Originally from Iowa, Ann moved to Door County in 2018 after a career with Caterpillar, Inc. Ann joined Caterpillar upon graduation from the University of Iowa with a degree in Business Administration and she has her CPA. She held various leadership positions with the company with successive responsibilities in Accounting, Business Support and Project Management. She lived throughout Illinois with various job moves as well as Little Rock, AR and four years in Brussels, Belgium.

When not enjoying Door County Ann loves to travel. She currently serves as the Chair for the Women's Fund of Door County as well board and committee roles in 100 Women Who Care of Door County, The Peninsula Art School and Chapter EE of PEO.

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Michelle Sternard

Vice Chair

Michelle Sternard is a native of Sturgeon Bay, graduating from Sevastopol, heading to college at UW-Eau Claire, then returning to her roots here in Door County. She lives in the Town of...

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Michelle is a native of Sturgeon Bay, graduating from Sevastopol, heading to college at UW-Eau Claire, then returning to her roots here in Door County. She lives in the Town of Sturgeon Bay, with her husband and college age daughter. Their oldest daughter is married and also resides in Sturgeon Bay. Michelle has been employed at Nicolet Bank for almost 21 years and is a Commercial Loan Officer in the Door County market. Michelle currently serves as Treasurer for Women Fund and also sits on the Donor Relations committee and Luncheon committee. Michelle truly believes that "When she thrives, we all prosper!"

Ann-Harty

Ann Harty

Secretary

Having grown up visiting and working summers in beautiful Door County, Ann knew this is where she would “settle down”.   Ann and Christa live in Egg Harbor with 3 rescue...

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Having grown up visiting and working summers in beautiful Door County, Ann knew this is where she would "settle down". Ann and Christa live in Egg Harbor with 3 rescue pups. They are committed to giving back to and enhancing our community. Having followed a less diverse career path, Ann has particular interest in encouraging and mentoring women and girls in STEM fields. Ann has supported multiple pharmaceutical companies in developing and commercializing >60 products. She has also led complex business process and change initiatives and currently consults for a rare disease focused company. Ann is in her 2nd year of supporting the Women's Fund of Door County.

Katie Slaby

Katie Slaby

Treasurer

Katie grew up in Door County after moving to the area as a toddler. She received her master’s degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin Madison. After obtaining her...

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Katie grew up in Door County after moving to the area as a toddler. She received her master’s degree in accounting from the University of Wisconsin Madison. After obtaining her CPA license, she lived in Chicago and worked as an auditor for the public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers. Katie returned to Door County in 2017 and is currently the Controller for Sturgeon Bay Utilities.

Katie married her husband, Aaron in 2020 and together they enjoy their dog, Murphy, hiking, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. Katie has been on the Women’s Fund Board since 2021 and currently serves as the Vice-Chair.

Anne Barlas

Anne Barlas

Anne Barlas grew up in Sturgeon Bay and moved back to Wisconsin after completing a master's degree in electrical engineering from from the University of Colorado Boulder. She works professionally in renewable ...

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Anne Barlas grew up in Sturgeon Bay and moved back to Wisconsin after completing a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder. She works professionally in renewable energy, with experience in both engineering and project management.

In her free time, Anne enjoys spending time with her husband, son and two dogs. She is thrilled with the opportunity to volunteer with the Women's Fund and uplift women and girls in Door County.

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Mary Barlas

Mary Barlas grew up in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and has resided in different parts of the state for the last 5 years. She works as a Registered Nurse at Door County Medical Center. In her free time, Mary enjoys ...

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Mary Barlas grew up in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and has resided in different parts of the state for the last 5 years. She works as a Registered Nurse at Door County Medical Center.

In her free time, Mary enjoys spending time with her husband, family, and Border Collie. She is passionate about helping women and girls reach their full potential through education and empowerment starting in their own communities.

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Markie Bscherer

Growing up in Sturgeon Bay Markie has always felt the sense of community that goes along with residing in Door County. After moving away for a few years Markie moved...

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Growing up in Sturgeon Bay Markie has always felt the sense of community that goes along with residing in Door County. After moving away for a few years Markie moved back to Sturgeon where she lives with her husband and two small children. She knew she wanted to be an involved member of the community and has always had a passion for helping women and girls. She joined the Women's Fund board in 2018. Since then, she has served on the Donor Relations, Tales of Our Lives, Luncheon, and Childcare committees, she is also a former Board Chair.

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Amy Frank

Amy Frank currently serves as the Executive Director of the Door County Historical Society, overseeing the operations of Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and Heritage Village...

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Amy Frank currently serves as the Executive Director of the Door County Historical Society, overseeing the operations of Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and Heritage Village at Big Creek, as well as educational programming and heritage preservation efforts within Door County. Prior to her role at the Historical Society, Amy held the position of Managing Director at Third Avenue PlayWorks for four years and managed the Sun Prairie Performing Arts Center for seven years.

With a background in Arts Management from St. Norbert College and a Master's in Arts Administration from St. Mary'sUniversity, Amy is a seasoned professional in the nonprofit field.

She and her husband Paul are proud parents to three children: Makayla, Tommy, and Jonah.

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Hannah Fusfeld

Hannah Fusfeld was born and raised in De Pere, Wis., and spent her summers falling in love with Door County. When an opportunity knocked on her door to move for work...

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Hannah Fusfeld was born and raised in De Pere, Wis., and spent her summers falling in love with Door County. When an opportunity knocked on her door to move for work, Hannah took it! She is currently the E-Commerce and Marketing Director and Operations Manager for Plum Bottom Gallery, which features 200 nationally recognized artists at four brick-and-mortar locations and online.

Hannah received her BA in International Studies and Communications from St. Norbert College in 2019. During college, she coached figure skating for the Greater Green Bay Figure Skating Club and was heavily involved with Greek Life. In her free time, Hannah enjoys cooking, reading, running, and spending time with family, friends, and her dog, Millie!

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Abby Grommet

Abby was raised in a small town in southern Illinois. After receiving her chemical engineering degree from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, she moved to Door County to work at...

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Abby was raised in a small town in southern Illinois. After receiving her chemical engineering degree from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, she moved to Door County to work at Therma-Tron-X (TTX) in Sturgeon Bay. At TTX, Abby puts together concepts and solutions for clients with the goal of developing wastewater technologies to improve industry with an emphasis on environmental factors. In her free time, Abby enjoys gardening, traveling with her husband, and exploring Door County.

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Lisa Harper

After 30 years of vacationing in Door County, Lisa is an enthusiastic full-time resident of Gills Rock.  She currently serves as Acting Executive Director for the Peninsula Music Festival in Ephraim...

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After 30 years of vacationing in Door County, Lisa is an enthusiastic full-time resident of Gills Rock. She currently serves as Acting Executive Director for the Peninsula Music Festival in Ephraim.

For 25 years, she and her husband Michael owned a global Talent Management business specializing in leadership development and organizational effectiveness, where she served as Executive Coach, Facilitator and content writer. Her clients included for profit and not for profit, education and government organizations.

Lisa has served on numerous boards and committees in Milwaukee and Door County. She and Michael have five grown children, and an ever-changing roster of foster animals including two adopted dogs Tanner and Alice and ancient cat, Lucas.

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Gail Harrmann

Gail joined the board in January of last year. She welcomes the chance to volunteer in various organizations and believes in the Women's Fund of Door County that so effectively benefits...

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Gail joined the board in January of last year. She welcomes the chance to volunteer in various organizations and believes in the Women's Fund of Door County that so effectively benefits the community's girls and women.

After having taught for 44 years, she is retired and feels grateful to live in a community so rich in art, music, and nature's beauty. She enjoys playing cribbage, leading book club discussions, entertaining, writing, and, most of all, being with her family, including four grandchildren.

Frequently, she has been known to praise the philanthropic actions of so many generous people in the area and believes kindness is the thread uniting us.

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Kristen Jeanquart

Kristen grew up in Illinois and received her bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College and her master’s degree from Marquette University. She previously worked as a Communications...

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Kristen grew up in Illinois and received her bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College and her master's degree from Marquette University. She previously worked as a Communications Coordinator for UW-Extension in Green Bay and as the Volunteer Coordinator for Greater Green Bay Habitat for Humanity.

Kristen met her husband, Collin, when they both attended St. Norbert College. Together they have three children. In addition to being a stay-at-home mom, Kristen manages the couple's commercial rental property business. She also supports numerous local nonprofits. In her free time, she likes to read, spend time with her family, and travel.

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Annika Paulsen

Annika was born and raised in Sturgeon Bay. She attended Knox College for undergraduate work and Illinois College of Optometry for her Doctor of Optometry degree....

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Annika was born and raised in Sturgeon Bay. She attended Knox College for undergraduate work and Illinois College of Optometry for her Doctor of Optometry degree. She joined her father’s practice, Door County Eye Associates, in 2019. Annika lives with her husband, Bobby, and their dogs Mika and Ziggy. She enjoys cooking and baking, spending time outdoors, international travel, and cross-country skiing. She joined the Women's Fund in 2020 and is passionate about improving access and affordability of childcare in Door County and granting STEAM opportunities for girls.

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Barbara Pfeifer

Barbara is from Iowa City, where she earned her Undergraduate Degree from the University of Iowa and went on to complete her Master’s Degree from UW-Stout. In 2005 she...

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Barbara is from Iowa City, where she earned her Undergraduate Degree from the University of Iowa and went on to complete her Master's Degree from UW-Stout. In 2005 she re-discovered her family's roots in Sturgeon Bay. Barbara has over 18 years of banking experience and is the Market Manager for Bank of Luxemburg, overseeing the Sturgeon Bay and Fish Creek branches. Barbara has served local nonprofits such as Destination Sturgeon Bay, Leadership Door County, Noon Rotary, and Altrusa. Inspired by the mission of the Women's Fund of Door County Barbara is excited to have recently joined its enthusiastic and driven board. Barbara enjoys spending time boating and traveling with her husband Erich. They have two dogs, Lucy & Tinsely.

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Ashley Schanock

For nearly two decades, Ashley has been recognized as a leading expert in the matchmaking industry. Her portfolio of Client successes has led her to become a Senior Director...

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For nearly two decades, Ashley has been recognized as a leading expert in the matchmaking industry. Her portfolio of Client successes has led her to become a Senior Director of Client Services for Selective Search. Ashley was tapped as the company spokesperson for various tv news and podcast interviews. She recently stepped away from working full time to focus on her two young children while spearheading "The Playground Project at Otumba Park." Still, Ashley works on a free-lance basis doing sales and media relations.

Ashley graduated Cum Laude from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Barret Honors College at Arizona State University. Ashley hosted Blackhawks TV and was as an Ice Crew member. Some of her career highlights include reporting for Spectrum News 1 (Wisconsin), Station Host for NBC 5 (Chicago), Celebrity Reporter for the USA Network (NYC) and intern at Entertainment Tonight (Los Angeles.)

Ashley is a proud SAG member.

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Lisa Severson

Lisa is a Door County native who has lived throughout the Midwest. After retiring from UW LaCrosse she felt the call to come home and moved to Door County permanently in 2019...

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Lisa is a Door County native who has lived throughout the Midwest. After retiring from UW LaCrosse she felt the call to come home and moved to Door County permanently in 2019.

Lisa and her husband love to travel, spend time with their grandchildren and enjoy everything the peninsula has to offer.

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Megan Shine

Megan was born and raised in Wisconsin and spent her summers in Door County. She attended Tulane University and has worked for KPMG as an International Tax Accountant for...

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Megan was born and raised in Wisconsin and spent her summers in Door County. She attended Tulane University and has worked for KPMG as an International Tax Accountant for...
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Julia Stoneman

Julia was born and raised in Sturgeon Bay. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, earning a double major in Supply Chain & Operations Management and Marketing...

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Julia was born and raised in Sturgeon Bay. She attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, earning a double major in Supply Chain & Operations Management and Marketing. After graduation, she moved to Minnesota and worked for Amazon and Target as an Operations Manager.

After 4 years in Minnesota, Julia decided to move back to Sturgeon Bay to be closer to family. She joined the family business as a third-generation insurance agent, at Stoneman-Schopf Agency, Inc. During her free time, Julia enjoys going for walks with her dog, working in her garden, and spending time with family and friends

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