Welcoming New Team Members – November

Over the past few months, due to the essential nature of our work, the Division of Enrollment Management has been able to add new members to our teams and units. We are excited about the expertise, insight, and experiences these individuals will bring to their new roles. Please join us in welcoming our newest team members!   OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS AND RECRUITMENT Andrea Ripberger, Front Desk Representative I have a degree in Public Recreation from the University of Indiana in Bloomington, IN, and have had a long career in customer service, including working at Starbucks, The North Face, REI, and Madewell. I’m also certified in therapeutic massage and enjoy spending time outside with my family. I have always enjoyed working with students in my other positions and am looking forward to working directly with them in my role in the Admissions Office.   Kyle Adams, Remote Reader I am an event planner who just started their own company, Wander Provisions (formerly Driftless Food Tours). After spending most of my life in big cities, I now live in a quaint farmhouse with my husband and furry four-leggeds.   Ben Austin, Remote Reader I am originally from Chapel Hill, NC, and have earned degrees from Wofford College and East Tennessee State University. Professionally, I have experience in undergraduate/graduate admissions and college athletics. Personally, my wife and I have two young boys, John (4) and Levi (7 months), that keep us very busy. I also enjoy spending as much time as possible outside. Hiking, cycling, and playing sports/yard games (and getting way too competitive!) are the things I like to do the most.   Danielle Beller, Remote Reader My name is Danielle Beller, and this is my second year working as a Remote Reader for the Office of Admissions and Recruitment. I live in Rockford, Michigan, which is on the west side of the state just north of Grand Rapids. After earning a B.A. in English from Michigan State University, I worked for a few years as a high school English teacher. While teaching, I attended Western Michigan University, earning a M.A. in Counselor Education. I worked for many years as a high school counselor, which sparked my interest in this position. In addition to caring about public education, I also enjoy reading, walking in the woods, kayaking, and spending time with my husband, family, and friends.   Audrey Berbara, Remote Reader I grew up in West Michigan and moved to the Boston area this past summer with my husband and two dogs. My post-secondary degrees are in English, Counseling, and ASL Interpreting. I love reading, traveling, and eating Lebanese food!   Tori Carter-Story, Remote Reader I am a UW alum who graduated in Spring 2019. Currently, I am starting a beauty and wellness brand called Stori Apothecary. It will focus on mental and physical wellness for everyone, especially African Americans.   Liz Davison, Remote Reader Howdy. I am a 2004 UW grad, a high school English teacher/WI school counselor, single mom of two, and am extremely nerdy and passionate about niche topics. My current projects are creating a Hamilton-themed tarot deck and a General Jedi Leia cosplay.   Andrew Futter, Remote Reader I enjoy reading, doing puzzles of all kinds, being outdoors as much as possible, and exploring museums (when safe)! In addition to my duties as a Remote Reader, I am an assistant coach for a local high school cross country and track and field team.   Chris Hanley, Remote Reader I just retired last spring after 30 years as a school counselor at Grafton High School. My wife and I have always felt a strong connection with UW–Madison. Our two oldest sons attended Madison and our youngest is currently in his junior year in the Mechanical Engineering Program at UW. We love everything about Madison and the university, and I feel blessed to now be a part of UW Admissions! Go Badgers!   Celeste Henken, Remote Reader I’m Celeste Henken, a new Remote Reader from Racine, WI. Recently retired from Gateway Technical College Foundation, I enjoy biking, walking, reading, and spending time with my family. I’m currently auditing a graduate class in Leadership in Community Development.   Markeshia Henry, Remote Reader I have been in higher education for 15 years and love helping students navigate higher education. I absolutely love reading about the interests and dreams of UW’s future students. It has given me a glimpse into the minds of our future leaders! When I am not reading applications, I am running around with my future leader and binge-watching 90s sitcoms with my husband.   Jessica Kochiss, Remote Reader My husband and I live with our two daughters and two dogs on Lake Norman. I am a graduate of Clemson and Georgetown, and Wisconsin is the fourth university I’ve worked for over my career.   Michael Leak, Remote Reader I am Philadelphia born and raised. I attended Howard University where I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Arts in School Psychology. I joined the Philadelphia Fire Department in 2016 as a professional firefighter after working in higher education as an academic advisor for a number of years.   Brittany Leehue, Remote Reader I previously worked in higher education. I love to spend time with husband and 6-month-old daughter!   Jenny Lewis, Remote Reader This is my second year as an applications reader. My husband and I met at UW–Madison, and we have three children. We moved around a bit after college, but we have been back in Madison for the last 18 years. I have always felt such a connection to UW–Madison and the community, and it is great to be a part of it again!   Ruth Lillie, Remote Reader I am retired from a career in higher education, working primarily in admissions and advising work at the HELP office, UW–Platteville, and with the two-year campuses. My final positions were with the Wisconsin School of Business as Director of Undergraduate Advising and then Director of Academic Affairs. I am married and have three stepchildren living with us and attending school virtually (grades 4, 6 and 9) in the Madison school district. Buddy, our dog, is our only furry family member.   Mercedes Lopez, Remote Reader I’m a recent UW–Madison graduate, class of 2020. I’ve had the pleasure of working with the UW–Madison Office of Financial Aid and the Wisconsin School of Business BEL Program during my time on campus. I am super excited to be working with the university again. Pre-COVID, something I enjoyed doing in my free time is traveling! I’ve been to over 15 countries so far, and I can’t wait to be able to travel again once this is all over.   Jay Meeks, Remote Reader I am in my second year as a Remote Reader. I live in Albany, New York, and teach at a liberal arts college. I split my time between New York and my hometown of Detroit.   Jo Meier, Remote Reader I am a retired higher ed professional with experience in management and front line service in admissions and academic advising services. I spend time studying Spanish, traveling (pre-COVID), cooking, reading, following politics, getting outside to exercise (learned pickle ball this year), and helping with local elections as an election worker.   Troy Moldenhauer, Remote Reader After 26 years in higher education, I took a “leap of faith” and opened my own consulting and public speaking business. Exciting times during a pandemic, right?! Check out my website: https://www.havealeapoffaith.com. I have worked at Western Illinois University, Loyola University–New Orleans, UW–Whitewater and UW–Parkside. My favorite position was director of admission. I work out of my home office in Burlington, Wisconsin. I have a busy life with my wife, Lori, 5 amazing kiddos, two dogs, and two cats. My daughter comes home on weekends just to see her “furry” family. Every day is an adventure in the Moldenhauer home! I love volunteer work and my favorite volunteering experiences are with a horse therapy program and in the foster and adoption community. The thing I miss the most is traveling. Looking forward to packing the bags and embarking on an adventure just as soon as I can.   Valerie R. Nugent, Remote Reader This is the start of my second year working as a remote reader, and I have enjoyed getting back into my career field. I am originally from upstate New York and worked in admissions for about 10 years, with both undergraduate and transfer populations. I enjoy cooking, running, and spending time with my husband Rob and our two boys—Leo and Miles.   Jillian Ogren, Remote Reader I am a Minnesota native. I earned a BS from Marquette University and an MA from Wake Forest University. I have a background working in K–12 education as both a teacher and a counselor. Fun fact: The year after I graduated from college, I lived in a small town called Soria in Spain and taught English at a local school.   Tricia Realbuto, Remote Reader I have lived in Maryland for the last decade with my husband and three-year-old daughter. Quarantine hobbies have been cooking, reading, and riding my Peloton!   Steven Rodriguez, Remote Reader I am a Remote Reader originally from the southside hood of Milwaukee, WI. As a former UW–Madison student, I was a member of First Wave, CAE, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated, Intercultural Dialogues, and worked as a Social Justice Intern for the Multicultural Student Center. Now living in Austin, I enjoy eating tacos, writing raps, petting my cats, and staying warm in the winters.   MiKayla Scott-Krattiger, Remote Reader I am a second-year remote reader, and through this position I have truly found a passion for this field! I am a proud UW alum with hopes of continuing my career in higher education at UW–Madison long-term. I feel very blessed to work for this team and play a role in building the next freshman class of badgers!   Katy Sombito, Remote Reader I share my house with my husband, two daughters, two cats, and a new puppy!   Kelsey Stetzenbach, Remote Reader I received my Master of Science in Rehabilitation Psychology at UW­–Madison—Go Badgers! My favorite place in the world is Seville, Spain, where I studied abroad for two semesters and visited during the 1992 World Fair. During my free time, I enjoy painting abstract art, repurposing discarded jewelry pieces into new creations, and playing golf.   Josh Thrash, Remote Reader I worked in admissions at a private liberal arts college for almost 10 years. I’m married to my wife, Carrie (Admit Dir. at local CC; we love enrollment management I guess). We have a four-year-old daughter, Lindley. I love to travel, read, and watch the Office and Seinfeld. My goal in life is to learn to play the banjo.   Cheryl Walther, Remote Reader I have worked in academic support in higher education for the past 10 years, starting as an academic advisor, then as a learning specialist supporting college student-athletes. I stepped away from the field to become a full-time student again (starting Fall 2021) working toward a Ph.D. in Psychology and researching cognitive development and interventions to address equity in educational access.