Our Community

Victoria believes in the power of people working together to create needed change in communities. After growing up in northeast Wisconsin, she moved to Madison to study community development & nonprofit leadership at UW-Madison and never left. Prior to joining CSW as a workplace giving campaign coordinator, Victoria was a grassroots organizer in the local reproductive justice movement, working collaboratively with many CSW member nonprofits. Recently, she’s served as board president of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Madison, a committee member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) of Greater Madison, a board member of Community Shares USA, and a volunteer mentor with Boys & Girls Club of Dane County. In her free time, Victoria enjoys biking, reading, and cooking with her garden and CSA bounty. (Photo by Mike Klawitter)

Cheri has served as Executive Director since January, 2017. She has worked at Community Shares of Wisconsin for a combined total of 14 years, being hired first as Development Director. In addition to her work with CSW, she brings extensive experience with local advocacy movements through past leadership roles with the Dane County Rape Crisis Center, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, and Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Cheri grew up on a multi-generational dairy farm in the beautiful rolling hills of Trempealeau County in the driftless region of Wisconsin. She has one teenaged daughter who attends a dual-language immersion program at Madison Metropolitan School District. (Photo by John Urban.)

Susan came to Community Shares after working with CSW member group Wisconsin Wetlands Association. Prior to this, she was the Development Assistant at Olbrich Botanical Society. She grew up in the beautiful Hudson River Valley of New York, where her first job out of high school was on a chainsaw crew trimming trees along power lines. If she had to pick just one book, Letters to a Young Poet, by Rilke, might be her choice. (Photo by Mike Klawitter)

Kathleen went back to school and earned an Associate Degree in Accounting in 1998. She started her accounting career at the Dane County Youth Connection which merged with PICADA. She then worked at CSW member Wisconsin Family Ties before joining the CSW team in 2001, made more memorable because it was just a few days before 9/11. She is passionate about CSW’s mission and grateful that working with numbers in the back room can make a difference. Kathleen enjoys watching movies with spouse Jim and cat River, and doing number puzzles, Suguru being a current favorite. (Photo by John Urban)

Her commitment to social justice and equity for all brought her to the doors of Community Shares last year, and she couldn’t stay away. Her interests include holding people accountable, painting her nails, supporting small black and/or queer owned businesses, tearing down the system, sitting in front of the ocean, and adding to her shoe collection. (Photo by Megan Moran Photography)

Kewiana is a Madison College graduate with an Associate Degree in Liberal Arts, and is currently studying communications at UW-Madison. Following graduation from UW-Madison, she plans to go to law school to practice civil law. Kewiana is a woman with many hats – once serving as Madison College’s Black Student Union President, the Communication and Recruitment Coordinator for the Volunteer Center, and student chairs on several of Madison College’s boards! She also worked closely with the office of Equity and Inclusion at Madison College where she successfully assisted in organizing several community events targeting racial justice issues. For fun, Kewiana likes to cook and make homemade crafts and music. 

Mitchell is a UW-Madison Graduate, who understands how hard work, enthusiasm and advocacy can positively affect change in the communities around you. He believes in the importance of journalism, as it enables an informed public, giving them power and agency. Social justice is his passion, and CSW provides an outlet to fight for what’s right. He is empowered by CSW and the work of their member nonprofits. Outside of work, he spends time reading, writing and taking care of his plants. He loves fashion, design, captivating stories and learning.

Justin wanted to work at CSW because he believes in and identifies with the work of the member groups. He began as a temporary employee, then transitioned into a part-time then full-time employee. Justin started in his career working to elect progressive candidates in local, regional, and statewide elections in municipal, judicial, and executive offices. Justin currently sits on the board of OPEN (Out Professional Engagement Network) Madison, an organization of LGBTQ+ professionals, and on the board of his neighborhood association, Lake Edge Neighborhood Association, in Madison. “Community involvement is the crux of who I am. I’ve dedicated my career to helping advocate for a number of causes to support others,” said Justin. (Photo by John Urban)