In the Ring Season 2 Episode 9: Moving from I/Me/Mine to We/Us/Ours with Mike Victorson

Héctor Colón concludes season two with M3 Insurance CEO Mike Victorson 

Mike Victorson
CEO, M3 Insurance

Mike Victorson is the chief executive officer (CEO) of M3 Insurance, responsible for the strategic direction and vision of the agency, identifying opportunities for growth and innovation, cultivating organizational culture, and serving the community. Victorson serves on the M3 Insurance Board of Directors and is a member of M3’s Executive Operating Committee.

Mike earned degree in political science and speech communication from Augustana College. He joined M3 in 1992 and learned business through a variety of roles in customer service, sales, and sales management. Mike served as vice president of M3’s employee benefits division from 1999-2003 when he advanced to president of M3. Mike was named CEO of M3 in 2005.

In the Ring Season 2 Episode 8: Fresh Perspectives on Mental Healthcare with Meg Kissinger

Héctor Colón speaks with journalist and author Meg Kissinger in episode eight of our second season

Meg Kissinger
Journalist, Author of “While You Were Out”

Meg Kissinger spent more than two decades traveling across the country writing about America’s mental health system for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Her work on the abysmal housing conditions of people with chronic mental illness led to the creation of more than 600 new housing units in Milwaukee. She has been honored with two George Polk awards, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel.

In 2009, Kissinger and Susanne Rust were finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in investigative reporting for their work uncovering the government’s failure to protect the public from dangerous chemicals in everyday products. Those stories won the Oakes Award and the National Journalism Award for Public Service.

Before coming to Milwaukee, Kissinger covered criminal and civil courts for The Cincinnati Post and was a general assignment reporter at the Watertown (NY) Daily Times. She was named Wisconsin Watchdog of the Year in 2015. Meg has consulted on projects for Frontline, ProPublica, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Seattle Times and the Solutions Journalism Network, among others.

Kissinger teaches investigative reporting at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and was a visiting professor at DePauw University, her alma mater.

In the Ring Season 2, Episode 7: The Power of Peer Support with Brittany Nessel and Sara Kieffer

Héctor Colón speaks with both Brittany Nessel and Sara Kieffer of LSS in episode seven of our second season

Brittany Nessel
Licensed Professional Counselor, Clinical Substances Abuse Counselor, Independent Clinical Supervisor

Brittany Nessel has been with LSS for 11 years and has been working in social services since 2006 from Menomonie WI to Minneapolis/St.Paul MN, and even Oceanside CA, before heading back to Eau Claire, WI.

Brittany primarily works in adult treatment for trauma, mental health, and substance abuse. Birttany received her both Bachelors of Science Human Development and Family Studies (2007) and Master of Science Clinical Mental Health Counseling (2010) from University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin.

Sara Kieffer
Certified Peer Specialist

Sara Kieffer has been employed with LSS since January of 2022 as a Human Services Professional and Certified Peer Specialist in Gaining Ground and a Certified Peer Specialist in Renewed Strength.

Sara got her start by working at Eau Claire Sober Living, a woman’s sober home as the house manager/mentor in September 2020 and was there for two years.

Prior to social services, Sara was in the hospitality and tourism industry for more than a decade which is what she has a BS in from UW Stout. Sara received my Certified Peer Specialist training from WIPSEI (Wisconsin Peer Specialist Employment Initiative) and certification in April of 2021.

In the Ring Season 2, Episode 6: The Changing Landscape of Mental Health Treatment with Jill Chaffee

Héctor Colón speaks with Jill Chaffee in episode six of our second season

Jill Chaffee
Vice President Community Based Services, LSS

Since 2018 Jill Chaffee has led the LSS community-based services team as the Vice President of Community Based Services.  Community-based services include a variety of mental health and substance abuse services (therapy, skill-building, mentoring, etc.) as well as foster care, public adoption, and various service facilitation programs. With over 24 years of experience in human services, Jill is a servant-leader to approximately 400 employees and believes that our communities are at the core of the lives we touch and critical to a person’s recovery and access to services.

Early in her career, Jill provided direct county-based social work services as well as substance use services and mental health psychotherapy. With a foundational understanding of the provision of both public and private sector services, she has spent the last 17 years in human service administration.  Throughout her career, she has focused on developing accessible and high-quality systems of service delivery that result in impact for those in need. Through county work, and the development of county consortiums across several counties Jill has become an expert in program development and managing statewide services.

Jill received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Social Work degrees from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.  Jill has a passion for meeting people where they are, with the right services, in the community.  She is energized by LSS’s diverse services available to people throughout Wisconsin and the collaborative approach to service delivery.

In the Ring Season 2, Episode 5: Evolving Milwaukee County Mental Health to Prevention-Centered Care

Héctor Colón speaks with Mike Lappen in episode five of our second season

Mike Lappen

Administrator
Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services

Mike Lappen is the Administrator of Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Services. He leads a dedicated team in reform efforts to redesign Milwaukee County’s mental health system to a community-based system of care that is less reliant on psychiatric inpatient admissions and emergency room visits.

Mike oversees a vast community-based system of care that includes crisis services, care coordination/case management, outpatient care, prevention, treatment and recovery efforts across the lifespan.

Lappen serves on the Wisconsin County Human Service Association Behavioral Health Policy and Advisory Committee, the Wisconsin Council on Mental Health Legislative and Policy Committee and is the current Chairperson for the Mental Health Emergency Center Joint Venture Board.

Mike graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and a Master of Science in educational rehabilitation counseling. Lappen previously worked as a clinical coordinator for the Wisconsin Correctional Service, and as a supervisor and eventually director with the Ozaukee County Department of Human Services.

In The Ring Season 2, Episode 4: Making Health Insurance an “Honest Business”

Héctor Colón speaks with Common Ground Healthcare CEO Cathy Mahaffey in episode four of our second season.

Cathy Mahaffey
CEO, Common Ground Healthcare

Cathy Mahaffey is a 25-year veteran of the health insurance industry, starting her career in insurance service and sales. Shortly into her career, Cathy found her passion working in the non-profit insurance sector for a health insurance cooperative. She went on to start her own insurance agency and consulting business, and helped found the Farmers’ Health Cooperative of Wisconsin, a nonprofit that was successful in helping thousands of Wisconsin farmers gain access to higher quality health insurance coverage.

Cathy was instrumental in getting CGHC off the ground in 2012, helping to pen the business plan and loan application that secured the funding to start the cooperative. She was appointed CEO in 2014 after serving as the cooperative’s first Chief Operating Officer during its start-up phase.

Season 2, Ep. 3: How You Can Get Closer to “Yes” on State Budget Considerations

Héctor Colón speaks with Bill McCoshen in episode three of our second season

Bill McCoshen

Bill is a Partner with Michael Best Strategies. His combined decades of experience in the Wisconsin Governor’s office, as cabinet secretary, and as a successful lobbyist enable him to be an effective advisor and advocate for clients.

Before joining Strategies, Bill served as Managing Partner of Madison-based Capitol Consultants, Inc., a government relations and public affairs firm, for over 23 years. He worked with both public and private sector businesses, as well as nonprofits, to build strategic relationships, manage their public images, and implement grassroots advocacy programs.

Bill previously served as Chief of Staff to former Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, and then as Gov. Thompson’s campaign manager during his successful third-term gubernatorial campaign in 1994. Gov. Thompson’s landslide 67% victory was the second-highest margin in state history and the largest margin since 1922. Following the election, Gov. Thompson appointed Bill to serve as Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Commerce. Over the next four years, Bill oversaw economic development programs throughout the state. Bill remains the youngest person ever to hold the position of gubernatorial chief of staff and cabinet secretary.

Season 2, Ep. 2: Maximize ROI by Harnessing Your Organizational Superpower

Héctor Colón speaks with Melanie Varin in episode two of our second season

Melanie R. Varin

Melanie is an author and insightful business leader and change-agent combining strategy, Lean Six Sigma, sales, marketing and international leadership experience to help global teams grow via positive and sustainable change.

Melanie’s book – Ignite Topline Growth: How RevOps and Go-To-Market Alignment Spark Success – was written based on her passion for sales and marketing alignment. She’s experienced the superpower that comes with a great alignment of revenue-generating teams and wants to share that wisdom with others.

Melanie has 25+ years of experience in executive leadership, strategic planning, global marketing, national sales management, channel development, and operations. She has led three significant business turnarounds in Europe and the USA in Fortune 500 companies.

In her current role as Owner and Chief Operating Officer, TopLine Results Corporation, she applies her leadership and process skills to optimize current business operations as well as helping clients do the same. Her passions are developing high-performing teams, sales and marketing alignment, and business productivity. TopLine Results uses technology to bring together the right tools to help clients build positive and valuable relationships. These tools include customer relationship management (CRM) databases and integrated digital marketing platforms. Using the insights gained from these systems, clients can become better versions of themselves and offer improved services to their customers.

Melanie has a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and a Master of International Business Studies from the University of South Carolina.

She has been married for almost 35 years to her life and business partner, Fred Varin, and has three grown children: Patrick (married to Rose), Clark, and Stephanie. When she is not working or writing, she loves to travel, enjoy long walks, read, and eat (and cook) fine food, preferably with family and friends.

Ep. 4, May 17, 2022: Tracy Wareing-Evans, Accelerating Public Trust Through Sector Alignment, Investment.

Tracy Wareing-Evans, President and CEO, American Public Human Services Association (APHSA)

Tracy Wareing Evans is the President and CEO of the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA), a bi-partisan national membership organization representing the cabinet level leadership of state and local health and human services agencies, and the subject matter experts that help execute their mission to improve outcomes for people nationwide. In coordination with its governing board of directors, Wareing Evans sets the strategic direction for the Association and spearheads delivery on its mission “to advance the well-being of all people by influencing modern approaches to sound policy, building the capacity of public agencies to enable healthy families and communities, and connecting leaders to accelerate learning and generate practical solutions together.” In support of APHSA’s bold strategic plan, Wareing Evans is mobilizing strategic partnerships with connected sectors integral to thriving communities, including education, justice, housing, and health as well as community-based organizations.

Wareing Evans has a long history in high-level policy development and public administration. She served as a senior advisor to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and, before moving to Washington D.C. in 2009, as the Director of the Arizona Department of Economic Security, an integrated human services agency. She has also served as policy adviser for human services under then Arizona Gov. Napolitano and as director of the state’s child welfare division. Wareing Evans began her career as a litigator. Wareing Evans has served on more than 25 boards and advisory committees over the course of her career, including several national appointments. Her current board service includes Social Current (focused on activating the power of the social sector) and WorkRise (a research-to-action network on jobs, workers, and mobility). In 2019, she was selected as a fellow to the National Academy of Public Administration.

Watch Accelerating Public Trust Through Sector Alignment, Investment Now 

Ep. 3, April 20, 2022: Charlotte Haberaecker – If not us, who? Human services shift social challenges

Charlotte Haberaecker, President and CEO, Lutheran Services in America

Too much emphasis for funding in the social sector has focused on providing services after problems have occurred. A lack of innovation and prevention dollars create larger gaps among certain demographics and fail to correct long-term problems for individuals and communities. Developing healthy, productive children and adults who live with purpose and meaning is critical to solving societies largest problems – and the social services sector can lead the charge.

LSS President and CEO Héctor Colón chats with Charlotte Haberaecker, President and CEO of Lutheran Services in America, as she talks about creating a disruption, not waiting for one to happen. Charlotte and Héctor also discuss the workforce shortage in the sector and how it impacts its members, the services they provide, and the ability to meet the whole needs of people. They also break down the need for upstream funding through innovation and prevention, and how strategic partnerships and stakeholders can help fuel philanthropy that provides flexible spending to fulfill essential needs.

Bio

Charlotte Haberaecker is the President and CEO of Lutheran Services in America, one of the largest and most respected health and human services networks in the United States. Lutheran Services in America empowers one in 50 people in America to lead their best lives so all communities can thrive. Under Charlotte’s leadership, Lutheran Services in America has consistently been recognized by the Chronicle of Philanthropy and Forbes as one of the nation’s top nonprofit organizations. She is at the forefront of developing  and implementing groundbreaking initiatives and collaborative learning models to drive systemic change.

Prior to joining Lutheran Services in America in 2012, Charlotte was the #2 Executive at Global Impact, a $110 million nonprofit that provides funding for critical humanitarian needs around the world. Previously she held senior leadership positions in management consulting at Price Waterhouse where she strengthened nonprofit, for-profit and government organizations. Charlotte also served as a senior leader at Fannie Mae where she led an industry transformation initiative and was the co-inventor on five patents awarded by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Charlotte was the recipient of the 2018 Rebrand 100 Global Award for one of the top 100 brand transformations in the world, the 2017 Humanitarian award from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and the 2015 NonProfit Times Magazine’s “Power & Influence Top 50.”

Charlotte holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration in management science from the University of Illinois.

Watch If not us, who? Human services shift social challenges Now