Alumni Spotlight
Angela Witczak
We recently caught up with Angela Witczak, SCIL Class of 2023, as she reflected upon her SCIL Experience, and the reverberations from the program:
“For many years I dreamed of having a little business called Cordelia's - with a motto of “Be Kind on Purpose” - and yet the right place never happened. But then, through a series of magical events, we ended up in the tiniest building, in a location we had never considered before, in a town with a Be Kind motto. Could it be more fitting? That was one year ago in February 2024 that we opened Cordelia’s Cottage Bakery on the corner of Hwy 12 and Water Street in Sauk City.
Cordelia’s mission is to create community, compassionate interactions, and intentional kindness through cookies and ice cream (eventually on the ice cream) - and whatever else we want to make for you. This year we look forward to continuing serving this community as we expand from our cottage bakery to a commercial kitchen.
Every Saturday, we host our Cordelia Cookie Jar which gives a portion of our sales back to help a group in the community. In the past year, we have given back to more than 14 different organizations in this community and we are so excited for this coming year. (SCIL was a recipient in February)
But I owe so so much of this success to little bits and nuggets I learned from SCIL.
First of all, the networking. I've really had the opportunity to just get in there and meet people. At the same time, SCIL really gave me the awareness to practice listening to what others need, and to ask myself how I can better serve the community.
I've spent the last year looking for ways that I can collaborate with other businesses and organizations so we can all experience great success! This has included inviting other small businesses to use our outdoor space, each growing their own wings while we grew ours. We are also working with local farmers to source some of our food. Another example is finding local packaging. We have really worked to stay as “small town” as we can and invest back into the community wherever we can.
I am grateful every single day - and continue to hunt for the good everywhere I go.
I am grateful SCIL introduced me to incredible business leaders in other communities for me to get connected to - where we can all do a little and create big positive change.
I am truly grateful for so much - but again - I must say thank you to SCIL for helping me SEE Sauk County in an entirely different perspective.”
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Read our recent Alumni Newsletters
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March
The March session of the 2025 Sauk County Institute of Leadership (SCIL) was spent in Baraboo, WI. The day began with Sheriff Chip Meister welcoming us to the Sauk County Law Enforcement Center. The Sheriff praised his colleagues and described how they function as a team to achieve their goal to enforce the law with integrity, fairness and respect.
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February
On February 13th, our SCIL participants gathered in Spring Green to explore creativity, emotional intelligence, and leadership. Read more about the day here, including to learn how the SCILsters answered “are you creative?” by the end of the day.
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January
The Sauk County Institute of Leadership (SCIL) Class of 2024/2025 spent the day in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. The first stop was Seats, Inc., where they learned about the locally owned and managed company. Ryan Roers, CPA, Nordic Group Chief FInancial Officer and SCIL graduate opened the session. He shared the company philosophy of “We before Me”, the company culture that values experience over degrees, and an appreciation for loyalty and promotion from within.
We celebrated “25 Years of SCIL” with our SCIL Connect Networking Lunch on Thursday, July 11th, featuring keynote speaker Jeff Wright.
Jeff relayed a message about the potent healing and connecting power of effective listening, including that people’s brains (and attitudes) shift when they feel heard. We learned that we will be more effective leaders if we can listen to others deeply.
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Alumni by Year
Class of 1998
Heidi Accola, Mark Bostwick, Beth Bradley, Larry Cliford, Kevin Fitzgerald, Shelly Granberg, Pat Gudenschwager, Ann Helwig, Sandi Holt, Aice Hutter, Tim Miller, Judith Stoeckmann, Dale Turner, Theresa Wimann
Class of 1999
Barb Blair, Jen Stewart, Joe Cognac, Paul Empey, Jean Klang, Tim Lueck, Larry Marlette, Carla Mercer, Mo Reilly, Susanne Stoeckmann, Char terBeest-Kudla, Tom Williams, Suzanne Wipperfurth
Class of 2000
Shelly Bomkamp, Mike Clague, Jim Daniels, Buddy Huffaker, Laura Jelle, Joan Kenney, Shirley Koehler, Pat McSweeny, Donna Neuwirth, Steve Schmelzer, Larry Schroeder, Janice Schyvinck, Bruce Stewart, Maxine Worman, Bob Zirngible
Class of 2001
Ken Carlson, John Crowley, John Dietrich, Patti Farber, Judy Fowler, Tom Grunwald, Melani Guentherman, Staci Hunt Ramsey, Marcy Huffaker, Pam Maxwell, Connie Molberg, Wayne Morse, Carol Olson, Kathy Schauf, Teresa Searock, Pete Shrake, Jim Tobakos, Lerna Mae Wiese, Cindy Zirngible
Class of 2002
Linda Bormann, Ron Frye, Carla Gorski, Mark Graupman, Gabe Jensen, Leslie McFarlane, Pearl McGuire-Hadlock, Carolyn Novak, Bob Parkhurst, Penny Pohle, Scott Sidell, Robin Smelcer, Bev Vaillancourt
Class of 2003
Carol Anderson, Arline Beagan, Diane Bindl, Derek Cowan, Jolene Gruber, Teresa Hays, Tammy Koenecke, David Loether, Patrice Luer, Jim Marsden, Laura Nedeau-Owen, Rob Nelson, Lynn Olson, Roger Pescinski, Mike Rogers, Paul Wolter, Jan Zechel
Class of 2004
Marianne Baumgarten, Paul Beagan, Michelle Britzman, Karen Cook, Vern Fowler, Brad Hintz, Beverly Hoege, Brenda Holloway, Maureen Kirk, Chris Mueller, Stephen Plaisance, Cheryl Shanks, Tara Zitsner
Class of 2005
Alice Allen, Chris Bernudez, Kathy Blum, Lucille Danube, Carolyn Davis, Margaret Dobrovolny, Larry Fisher, Jason Khodadad, Teresa Langer, Steve Lundin, Shawna Marquardt, Joe Spitz, Brandon Wegner
Class of 2006
Julie Andrews, Brenda Bergman, Jackie Bodette, Bobbie Boettcher, Corrie Boyer, Linda Damos, Jeff Fray, Toby Grabs, Lori Knadle, Jennifer Kobylecky, Gary McDermott, Monica Meyers, Shawn Murphy, Rene Pilon, Rose Valek
Class of 2007
John Alt, Nena Beier, Cindy Bondendein, Myra Dorow, Dawn Eno, Connie Hartje, Marcia Karstetter, Samantha Kimball, Carmen Luther, Linda Marshall, Melanie Mielke, Barbara Mortimore, Nancy O’Donnell, Jeanine Richards, Joseph Svetlik, Josephine Tarnutzer, Nancy Thome, Rene Zimmerman
Class of 2008
Jennifer Bailer, Jason Begalske, Dan Bergman, Sue Bergs, Tommy Brennan, Ann Burke, Robert Clyde, Brain Duvalle, Greg Glaser, Eric Johnson, David Jones, Ruth Joyce, Doug Mering, Drew Miner, Diane Reinfeldt, Kay Roherty, Mickey Snyder, Marilyn Sprecher
Class of 2009
Tara Baumgarten, Michelle Dent, Christine Dutton, Jed Eichhorn, Mary Farrell-Stieve, Dale Jaedike, Deb Johnsen, Kelli Kayser, Todd Krysiak, Heather Lesch, Kristie Meier, Ashley Nedeau-Owen, Mark Rozmarynowski, Debbie Schiffman, Wendy Schneider, Raynelle Syftestad, Robert Van Meeteren
Class of 2010
Margaret Brickner, Angela Brozak, James Carter, Carrie Covell, John Dougherty, Tywana German, Hattie Heller, Anne Horjus, Bonnie Johnson, Jody Kapp, Serge Koenig, Kari Labansky, Andrew Moon, Christian Russo, Amy Ryan, Renee Thums, Jason Timlin, Janet Volk, Matthew Warming
Class of 2011
David Armstrong, Nancy Betzold, Landiz Brozak, Karen DeSanto, Tyler Douglas, Anna Grogan, Bill Helm, Aleah Kuchta, Ryan La Broscian, Jason Lane, Angela Mack, Steven Paske, John Pohlmann Sr., Jo Anne Preston, Joshua Sanders, Tracy Niesen-Breunig, Robert Sinden, Marsha Stolte, Jenni Walsh, Lisa Wenzel, Julie Wuerger
Class of 2012
Debra Bauer, Marc Boucher, Terry Brickl, Diane Endres, Angela Galle Sylvester, Jordan Gilbert, Judy Gurgel, Anna Hawley, Jean Judd, Quincy Kissack, Christopher Lapp, Mitchell Lohr, Andrea Mauch, Jared Paget, Jordyn Schara, Anna Schmelzer, Scott Von Asten, Colin Walsh, Cathleen Warwick, Ryan Werner, Beth Ann Zick, Alyssa Ziegler, Rosemary Zuch
Class of 2013
Aaron Andres, Konya Antonetti, Charles Burnley, Brian Cunningham, Jennifer Endres Way, Mary Fabian, John Fritsch, Jim Haas, Marie Harper, Jennifer Helt, Philip Johnston, Tamara Lavender, Ken Meicher, Robin Meier, Bridget Morrey-Seals, Brady Neuman, Melanie Platt-Gibson, Cathy Witte
Class of 2014
Marissa Aron, Amy Bachhuber, Brendan Ballweg, Tyler Ballweg, Ruth Browning, Joann Douglas, Charles Ecklund, Holly Fenske, Stuart Fields, Roger Friede, Kimberly Gochanour, Samantha Kimball, Julie Lane, Ben Marsden, Morgan McArthur, Michael McShane, Amanda Meddaugh, Kimberly Miller, Nicole Querio, Nellie Schmitz, Melissa Southworth
Class of 2015
Meg Allen, Kurt Cottier, Adam Gulden, Danna Hillmer, Karen Hoekstra, Ryan Hulleman, Darren Jorgenson, Matt Jurvelin, Melissa Keenan, Rauel La Breche, Jennifer Mack, Michelle O’Connor, Kris Rasmussen, Amy Reine, Laura Rossitor, Joe Sabol, Pam Thompson, Morgan Tribbey, Vicki Wildes
Class of 2016
Rachel Adair, John Bachhuber, Scott Ballweg, Janene Clark, Jennifer Crubel, Brianna Deaton, Theresa Dietz, Vincent Graves, Dena Jarog, Karen Kothbauer, Janelle Krueger, Andrews Pemberton, John Philipp, Rebecca Powell, Katy Prange, Becky Radke, Ryan Roers, Brian Sadler, Jennifer Vosen, Sharon Warden, Kevin Weber
Class of 2017
Rachel Breunig, Stephanie Brickl, Ann Calhoun, Kyle Crosby, Elizabeth German, Abby Hays, Jeff Hoeben, Joshua Holler, Tricia Jones, Cindy Kissack, Ashley Litscher, Tezra Menne, Lexie Meyer, Nathaniel Newby, Jennifer Niles, David Olson, Matt Ryczek, Margaret Sage, Katie Schofield, Charles Spencer, Jodi Vogel, Haley Weisert, Kurt Wenger, Robin Whyte
Class of 2019
Jessica Bergin, Niki Conway, Pedro Dominguez, Theresa Douglas, David Earleywine, Jenni Gavin, Nicki Cabaj Green, Abby Howell-Dinger, Kira Meister, Gina Mitcham, Emily Olson, Kyra Peach, Jared Pinkus, Ross Retzlaff, Sara Roltgen, Ashley Schreiber, Linda Spencer
Class of 2020
Gina Baldwin, Becky Cassity, Kristina Coopman, Donna Crary, Kimberley Evert, Jessica Gavin, Ethan Giebel, Cheryl Goeckermann, Lauren Goff, Haley Hoffman, April Little Reichhoff, Adrienne Olson, Julia Randles, Tammy Seiler, Melissa Shimniok, Tiffany Sloan, Tammy Woirol
Class of 2022
Haley Bonilla, Briana Collman, Lacey Fulk, Antowan Hallmon Sr., Steven Jakubowski, Brian Kerr, Melissa Leathers, Philip Matthews, Seth Meise, Marissa Miller, Fr. Dave Mowers, Zach Ott, Karen Peterson, Jessie Phalen, Dan Rindfleisch, Tim Ripp, Heather Sloan, Nicole Tidwell
Class of 2023
Mari Burri, Amanda Coorough, Megan Haag, Monica Jaled, Sara Jesse, Laurie Killam, Rebecca Kirch, Mark Ladsten, Logan Littlegeorge, Andrea Lombard, Angela Lowe, Brittany Melka, Jodie Molitor, Greta Schaller-Alonso, Paul Sprosty, Angela Witczak, Dan Zurawski
Class of 2024
Brandon Barber, Joshua Behnke, Sara Benton, Kyle Blechner, Katie Burch, Gaile Burchill, Wendy Collins, Kristine Fischer, Allyson Hayes, Travis Helms, Jessica Herrewig, Emily Herritz, Brenda Miller, Sara Pahl, Stacy Parsons, Emmie Phillippi, Michael Randles, Joyce Smidl, Cari Teasdale, Michelle Zuelke
