Leadership Sun Prairie
Leadership Sun Prairie is a program for emerging leaders, that provides exclusive training to increase leadership throughout our community.
The course was developed by the Sun Prairie Area School District, City of Sun Prairie and the Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce in response to the need for formal leadership development on a community-wide basis. Leadership Sun Prairie emphasizes leader concepts and community needs.
Training sessions require a commitment of one full day each month from September to April (excluding December), with a graduation ceremony in May.
Each monthly session is held in a different location and will feature local leaders and specialists in various forums, including lectures, round table discussions and tours throughout the community. Leadership will enable you to develop skills to help guide you and our community to success.
Mission Statement:
Our mission is to empower and inspire individuals to unlock their full potential as effective, ethical and compassionate leaders. Through learning experiences, mentorship, and personal growth initiatives, we focus on fostering the skills, values, and perspectives that empower our participants to make a meaningful difference in their organizations and communities.
Course Content:
- Leading Change: Developing leadership skills through team building, identifying leadership styles and qualities.
- Health and Wellness: Personal and community health issues, alternative medicine options and stress relief.
- Government: Overview of city services, departments, planning issues and emergency services.
- Business and Industry: Tours of local businesses, economic development goals, strategies, and small business issues.
- Education: Key issues in today’s education environment such as diversity of population, revenue caps and discussions with students.
- Volunteerism: Personal and community benefits, motivation, how to get involved and opportunities available.
- Communications and Media: Working with media, technology, effective personal communication, cable access TV, advertising, and public relations tips.
Course Objectives:
- Develop awareness and understanding of the resources, processes, programs, and issues in our community.
- Broaden the participants’ knowledge of the economic, political, and social systems.
- To promote involvement and participation in volunteer, elective and appointed positions.
- Increase participants’ analytical and decision-making abilities and develop a support system amongst participants which will aid them in their leadership journey for the betterment of our community.
For more info on the Leadership Sun Prairie program, contact Mary Gilmore, Office Operations & Support Specialist, Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce, at marygilmore@sunprairiechamber.com.
Class of 2025 Course Summaries:
A huge thank you to all of our facilitators, speakers and lunch sponsors!
Leadership Sun Prairie Class XXVI 2024-2025
Alyse Peters
City of Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation & Forestry
Events and Sponsorship Manager
Alyse Peters is the Events and Sponsorship Manager for the City of Prairie’s Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department. She has 8 years of experience in event planning, marketing and sponsor/donor management. Alyse plans local events including, but not limited to Concerts in the Park, Frozen Fest, Groundhog Day, Trunk or Treat and the Fire & Lights Holiday Parade. Her favorite part of her job is creating a sense of community for everyone to enjoy and feel included.
Prior to working at the City of Sun Prairie, Alyse was the Director of Development for Special Olympics Wisconsin. Alyse moved to Madison in 2014 to attend Edgewood College where she received a degree in Communications and Business.
Outside of work, Alyse enjoys running, trying new restaurants, traveling, and going to sporting events with her husband.
Becky Binz
City of Sun Prairie
Housing and Equitable Development Planner
Becky serves as the Housing and Equitable Development Planner for the City of Sun Prairie, a role she has held for two years. In this position, she focuses on expanding housing opportunities and supporting housing justice through city planning, policy, and program development. Before joining the city, Becky worked as a planning consultant at MSA Professional Services for over eight years, where she collaborated with Midwest communities on housing and park system planning.
Originally from Wausau, Becky grew up where “up north” arguably begins. She earned a degree in economics from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and initially worked as a Financial Analyst at IBM. After a couple of years of working in spreadsheets, she decided to pivot and pursue a degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she discovered a passion for the field.
Becky has lived in Dane County since graduate school, and in Sun Prairie for the past eight years with her husband, Alex, and their two daughters. Outside of work, she enjoys strength training and spending time with her extended family.
Rebecca (Becky) Templeton
Shelter from the Storm Ministries Inc.
Director
Hello Sun Prairie!
I am a Midwest girl through and through. I was born in Minneapolis, MN, but raised from the age of eight in Montello, WI. I graduated from Montello High School in 1997 and went on to attend Western Wisconsin Technical College in LaCrosse, WI, where I received an Associate's Degree in Police Science.
After spending almost 20 years working in Law Enforcement and Corrections, I felt a calling to work as a Social Worker in the Human Services field. I enrolled at UW Oshkosh and earned a Bachelor's in Human Services in December 2020. In the summer of 2021, after a very short period working in Child Protective Services, I began my second career working with homeless single mothers at The Elizabeth House in Madison as Director. In June of 2023, I was hired as the Director of Shelter from Storm Ministries Inc. here in Sun Prairie, where I am blessed to witness God's goodness daily.
I am passionate about supporting single mothers, as I was a single mother to my amazing son Clayton, who is now almost 21. In July 2020, I married the love of my life, Tim, whom I live with in Poynette, Wisconsin, with our three crazy dogs.
Caitlin Timms
Capitol Bank
Senior Universal Banker
Hello! My name is Caitlin Timms. I grew up in Branson, MO, the so-called “Live Music Capital of the World” and attended Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. In July 2024, I am celebrating my third year in Sun Prairie, and with Capitol Bank!
I am in my fourth year in the banking industry, having started my career as a Cash Vault Teller in Missouri. At Capitol Bank, I can tailor each customer’s experience to support them and their businesses, whether by checking in occasionally or providing consistent, hands-on support. Working at Capitol Bank has facilitated a passion for community banking and Sun Prairie. I joined the Sun Prairie Chamber Ambassador team in October of 2023, and take part in RISE Young Professionals events as well.
I live in Sun Prairie with my favorite person and our three kitties. When I’m not hanging around the Capitol Bank East branch, or attending chamber events, I enjoy spending time outdoors (especially on the Wisconsin River), cooking, and playing video games with friends and family.
Chelsea Peterson
UW Health
Optimization & Support Application Analyst
Chelsea Peterson, a lifelong Sun Prairie resident, began her advocacy career at Prairie View Middle School, where she supported Student Services and School Operations. Her commitment to helping youth and families led her to become the Sun Prairie Service Coordinator for Building Bridges, where she performed Crisis Management as a Certified Trauma Support Specialist and Certified QPR Trainer in suicide prevention. Working with youth and their families has been profoundly rewarding, earning her trust in the
community through her relatable and empathetic approach.
Deeply involved in the Sun Prairie community, Chelsea serves as a
Commissioner on the Youth and Family Commission, a Board Member for Neighborhood Navigators, Vice President of SCO-Prairie View, and a member of the SP Wellness Coalition. In her current role as an Optimization & Support Application Analyst at UW Health, she enhances patient care by optimizing Epic for Providers, blending her technical skills with a compassionate approach. This position also enables her to dedicate more time to community advocacy, with the goal of starting her own nonprofit to further her mentorship efforts.
Chelsea and her husband Corey, both Sun Prairie natives, are parents to Aria and Ashton. They are actively involved in their children's sports, including softball, cheer, volleyball, baseball, and hockey. In her free time, Chelsea enjoys camping, golfing, and exploring the outdoors with her family, and she frequently supports her husband’s band, The Dirty Birds, at their live music events.
Cody Conrad
Sun Prairie Utilities
Senior Accountant
Cody Conrad is the Senior Accountant at Sun Prairie Utilities where he assists with the daily financial operations of the electric and water utilities. He has more than 10 years of accounting and administrative operations experience encompassing accounts payable/receivable, payroll, job costing, project management, financial statements, budget preparation/analysis, and plant/asset management. Prior to working at Sun Prairie Utilities, he was a Tax Services Intern at Sikich – a national public accounting and advisory firm.
Cody grew up in southern Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with friends and family, being outdoors and traveling as much as possible.
Although I don’t live in Sun Prairie, I take pride in being part of the community through my employer. Sun Prairie Utilities holds a strong belief in being a partner with the community and I enjoy being able to volunteer for Sunshine Place packing summer lunches for kids and serving at the Sunshine Supper. One of my favorite community events is serving corn at the Sweet Corn Festival.
Cora Seibt
Sun Prairie Utilities
Communications Coordinator
Cora Seibt is the Communications Coordinator at Sun Prairie Utilities. Her job involves crafting customer materials, from educational videos and newsletters to job brochures and door hangers. She also helps with event sponsorships and coordinating Sun Prairie Utilities activities for customers. Cora received her associate’s degree in Liberal Arts of Science at Madison Area Technical College before her bachelor's degree, majoring in Radio/TV/Film and minoring in Computer Science at UW-Oshkosh. She spent most of her time in college being a jack-of-all-trades and has an extensive news/graphic design background. Her favorite hobbies include reading cozy fantasy novels, playing with her three rabbits, and hiking. “I grew up close to Sun Prairie, so it’s wonderful to see it grow. I can’t wait to meet my fellow participants and learn more about the City through Leadership Sun Prairie.”
Corey Marionneaux
Black Men Coalition
CEO
Corey Marionneaux’s lived experiences allow him to create programming that works because he intimately knows the people's struggles. It is through his own grit and growth mindset that BMCF was born as a groundbreaking idea. He sees the gap in the resources and support of those who are vulnerable and underserved through public and NGO programming. Corey intimately understands the untapped potential of the Black men in our community and is on a mission to change people's lives through life-changing experiences.
Hector R. Solis
Bank of Sun Prairie
Senior Banker
My professional goal is to learn more about leadership to become a Branch Manager for the Bank of Sun Prairie.
I have been in banking for almost 5 years, doing lending and financial literacy, where I have been helping so many people with di erent backgrounds and nationalities. I love to give clients advice and see them grow financially, from creating a budget to helping them get their first vehicle.
Before banking I worked for the fast-food industry, where I worked several years, I started as cook with no English. I moved up the ladder where I was able to be a district manager for 6 restaurants. I earned a few management awards for outstanding services and sales. I love leading, planning and help others to grow. That’s where I found out that I have a passion to lead and coach.
From the Sun Prairie leadership 2024-2025 experience, I’m hoping to learn more about the community that I serve every day and become a better leader.
Holly Pohl
City of Sun Prairie Parks, Recreation & Forestry Department
Recreation Supervisor
Holly Pohl is the Recreation Supervisor with the City of Sun Prairie’s Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department and has worked for the city since 2019. Holly enjoys working with the community through recreation programming and special events, and is passionate about making connections with the community to ensure recreational activities are accessible to all. Prior to serving the Sun Prairie community Holly worked in non-profit arts education for 10 years, including six years as the Executive Director of the Monroe Street Arts Center in Madison. Holly received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Arts Management from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in 2005. Holly enjoys time with her husband and daughter being outdoors, experiencing the arts and spending time with extended family and friends.
Dr. Jared Hutterer, PT, DPT, EMR-A
Paramount Performance + Physical Therapy
Sun Prairie Clinic Lead, Physical Therapist
Jared has lived in Sun Prairie for over 3 years now, but has been in the Madison area since 2016 when he started his graduate degree for Physical Therapy and UW- Madison. He is originally from Manitowoc, WI and ended up going to UW- Platteville and UW- Green Bay to earn his bachelors in Human Biology with an emphasis in Exercise Science.
As a Physical Therapist, he started working in an insurance based clinic, but decided to switch to an out of network service to be able to provide care to patients without being constrained by what insurance dictates. It has allowed him to focus on the overall health of his patients and be with them throughout their entire health journey so they can feel empowered to take control of their health and wellness. He provides physical therapy for all ages, injuries, and active lifestyles. Along with his duties as a Physical Therapist, he also is in charge of running the Sun Prairie location for Paramount Performance and leading the expansion and growth of the
company overall.
In his free time, Jared enjoys being outdoors. He is an avid hiker and has even completed the Rim to Rim trail across the Grand Canyon. He also enjoys mountain biking, road cycling, and planning his next adventure to another national park.
Jennilyn DiPiazza
Johnson Bank
AVP Branch Manager
I am a Assistant Vice President Branch Manager at Johnson Financial Group and also an Ambassador at the Sun Prairie Chamber of Commerce!
I have been in Customer Service for 24 years and in Banking for 8 years I have learned so much and I love to share my knowledge!
I love helping people, building relationships, and learning more about what matters the most but primarily helping customers make their goals and dreams come true!
I have been in the Madison area my whole life and finally got the chance to move to Sun Prairie 3 years ago. I absolutely love the community and intend to stay the rest of my life!
I have 3 amazing kiddos (2 daughters ages 17 & 7 and 1 son, 11. When I’m off the clock, I love to do just about anything but some of my favorite things to do are be outdoors in the sun, near the water and I love going to concerts. I’m a huge music lover. I was lucky enough to meet my soul mate and now we like to live everyday like it’s our last!
I also volunteer at American Cancer Society, Habitat for Humanity and at Gilda's Club!
Kayla Stroud-DuSavage
Specific Health Massage Therapy LLC
Owner/Operator
Kayla Stroud-DuSavage has been the owner and operator of Specific Health Massage Therapy LLC in Sun Prairie for the last 3 years. Kayla has always enjoyed a sense of community and after working in and out of the area for over 10 years, she knew when it came time to open up her own practice in 2021 she wanted it to be in Sun Prairie.
Originally growing up in Northern Illinois, she moved to Wisconsin in 2013 after graduating from Rockford Career College with a massage therapy diploma and then receiving her license. She continued her learning with countless hours of continued education developing a further specialized passion for Hospice/Geriatrics and Sports Massage.
She has been a licensed massage therapist in Wisconsin for almost 11 years and has worked in all areas of massage ranging from spas, gyms, hospice, hospitals, chiropractic offices, senior centers and more. Kayla is also an End of Life Doula, in which she helps keep people comfortable while transitioning and helping to get their affairs in order.
She is a big advocate for alzheimers’ disease and spends some of her free time volunteering with the Alzheimer's Association along with such activities as kayaking, hiking, golfing, playing with her 3 dogs and taking adventures with her husband.
Lisa Smith
Girl Scouts of Wisconsin-Badgerland
CEO
Lisa Smith is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of non-profit executive leadership experience. Her expertise lies in facilitating strategic planning to develop successful business plans and identify financial opportunities for social service and community-based organizations. In 2023, Lisa assumed the role of CEO for Girl Scouts of Wisconsin-Badgerland, bringing her wealth of experience and passion for empowering girls to lead with confidence and make a positive impact in their communities. Additionally, Lisa has served as the Chief Experience Officer for Girl Scouts in Indiana, leveraging her knowledge and skills to create meaningful leadership, entrepenuership, and outdoor experiences for girls.
Previously, Lisa held the position of Executive Director for Mental Health America Northeast Indiana, where she made significant contributions to the field. She played a pivotal role in building strategic alliances among diverse groups and recognized the value of inclusivity in creating environments that foster acceptance and understanding.
In addition to her executive leadership roles, Lisa has made significant contributions to the non-profit sector through over 10 years of consulting work. During this time, she provided invaluable technical assistance and training to community-based and social service organizations, sharing her expertise in multi-organizational collaboration, effective strategic planning and evaluation,
and leadership and governance coaching. Lisa’s commitment to sharing knowledge extends further as she has served as a college-level instructor, teaching courses in Organizational Management, Business Communications, Marketing, Strategic Planning, Human Resource Management, and software applications.
Lisa’s academic achievements include a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trine University and a Master’s in organizational leadership from Purdue University. These educational foundations, coupled with her extensive experience, have equipped her with a wealth of knowledge and a strategic mindset to drive positive change and empower communities.
Marly Owens
Sunshine Place
Food for Kids Coordinator
Marly Owens is the Food for Kids Coordinator with the Sun Prairie Emergency Food Pantry at Sunshine Place. Working closely with the Sun Prairie Community Schools, she coordinates programs that focus on feeding kids. Over the summer at lunch time and on Fridays after school during the school year, you can find her out in the neighborhoods providing lunches or hearty snack bags to kids. She is also responsible for the food pantry's Hotel Box and Home Delivery programs. Before this, she has 4 years of experience working in food pantries across the U.S.
Marly is an alumna of Purdue University with a B.S. in Sustainable Food and Farming Systems and a B.A. in Global Studies (2020). She moved to the Madison area in 2023 and since moving here, has been swept away by the generosity of the community in Sun Prairie.
Outside of work, Marly enjoys writing stories and going for runs around Madison's beautiful parks. She has also become a huge fan of supper clubs since moving to Wisconsin.
Michelle Garrison
City of Sun Prairie - Police Department
Business Manager
I relocated to Sun Prairie seven years ago. Previous to that, I was loving life in Libertyville (IL) while raising my two daughters. I also very much enjoyed working for the City of Lake Forest (IL) with the Police & Fire Departments. When my youngest went off to college, I made the move to Sun Prairie. My first job here was with Edward Jones, in Madison. I was a Branch Office Manager and worked with a wonderful Financial Advisor. I learned A LOT about the financial advising industry and was thoroughly impressed with the firm as well as the Advisor (now MY Advisor). But, because of my positive experience in Lake Forest, my ultimate goal was to work for the City of Sun Prairie. I started in the Building Inspection Division and quickly learned the speed at which the City was growing. It was a lot of fun being in the know about things on the horizon and met a lot of great city staff over at City Hall. Four years ago, I joined the Police Department as their Business Manager, which returned me back to my public safety wheelhouse.
As an empty nester having one daughter in Lexington (KY) and the other daughter in Coralville (IA), I keep busy with work in between our visits, my road trips, or our vacations. My golden retriever (Twyla Rose) and I enjoy long walks, reading, and good conversation. I LOVE the outdoors, playing tennis, and yes… pickleball. I’m in that season of life now, and I’ll embrace it J
I’m really looking forward to this class and community connections!
Pete Woreck
Sun Prairie Area School District
Director of Facilities & Grounds
I am starting my 27th year in public education. I worked in the Beaver Dam Unified School District in Dodge County before joining Sun Prairie in January 2024. I have been a high school social studies teacher, high school associate principal, district facilities and safety officer, and football coach. I am also starting my 26th year as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. I am a member of VFW Post 9510 and volunteer with the Special Olympics. My wife, Jaime, is a hairstylist in Fox Lake, WI. We have three grown children and one new grandson.
Ria Hull
City of Sun Prairie
Planner
Ria Hull grew up on the east side of Madison where she attended LaFollette High School. From there, she pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature and Environmental Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 2003. She continued at the UW and received a Master of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning in 2007.
Ria became an urban planner because she is driven by a passion for equity and environmental sustainability. Witnessing the rapid urban expansion and its consequences on both human and natural ecosystems fueled her determination to create thoughtful spaces that serve all people and harmonize with nature rather than disrupt it.
Since graduating, she has worked in both the public and private sectors. One of her first jobs was as the Associate Planner for the Town of Menasha, WI where she worked for 12 years. Here, she was instrumental in the formation of a sustainability committee, the creation of a community garden, the installation of solar panels at the municipal complex, and the writing of a bicycle and pedestrian plan, a new zoning ordinance, and an updated comprehensive plan.
Ria moved back to the Madison area in 2020, bought a house in Sun Prairie, and began working as a planner for Sun Prairie in 2021. For the past three years, she has worked on numerous development projects, updated the city’s natural resource protection regulations, is assisting with the comprehensive plan update and the zoning ordinance rewrite, and aided in the creation of the Housing Sun Prairie exhibit at the Sun Prairie Historical Museum.
In her free time, Ria loves reading, hiking, watching nature documentaries and traveling. She has been to eight European countries and has made it her goal to explore a new one every couple of years. Her favorite so far is Ireland. Next up is Portugal!