The PULSE Young Professionals Network is back for another Professional Development event. Join us as four local, influential women take the stage to talk about their experiences, challenges, rewards and surprises they've encountered as women in leadership positions. Men and women alike are invited to join and learn from each other during a morning of learning, growing and inspiration.
Meet the Panel:
Charm Der
Charm Der, MA Ed, PHR, SHRM-CP, CDR is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) strategist and social impact advocate with over a decade of experience in the People, Culture, and Equity space. She is the Founder of Get To Gather, a social community and is currently the Vice President of Human Resources at Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, a human services agency that provides 20+ programs centered on a trauma-informed continuum of care. Charm also holds an adjunct instructor position at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay, lecturing on topics ranging from women’s leadership to DEI. Charm is energized by community activism, helping others to bridge the gap between pre-awareness and action in the People, Culture, and Equity space, and building organizational and community cultures where diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice flourish. She holds a Master's degree in Education from Central Michigan University and obtained her Diversity & Inclusion certificate from Cornell University. Charm also holds both the PHR and SHRM-CP Human Resource designations in addition to the Certified Diversity & Inclusion Recruiter (CDR) credential.
Vaya Jones
Vaya has built her career on creating equity and access to community members in all regards including health care, basic needs, and mental health support. As the Social Determinants of Health Team Lead for ThedaCare, Vaya Jones leads a team of Navigators that helps connect community members with resources to eliminate barriers impacting their health, like access to housing, food, and transportation. Beyond just connecting her community, Vaya also gives back to her community. She's donated her time and talents to organizations including the Women's Fund for the Fox Valley Region, Samaritan Counseling, Linwood Community and United Way Fox Cities. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Thompson Center on Lourdes, Fox Cities Chamber’s Octoberfest Committee, and the UW-Whitewater Communication Department Alumni Advisory Board. You also may recognize her as the emcee of Fox Valley Sinfonia, for the past three years, which serves as a fundraiser for Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra and Youth Orchestra.
In addition to her full-time job and her extensive volunteerism, Vaya is in her second term as an Alderperson for the Appleton Common Council, serving District 10. She represents her constituents and serves on the Appleton Board of Health, Community Development Committee, Human Resources and Information Technology Committee, and the Parks and Recreation Committee. She is passionate about healthy communities, affordable housing, and neighborhood connectivity, and she puts that passion into action. Her dedication to the community has been recognized as part of the Fox Cities Chamber's Future 15 and Insight's 40 Under 40.
When Vaya isn’t serving the community, she loves spending time with her beautiful, bearded trophy husband, Matt, and high maintenance dog child, Ms. Tilly Jones. Vaya is an active disc golf player, pretentious coffee snob, plant mom, and obsessed with dinosaurs.
Jennifer Stephany
Jennifer Stephany serves as the Executive Director of Appleton Downtown Inc. and Creative Downtown Appleton Inc. and over the past 21 years has embraced the challenge of continuing the momentum and development of Appleton Downtown as a destination. Through the management of the Business Improvement District, her work is focused on creating a vibrant sense of place for business, learning, living and leisure within the downtown district.
Jennifer was previously the Executive Director of the New London Area Chamber of Commerce for 5 years prior to her role with ADI. She holds a Master's degree in management and organizational behavior from Silver Lake College and her undergrad degree is from UW Oshkosh. Her local community efforts include a variety of volunteer projects and support for community events. Her recent statewide engagement as a Board member with Create Wisconsin and Wisconsin Downtown Action Council connected her with community practitioners from around the state and continually searching for creative opportunities to advance Downtown Appleton.
With over 25 years of experience in community development organizations, Jennifer’s career supports her personal mission statement to live life through experiences and relationships that nurture creativity and lifelong learning through personal and professional growth.
Jennifer is married to Jay Stephany for the last 18 years and they have a 14 year old daughter, Isabella in her first year of high school at Appleton East. When they can, they love to spend time at their camper at Evergreen Campsites in Wild Rose kayaking, and paddleboarding.
Liz Wollenberg
Liz Wollenberg is the Chief Systems and Strategy Officer at Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. With eight years in the non-profit sector, Liz excels in fostering relationships through strategic fundraising, community engagement, and systems work. Her career, marked by adaptability and relatability, has earned her prestigious recognitions including Insight's 40 Under 40 Award and the Future 15 Young Professionals Award in the Fox Cities.
Liz is also deeply involved in the community as the current President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, an area she has dedicated herself to for seven years. She serves on the Fox Cares Foundation Board and is a founding member of The Monthlies Project, an initiative tackling period poverty in Northeast Wisconsin.
Beyond her professional achievements, Liz enjoys early mornings at the gym, cooking, and spending quality time with her incredibly supportive husband, obnoxious but loving dog, and quick-witted 5.5-year-old son. (Yes, 5.5-year-old, we’re not allowed to just say 5.)
