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President - Cheryl Mick |
Immediately before my husband John and I moved to Washington Island as our permanent residence in March of 2020, I worked as Corporation Counsel for Oconto County, Wisconsin, representing the County in matters of child advocacy, adult advocacy, guardianship and mental health matters, as well as all matters of County administration. Prior to that work, I was in a private law practice in Walworth County (Lake Geneva) Wisconsin for 25 years, with a focus in gerontology, family law and real estate. John and I purchased vacant land on the Island in 2009 and began building our home in 2014. |
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Vice-President - Jacquelyn Rader |
After graduating with a BS in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin Madison, I began my career in state government service. For many years I worked in an agency that processed disability claims for Social Security. During that time, I learned a lot about medical issues, illness, treatments, etc. I then moved on into the Public Health area. One of my favorite programs was working with the Federal Government Program call the National Health Service Corp. This tried to fulfil the needs for doctors in isolated areas and underserved areas like some of Milwaukee. Our previous island doctor, Dr. Bass, came from that program. We also worked closely with the Community Health Centers around the state, though memorandum of understandings between them, the state and the federal governments. We also worked with the UWM Office of Rural Health. For many years I managed the quality and fraud prevention of the welfare programs in Wisconsin. Trying to make sure what the state was giving out in food stamps, AFDC, and Medicaid was going to those who met the standards. Under legislative supervision, I was also part of a several-year project to get more people in Wisconsin insured. We also worked to get the underserved better insurance. These were several pilots around the state and included one for durable medical equipment access. |
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Treasurer - Dianna Young |
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Secretary - Judy Baseman |
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Roxanne Boren |
I am a Registered Nurse. Most of my career has been in the education of heart patients. I have educated pediatric patients going for open-heart surgery as well as adults. The job I left to move to the Island was educating adult heart failure patients to prevent their readmission to the hospital within the first 30 days upon returning home. I have worked at our Free Clinic education people on affordable changes they can make in their lives to help with hypertension. I was on the Patient Education Committee for the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses for two years. I am also certified in Heart Failure and Anticoagulation Therapy Management. Now that I am on the Island, I just love to work with people and give back to the community I have now joined. |
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Linda Henkel |
I was born and raised in rural Southern Kentucky and graduated from Russell County High School in 1967. For the first seven years of schooling, I attended a one-room schoolhouse heated by a coal stove and where all 8 grades were taught by one teacher. It was a wonderful magical time for me as I was then able to have many, many books to read. We had a bookmobile which came frequently, and it was one of my greatest joys to be able to pick out dozens of books to read. I think this is where my love of reading began. After High School, I attended and graduated from Kentucky Baptist School of Nursing in 1970 and began my career in nursing at Kentucky Baptist Hospital in the Coronary Care Unit. This was the first dedicated Coronary Care Unit in Kentucky and for me, it was the form of nursing which I loved most. After this, I did Cardiac Rehab and Wellness for 28 years and the last 7 years of my career was spent in Home Health. After several years of taking care of people in their homes, I worked as an Intake Coordinator at Baptist Home Health. I also graduated from the University of Louisville with a BA in English and Humanities in 2001, having gone to night school for approximately 10 years (this degree was purely for fun and love of learning). I was a member of the American Nursing Association and did some volunteer work for the American Heart Association. Also helped to establish the first Intensive Care Nursing Association in Louisville, KY.
I married Terry Henkel August 4, 2007, and moved to Washington Island in December of that year. The transition to island life was very difficult for me as I had spent most of my life in Louisville, KY. Now it is home and I have become very active in many church and community endeavors including the Music Festival, quilting for Lutheran World Relief, book bags for Lutheran World Relief, Quilts Of Valor which meets once per year to make quilts for veterans, Meals on Wheels, WICHP board, served for several years on the Church Council, and sing in the church choir as well as Sunshine Singers with Joan Reynolds. I am now able to immerse myself in my favorite pastime and that is reading. I have one furry, four-legged child, Pepper, who is my best buddy. I have slowly learned to love this island and its people as well as the beauty which nature has blessed us. Terry and I raise a garden each year and I do a lot of canning and freezing. This is a wonderful place to spend my retirement and I am thankful for it. |
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Ellen Graff |
My husband Ed and I purchased our Island home in 1993 and moved in 2003. Prior to moving, my career was in the Paper Industry. When WICHP first got started, I worked for the organization and have seen the amazing growth to date. it is an honor to once again be part of the WICHP organization and to serve the community as a board member. |
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Connie Westbrook |
I have been a full-time resident of Washington Island for seven years, owning property on the Island since 2002. I joined the WICHP Board in February of 2018 and served as Vice President from 2/18 to 1/19 and am currently serving as Board President. I have worked in Office Administration for 40+ years in hospital, business and church settings. I have also served on the Washington Island Music Festival Board for five years.
I have been a weaver for over 30 years; 15 years weaving baskets and 16 years as a textile weaver. Currently, I am teaching textile weaving at Sievers School of Fiber Arts focusing on Scandinavian weaving designs. I have a passion for the mission of WICHP - “... to empower and support Washington Island residents across generations to make informed choices for a successful, healthy, safe and independent lifestyle..." |
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Kimberly Ristau |
I grew up in Central Indiana but have been happy to call Washington Island my home since 2019. I studied Marine Science and Biology at the University of Miami then did some volunteer work in West Virginia and Wisconsin before settling down on the island. Farming, health, and community have become my foremost passions. Health has always played a role in my life as I strive to stay active and eat well. The elderly have always had a soft spot in my heart, but living with my grandmother who was struggling with Parkinson's disease, I learned the great gift of caring for and walking with seniors. |
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BettyLou Smith |
As a child, I grew up overseas. After I graduated, I worked in multiple accounting positions- for a tugboat company, an airline, the Province of Saskatchewan, a school district and a mission organization in the Philippines where I met my husband, Rick. Before moving to Washington Island, I worked in healthcare in the Quality dept and the Executive Office. My background has been helpful as I’ve been a member of the WICHP Board. I enjoy being a part of this growing organization. |
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Executive Director - Christine Andersen |
I am originally from the San Francisco Bay Area where I was born and raised. I made Washington Island my permanent home in October 2011 when I moved here with my life partner, Bill and our 3 cats from California. My dad, Hannes was born and raised on Washington Island and retired here permanently with my mom, Bette in 1977. Bill and I moved here to be closer to my mom after my father died. We are living in my parent’s house that my dad and cousin built in the late 1970’s on family property on the backside of the farm my dad grew up on. I have a deep Island family connection dating back to the mid 1800’s when my relatives immigrated here from Denmark and Iceland.
My background is a combination of Registered Nursing and Community Health Education. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Community Health Education from San Francisco State University and an associate degree in Registered Nursing from the College of San Mateo. My work experience has been mainly in the nursing field for the first 22 years of my career with my primary focus being in Neonatal and Pediatric Medicine. I also have done community health work for a nonprofit organization in the San Francisco Bay Area and performed community outreach & grant writing while obtaining my BA degree from SFSU. In addition, I have experience in patient education both inside and outside the hospital as well as being a charge nurse and managing a physician’s private practice in a very active medical clinic.
I became the Executive Director at WICHP in November 2011 and this position has allowed me to combine my skills of nursing and community health education to serve the Island community. While being in my role, I have served on the Door County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) Advisory Board, Door County Nutrition Advisory Council, Door-Tran Board of Directors, Family Centers of Door County Board of Directors, Door County Caregiver Coalition, Parish Nursing Network and Northern Door Health & Wellness Ministry. I have a passion for my community health work and how it impacts the Island residents’ lives so they can remain in their homes safely and independently while aging in place. I love all the connections I have made since being in this role with the Islanders and the Door County Community who all work collaboratively to better the lives of our residents. |
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Office Manager - E'lise Haller |
My family has been rooted on the Island since the late 1920’s when my Great Grandparents bought some property up here and built a family cabin. We were summer vacationers, then summer residents and now year-round residents.
I grew up and went to school in Madison, WI. After graduating from the University of WI in Broadcast Journalism, I got married and moved to Spokane, WA. In Spokane, we had two children, and when they were set in an all-day school, I went back to work. I was an assistant at a Veterinary Clinic then became the Director at a Parkinson’s Resource Center. From there, I went to work at Washington State University, College of Nursing as a Research Assistant and then transferred over to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center as an NC Clinical Research Coordinator. I worked for Susan G. Komen as their Mission Outreach Coordinator where I administered their grants program for the dollars that were distributed to community partners for services.
In January of 2017, my daughter and I moved to Washington Island to help my mother age in place. We feel there’s no better place to grow old than the Island! After a year of transition, I settled into a position here at WICHP and am really enjoying it! |
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Program/Event Coordinator - Bunny Buxton |
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