2025 CANDIDATE PROFILES
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT-ELECT (PRESIDENT IN 2026, PAST PRESIDENT IN 2027)
Joleen Stinson, Director
Dane County Parks, Region III
How would you describe your style of leadership?:
I am competent, dedicated and passionate. I believe that mutual respect and open communication encourages a creative and productive team. I perceive change with optimism.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?:
I credit much of my professional success to WPRA. Many WPRA members have mentored me over the course of my career. Serving WPRA is my way to give back to my mentors and to help guide future leaders of the association. After serving on section boards earlier in my career, I decided to “up my game” and run for Secretary/Treasurer, which is a position that I currently hold. I am thoroughly enjoying my work on the WPRA Executive Committee. I am confident that this recent Board experience has prepared me to take the next step as President-Elect.As a current member of the WPRA Executive Committee, I am working very closely with 110%, Inc. to complete our Association & Membership Analysis and Strategic Action Plan. Given my involvement since the beginning stages, if I am elected as the President-Elect, I would be well poised to begin implementation of the goal and objectives of the updated strategic action plan.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?:
WPRA is already very successful and is well poised to continue to grow. The organization has a strong membership base of dedicated professionals. One of its greatest strengths is the variety of professional development opportunities that builds strong local leaders. The agency has made great strides through its advocacy work on the state and federal level over the past few years. Now, more than ever, the passion for parks and recreation is spreading among our communities and the opportunities are endless.
REGION I REPRESENTATIVE (BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2025-2026)
John Jimenez, Director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry
City of Chippewa Falls, Region I
How would you describe your style of leadership?
In order to achieve a high quality work space, I believe it is essential to establish and promote a positive, safe and enjoyable working culture. Communication is a key component in creating this type of culture. When staff feel heard and including, in makes a world of difference.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
Strengthen the Region 1 opportunities for participation and engagement. It is important to learn and experience what other communities are doing well in order to continually develop and grow your events, programing and working culture. Being able to provide a platform for professional networking will benefit everyone involved.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
Continued growth in membership and a higher quality of offerings for its members. By focusing on networking, and professional development the WPRA will lead the way for professionals in the industry to be the best version of themselves in order to better impact their community, staff and constituents.
Secretary/Treasurer
Matthew Vanderkamp, Director of Recreation 
Wauwatosa Recreation Department, Region IV
How would you describe your style of leadership?
Supportive, Empathic, Partnership and Promoter. Supportive - Being accessible for the ones around me. Challenge each of them to seek out the best in oneself as well as doing the same for myself. Empathic - Listen and learn from others no matter their title, levels of experience or background. Partnership -Together take on the good, bad and all things in between. Promoter - Acknowledge and raise up others in celebrating their wins. Tell them they are doing a job well done as well as recognize them in a meeting place they may not have a seat at.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
Be an ear to listen, a voice to collaborate and an energy to move the association forward into the future for all members throughout the state.We have fellow members (student, affiliate, professional, retired) in every corner of this amazing state. We need to strive on continually seeking out ways for making this association more accessible for all members through learning, involvement, engagement and networking. This can be done by meeting members where they are at in their needs and wants, whether a department of 1 or 100.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
Opportunity and Growth: Opportunities for all members to have the accessibility for relationship building, networking and continual education to serve their communities and beyond. Growth to continually develop our state and association members as local, regional and national leaders in our field.
AQUATICS SECTION
CHAIR-ELECT – 2025 (CHAIR IN 2026, PAST CHAIR IN 2027)
 Leah Wicander, Sports and Aquatics Specialist
Madison School & Community Recreation (MSCR), Region III
How would you describe your style of leadership?
I am a service-oriented individual. As a previous public school teacher, I understand the importance of supporting and assisting individuals from all walks of life. Additionally, I am unsatisfied with the status quo and am constantly seeking opportunities for growth and development.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
I would like to continue assisting the Aquatics Board in collaborating across regions, increasing educational opportunities, and making aquatics more accessible.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
The future is bright with WPRA; we must continue advocating for and increasing opportunities for individuals to learn about our organization. For our current members, we should continue our focus on diversity, equity, and professionalism. Continued innovation with a growth mindset will be paramount!
Region I Representative (2025-2026)
Amanda Bruce, Recreation Manager
Marshfield Parks & Recreation, Region I
How would you describe your style of leadership?
I lead by doing. I can't ask someone to do something unless I know how to do it myself!
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
More public awareness to aquatics. I come from a background of fitness and recreation, and not much aquatics, and I have learned so much working with this Board. I believe the public, municipalities, and upper management needs to be aware of the amount of knowledge and effort goes into making great pools for the communities in which we live.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
I believe WPRA is a great organization and is a great resource for networking and gaining knowledge and ideas. I think the future of WPRA is bright and can really help a lot of people, especially those who are new to their roles.
REPRESENTATIVE AT-LARGE (2025-2026) [2 Positions available]
 Michelle Borkovec, Sports, Aquatics & Adapted Specialist
Madison School & Community Recreation, Region (MSCR)
How would you describe your style of leadership?
I would describe myself as a pacesetter. Within my team and organization, I set the pace by leading by example and setting high standards for myself and my employees. I hold them accountable to my expectations but give them the room to grow and develop their own leadership style.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
I have worked in Recreation for 22 years, and Aquatics for 9 of those years. I bring a great deal of knowledge and experience working with other communities and agencies in and around my region.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
WPRA is an asset to its members and this state, a resource for important networking among professionals as well as professional development for those in the field. I would love to see the DEI initiatives continue to be a priority for this organization.
 Morgan Zakrzewski, Recreation Supervisor
Greenfield Parks and Recreation, Region IV
How would you describe your style of leadership?
I tend to lead by example, with positivity and encouragement. Whether you’re working on a team with your peers, or supervising staff, those around you will catch your demeanor and enthusiasm (or lack thereof), and portray that level of commitment and energy back into their own work.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
I will be coming into this role with two-years previous experience in the position, but still with lots of room to learn and grow. I’ll bring with me my experience as a member of the Aquatic Seminar & Technician Workshop Committee where we plan and execute yearly trainings for aquatic professionals around Wisconsin, as well as my experience in re-introducing the Region 4 Lifeguard Competition this past Summer. I would enjoy bringing my experience in these roles back into the Aquatic section, while also branching out to assist in other areas.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
WPRA has put a lot of time and effort into finding out how the Association can better serve its members. I believe through introducing new programs, or enhancing current services the membership finds useful, WPRA will see a more active and energized membership base that will be excited to serve and further promote the Association.
 Karl Sorvick, Recreation Director
Elkhorn Parks and Recreation Department, Region IV
How would you describe your style of leadership?:
I’m an in-person leader who strives to lead by example. I believe that demonstrating dedication and integrity in my actions inspires others and fosters a positive environment. Being present and engaged allows me to connect with my team and support them effectively.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?:
I bring valuable experience to the section, having previously served on the recreation section and as its chair in 2022. This background equips me with a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities we face, allowing me to contribute effectively and help drive our initiatives forward.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?:
WPRA has a bright future ahead, but we also face some challenges. Park and recreation departments need to be adaptable and proactive in positioning themselves to serve their communities effectively. Embracing innovation and responding to community needs will be key to overcoming these challenges and ensuring continued success.
PARK SECTION
CHAIR-ELECT - 2025 (CHAIR IN 2026, PAST CHAIR IN 2027)
 Zach Navin, Parks Supervisor
Waukesha County Parks and Land Use, Region IV
How would you describe your style of leadership?:
My leadership style is best described as a listener and a thinker. I appreciate input from others and trust those that have experiences outside of my own. I thrive on identifying multiple paths forward to ensure the team has options to move forward with.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?:
I want to bring my strong communication skills to this role to ensure that the Park Board and WPRA membership as a whole receives clear communication on Park Board objectives and initiatives and understands the long term vision.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?:
I believe that WPRA has room to grow by continuing to pull in young leaders as well as leaders from other divisions of state and local government. This will ensure WPRA is approaching challenges and initiatives with a broad lenses to receive buy in from local park and recreation professionals as well as city and state leaders.
REGION I REPRESENTATIVE (2025-2026)
 Josh Milbrandt, Recreation Coordinator
Onalaska Parks & Recreation, Region I
How would you describe your style of leadership?
Democratic management style.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
I want to change how we look at things and ask questions. For example, I think young adults/ teenagers can get a bad reputation for not wanting to work or being lazy. I want to troubleshoot this narrative with other professionals and have conversations with this demographic.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
I think there is a growing need for parks & recreation in today's society and that need is only going to expand as we move into the future. Agencies, like WPRA, will play a big role in problem-solving the need.
REGION II REPRESENTATIVE (2025-2026)
 Holly Femal, Community Enrichment Director
Village of Kimberly, Region II
How would you describe your style of leadership
Trusting and relying on the people you work with to operate as professionals and allowing others to hold you to that same standard. We will all work hard, together.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
Serving WPRA in this capacity for the past year has been a pleasure. It's given me a chance to learn more about the role, what's expected, and to network with people throughout the state. I like networking and learning from those that operate in very large departments, but I think I bring a perspective from a very small municipality that still offers full service operations. I would like to continue to be the voice of "the little guys" for we may be small, but we are still mighty.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
We continue to be better together. Whether that's lobbying at the state level, or banding together through pandemics and tumultuous governmental times. I am thankful for the relationships that are built state wide through this organization. WPRA is essential to "the little guys" because we may not have a team of people to discuss challenges with at our places of employment, but typically any challenge I am having has already been experienced by someone else in the state and WPRA is always there to offer advice and support which is reassuring and appreciated.
REPRESENTATIVE AT-LARGE (2025-2026)
 Tori Staab, Park Program Specialist
Waukesha County Park System, Region IV
How would you describe your style of leadership?
Authoritative and Democratic are my primary leadership styles. I enjoy empowering teams to share their opinions while leading them to achieve the common goal. It is important to me to use both of these leaderships styles to take all visions and ideas into account and get things done.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
Innovation. I have a mindset of continuous improvement, always looking for ways to improve through community collaboration. Partnering with other organizations and municipalities to establish mutually beneficial relationships is something I am passionate about and look forward to bringing to this role. I will continue to work hard to make new connections through events, projects, and more.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
I think with the advancing connections that are being made with more attendees at conferences including students attending, we can work to create longevity in the park sector. Lately in our organization, it has been a lot of retirements and we're losing some of the more experienced staff that we had previously. It's important to plan for the future of staffing across the board and I think by creating these connections through WPRA, there is a lot more buy in from all employees.
 Jarod Meyer, Parks and Recreation Director
City of Black River Falls Parks and Rec, Region I
How would you describe your style of leadership?
I take the approach as an educator where I give people the training and direction to succeed in their roles. My leadership is built upon giving people the freedom to lead, try new things and develop. I am not a micro manager but when the time comes to get involved for the betterment of the department. I take the approach of making it a discussion where we can all learn from the situation.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
I want to bring an open mind and enthusiastic attitude in finding ways to continue to grow the association while helping our members grow and develop their communities. Also, I want to get people enthused about being involved and finding the next leaders in our association with the college students and young professionals.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
I believe the future is however we want to make it for the WPRA. The opportunities out there are endless on what we can do through social media, cutting edge ways to do projects/programs, and networking with other professionals. It really comes down to our association and what approach we can take. One thing that is exciting is the number of passionate and talented people in the state to help us bring those ideas to the table.
RECREATION SECTION
CHAIR-ELECT – 2025 (CHAIR IN 2026, PAST CHAIR IN 2027)
 Mark Dorow, Recreation Superintendent
Wausau and Marathon County Parks, Recreation & Forestry, Region I
How would you describe your style of leadership?
My leadership style is transformational and visionary, I aim to discover innovative ways to foster progress and engagement. I believe that everyone in WPRA, regardless of their experience, can offer valuable ideas to help shape the future of recreation programs and events.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
Find ways to bring people together and encourage them to share their experiences. Collectively, we have a wealth of knowledge from both successful and unsuccessful programs and events. How can we better share these insights to help everyone create more positive experiences for their communities?
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
The future of WPRA lies in the professionals we have today. We must continue to embrace the work happening across the state and strengthen our connections within the community. The more unified we are, with shared goals and collaboration, the more we can help recreation in our state thrive in the years to come.
REGION II REPRESENTATIVE (2025-2026)
 Jeffrey Brazzale, Recreation Supervisor
Appleton Parks, Recreation and Facilities Management Department, Region II
Which position(s) are you interested in?:
Recreation Section Region II Representative
How would you describe your style of leadership?:
I am a leader who is willing to take on new and important tasks, while supporting the organization and leaders I work with.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?:
Advocate and support professionals in the promotion of our profession.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?:
I feel that the WPRA should continue to cultivate and support young professionals, while being an advocate for professionals throughout the profession. Having municipalities and school districts understand the value of our professional organization is needed.
REGION IV REPRESENTATIVE (2025-2026)
Erin Cross, Director
Shorewood School District - Department of Recreation & Community Services, Region IV
How would you describe your style of leadership?
I embrace a leadership style rooted in adaptability. I engage with each team member individually, actively listening to their ideas and concerns. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, I tailor my guidance to fit their unique strengths and challenges. I’ve found that my flexible leadership style serves as a catalyst for a cohesive team, proving that when I cater to individuals, we all thrive together.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
I would work to bring awareness of trends, educational opportunities, and collaboration opportunities thorough communication between WPRA, the Recreation Section, and Recreation Professionals.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
Wisconsin Park and Recreation Association has always provided professional supports to help us better serve our communities. Moving towards the future I look forward to the next generation of professionals reinvigorating these opportunities to keep them fresh and relevant.
Secretary/Treasurer/Board Position* (2025-2026)
 Adrienne Lacy, Recreation Superintendent
City of Marinette Recreation Department, Region II
How would you describe your style of leadership?
I would say my leadership style is a mix between the democratic and servant leadership styles. I think anyone who works in recreation has a lot of servant leadership ideals within themselves. I want to do what’s best for the community as a whole even if sometimes that means I push myself to exhaustion. I try to make the right decision for the greatest good. I once had someone tell me when I was first in my career to think about how every decision I made would look on the front of the newspaper. I still use that when making decisions. However, I have a lot of staff that span a few different generations. We all need to work together and I don’t think recreation is the place where I need to dictate – hence a collaborative, democratic style of leadership as well. Everyone doesn’t have to be happy with the decision, but if they can feel like they had a say in the matter, they will often have more buy in. (Though I can be authoritative when I need to be!)
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
Like many, I have a lot of years of experience in various roles in different size departments and areas. I think one thing that has defined my career is my passion for knowledge and my want to better myself through learning. Whether that be by taking on new roles in my organization, at the state or national level, or by teaching college courses, I am constantly trying to learn and bring that back to whatever other roles I am serving.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
I have been in Wisconsin for six years and it is very exciting to see how different WPRA is in even that short of time. There has been a lot of growth and evolution in a short period of time and I can see it’s due to the leadership. It’s exciting to hear that WPRA is willing to change and not rest on its laurels. I hope one of those changes will include even more of a focus on DEI initiatives to make WPRA truly a place where everyone can play!
Community Based Education & Leisure service (2025-2026)
Brooke Franseen, Community Engagement Director
Clinton Community School District, Region III
How would you describe your style of leadership?
My leadership style is collaborative and inclusive, focused on empowering others and fostering open communication. I believe in creating an environment where team members feel valued, encouraged to share their ideas, and supported in their professional growth.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?
One thing I want to bring to my elected role is a deep commitment to supporting and empowering WPRA members through a shared passion for community enrichment. By leveraging WPRA's resources and network, I will work to ensure that our initiatives and professional development opportunities exceed the needs of our members, enhancing the overall impact of parks and recreation in Wisconsin.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?
I believe the future of the Wisconsin Parks and Recreation Association holds great potential for growth, innovation, and increased community impact. As we continue to adapt to changing societal needs, there will be an emphasis on creating more inclusive and accessible recreational opportunities for all demographics. By fostering strong professional development and collaboration across communities, WPRA plays a pivotal role in shaping vibrant, resilient parks and recreation systems that benefit all Wisconsin residents.
 Shamus O'Reilly, Recreation and Community Engagement Director
Village of Poynette, Region III
How would you describe your style of leadership?:
I lead by setting an example. When delegating tasks, I want to convey that I am willing to do the work myself and that I am entrusting them with the responsibility because I have confidence in their ability.
What is one thing you want to bring to your elected role?:
I want to create more growth opportunities in this role. Many young professionals seek guidance not only on improving their job performance but also on advancing in their careers.
What do you feel the future has in store for WPRA?:
The future of WPRA lies in demonstrating to younger people that Parks and Recreation is more than just a funny show; it's a viable career path. When I talk to high school students, they are often unaware that this is a career option. I pursued Parks and Recreation because I had excellent college teachers who guided me in the right direction. Without their guidance, I might have ended up in a completely different career without ever realizing that this was an option.
The following position(s) are still open. If you are interested in WPRA leadership or know of someone that is interested, please fill out the form, WPRA Nominations Form or email [email protected].
Board of Directors
Aquatic Section
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Wisconsin Park and Recreation Association