Bart Adrian
Bart Adrian is the former lead Outreach & Meteorologist, Innovative Weather. In 2010 he began an exciting full-time teaching career here at UWM, where he is currently a senior lecturer in atmospheric science and math, and serving as president of the Greater Milwaukee Chapter of the American Meteorological Society.
Sheila Badwan
Sheila Badwan is the Executive Director of the Hanan Refugees Relief Group. She has extensive community collaboration experience volunteering and developing projects with refugee, immigrant, and differently abled populations. Badwan is a cofounder of an Interfaith group of women in Milwaukee called Open Arms and is currently the Vice President for the Hanan Refugees Relief Group. She is the Director for Wisconsin chapter. She works heavily with refugees and immigrant populations in the Milwaukee, WI community.
Dr. Alan Ball
Dr. Ball is a Professor of History at Marquette University. He is an author of several books with a research efforts concentrated on the supreme courts.
Alex Beld
Alex Beld is the Communications Manager for RENEW Wisconsin
Anne Bingham
Anne Bingham is the Executive Director at SEA Literacy. SEA Literacy uplifts the lives of refugee students in greater Milwaukee by educating them to become engaged members of this diverse, dynamic community. Their goal is to foster social and educational development, thus creating community leaders and inspiring future generations.
Dr. Nancy Bird
Nancy Bird-Sota is a Professor of Latin American Literature at UW-Milwaukee. With research interests in Latin American literature, Women writers of the late Nineteenth Century and early Twentieth Century in Puerto Rico, Transatlantic approach to 1898, U.S. Hispanic Literature via Luisa Capetillo, Latino/a Literature, gender studies and literatura obrera.
Nancy Lee Black
Avid hobbyist with a flair for creating exquisite cards and one for making it easy for others to do so as well!
Dr. Caitlin Bowman
Dr. Bowman is a cognitive neuroscientist interested in how the brain forms memories and uses them to make decisions. Her research also focuses on how our ability to form and use memories changes with age. She uses fMRI to measure brain signals while individuals complete cognitive tasks, tracking which brain regions support various cognitive functions. She joined the Psychology Department at UWM as an Assistant Professor in 2021.
James Cieslak
Vice President of the Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society. Leads weekly bird walks at the Wehr Nature Center.
Eddee Daniel
Eddee Daniel is a Milwaukee-based photographer, writer and curator of “The Natural Realm,” a blog about nearby nature. He has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher and public speaker and is the author of “Urban Wilderness: Exploring a Metropolitan Watershed.” Eddee is on the board of Preserve Our Parks.
Dr. Alison Efford
Dr. Efford is an Associate Professor of History at Marquette University. Efford is a historian of immigration and the nineteenth-century United States. Her earlier work focuses on German immigration, race, and power, and she is increasingly finding inspiration in the history of emotion, which explore the ways in which humans are “biocultural” beings for whom social and cultural interactions shape embodied experiences.
Dr. Donna Engelmann
Donna Engelmann is recently retired from the philosophy department at Alverno College, where she taught ethics, political philosophy and introduction to philosophy for 28 years. She earned her PhD in political philosophy and a graduate certificate in alternative dispute resolution from Marquette University. She specializes in political and social philosophy, ethics, theories of knowledge, peace studies and feminist philosophy. Her interests in addition to philosophy are reading constantly, enjoying art and music, spending time in nature and surrounding herself with family and friends.
Dr. Jennifer Finn
An associate professor and chair of Classics at Loyola University Chicago. CFE’s beloved Ancient History Buff!
Raul Galvan
Galván was born in Cuba and came to the United States in 1961. He had a long career at Milwaukee PBS and the Bradley Center and earned his Doctorate in History from UWM in While in Public TV, he produced many television shows and was nominated for numerous Regional Emmy Awards. He has published numerous articles in scholarly journals, op-eds as well as a youth book, and has traveled to Cuba frequently.
Kathie Giorgio
Kathie Giorgio is the critically acclaimed author of seven novels.
Greg Gonia
Greg Gonia UWM College of Letters & Science, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Math & Physics. For several years he was a part-time lecturer at Waukesha’s Horwitz Planetarium. He taught Introductory Astronomy at the Milwaukee Area Technical College, and Introductory Physics at the Waukesha County Technical College. He created a Short Course on “Practical Astronomy for Busy People” for the UW-Waukesha Continuing Education Dept., and taught it for three semesters. He has been an avid amateur astronomer for over 50 years. He has given presentations on Antique Telescopes, and other Amateur Astronomers’ Accomplishments, in numerous cities across Wisconsin, and at the Second Annual Antique Telescope Society Convention at Yerkes Observatory.
Mike Grimmer
Mike Grimmer retired from being a school administrator and teacher. He has been teaching with CFE since 2008. He continues to offer new course every term which aim at involving seniors in the political process.
Laura Haas
AEA certified—teaching aqua fit classes for over 20 years.
Sara Hermann
Sara was raised in Connecticut where she first fell for American history and studies. She earned her Bachelor’s in History from Ripon College, and her Master of Arts in Teaching from University of New Hampshire. Incorporating multi-media sources into her social studies courses, her career highlight was being awarded a Gilder-Lehrman Institute of American History Teacher Seminar Grant. Sara’s special passion is for cultural history- people and their everyday life. She looks forward to sharing with students her motto “Never stop learning.”
Juliet Hills
Juliet Hills spent the first 30 years of my life in England, and worked as a children’s librarian in two London suburbs and as a high school librarian. When I married and came to the Boston area my degree was not accepted, but I was able to work in a private progressive elementary school, and also attended Massachusetts College of Art for courses in typography, calligraphy, silkscreen and block printing among other topics. When we moved to Milwaukee I started a B.A. in
Anthropology, and later went on for an M.A. at St. Francis Seminary. My second career was as a chaplain, and I worked as an interpreter at two museums until I retired.
Dr. John Horgan
John C. Horgan D.A., earned his B.A. in history and political science and his M.A. in history, both from Marquette University, and his Doctor of Arts in Modern World History degree at St. John’s University in New York, New York. In addition to his service at Concordia University Wisconsin, he taught history at Milwaukee Area Technical College, Suffolk County Community College (New York) and the New School for Social Research.
Greg Jenks
Greg Jenks is a former school psychologist, home brewer, amateur actor and singer. As a child, his parents could not get him to read books, though he would always read the daily sports page from cover to cover. If you wanted to know how the Finnish Ski Jumping Team would fare in the upcoming Olympics, Greg was your go to guy! The opportunity to research and present on historical topics has become one of Greg’s passions in retirement.
Jean Kaldunksi
Jean Kaldunski is a Milwaukee native turned unofficial “Hildegarde historian.” The UWM graduate spent five years in marketing then attended Carroll College for an education certification. Over 25 years in education coincided with 50+ years as a church musician in the Milwaukee area. Interest in music and Wisconsin supper clubs led this lifelong learner to investigate the fascinating life of “the first lady of supper clubs,” the Incomparable Hildegarde.
Balaraman Kalyanaraman, Phd
Balaraman Kalyanaraman received my BS in chemistry from Loyola College, University of Madras in India, my MS in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology in India, and a PhD in chemistry from University of Alabama. He came to MCW as a research associate at the National Biomedical EPR Center in 1984, and was appointed as MCW faculty in 1994.
Adra Kusnirova
Adra Kusnirova is a fishmonger and owner of Alaska Fresh, a national online seafood store based in Butler, WI. Originally from Brookfield, Adra spent many summers in remote Alaska learning about commercial fishing while her husband ran a salmon processing plant.
Christopher Kolakowski
Christopher Kolakowski is Director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, a position he has held since January 6, 2020. Chris received his BA in History and Mass Communications from Emory & Henry College, and his MA in Public History from the State University of New York at Albany. Chris has spent his career interpreting and preserving American military history with the National Park Service, New York State government, the Rensselaer County (NY) Historical Society, the Civil War Preservation Trust, Kentucky State Parks, the U.S. Army, and the MacArthur Memorial. He has written and spoken extensively on various aspects of military history and leadership from 1775 to the present, and was the inaugural Director of the General George Patton Museum and Center of Leadership at Fort Knox, Kentucky.
Michelle Kreiter
Michelle Kreiter is a former physical therapist and most recently our newest yoga instructor.
Barb Labisch
Barb Labisch, received her registered yoga teacher (RYT) certification as well as Zumba® Fitness license in 2008. She has taught yoga and Zumba® Fitness classes to adults and children in many locations since then and enjoys both formats. An elementary teacher before coming to CFE, Barb has been with CFE since September 2010 and she treasures the experiences, friendships and sense of community that come with being part of such a wonderful place!
Dr. Nathan Lemoine
Dr. Lemoine is an Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences at Marquette University and Adjunct Curator-Milwaukee Public Museum.
Tom Lenkiewicz
Tom Lenkiewicz is a CFP, CPWA for JPMorgan and one of CFE’s favorite historian when it comes to Poland and its people. Lenkiewicz holds a Master in history.
Sr Anne Marie Lom
Sister Anne Marie Lom, OSF, has been a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity for over 50 years. She has taught elementary and secondary students in Catholic Schools and was on the University of San Francisco summer faculty for ten years, teaching in the Applied Spirituality Graduate Program. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Holy Family College, Manitowoc, WI and a Masters Degree in Applied Spirituality from the University of San Francisco. Presently, she is the Coordinator of St. Francis House of Prayer, Manitowoc. She gives retreats, workshops and days of recollection to various groups including young adults, those in Formation for her Congregation, faculties, and parish and health care staffs.
Sr Anne Marie Lom
Sister Anne Marie Lom, OSF, has been a Franciscan Sister of Christian Charity for over 50 years. She has taught elementary and secondary students in Catholic Schools and was on the University of San Francisco summer faculty for ten years, teaching in the Applied Spirituality Graduate Program. She has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Holy Family College, Manitowoc, WI and a Master’s Degree in Applied Spirituality from the University of San Francisco. Presently, she is the Coordinator of St. Francis House of Prayer, Manitowoc. She gives retreats, workshops and days of recollection to various groups including young adults, those in Formation for her Congregation, faculties, and parish and health care staffs.
Mary Long
Mary Long retired from a long career in IT Management and Management Training she recently joined CFE when she came upon the catalog in a local library. When asked to sit on a committee she graciously accepted and then decided to also give of her time in leading a subject she cares passionately about. She is also one of the largest individual fund raiser for the Alzheimer Association.
David Luhrssen
David Luhrssen lectured at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. He is author of “World War II on Film,” “The Vietnam War on Film,” “Secret Societies and Clubs in American History,” “Mamoulian: Life on Stage and Screen” and “Hammer of the Gods: Thule Society and the Birth of Nazism” and other books. Luhrssen is also managing editor and film critic of Milwaukee’s weekly newspaper, the Shepherd Express.
Dr. Anita Manogaran
Dr. Manogaran is an Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Marquette University. She is the Director of Graduate Studies.
Liliane McFarlane
Liliane McFarlane is the International Learning Program Manager at Neighborhood House of Milwaukee. Neighborhood House of Milwaukee, a community center in the settlement house tradition, was founded to help strengthen children and families in the city’s under-served neighborhoods. Since 1945, their programs have touched the lives of nearly a million youth and adults. Their award winning programs serve infants and toddlers, school-age and teen youth, adults and families, refugees and immigrants.
Gary Niebuhr
Gary Warren Niebuhr was born, raised and has lived his life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. He is retired and enjoys his hobbies that include making art, taking photographs, traveling, gardening, NASCAR, Golden Age Hollywood movies, theater, music and reading. He was the Library Director for the Village of Greendale, Wisconsin, for 36 years.
Marge Nixon
Marjorie Nixon had had a long and varied career as a teacher, social worker, psychotherapist and addiction specialist both here and in SE Asia. When she retired at 70, she invested time and energy studying conscious aging and now gives talks and workshops on that topic in the greater Milwaukee area. Taking her own advice, Marge moved into Clement Manor in July 2022.
George Penn
George Penn grew up in NY, was in the Navy for 6 years and moved to Madison in 1977 to get a degree in Nuclear Engineering. He spent most of his career as an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Consultant. In 2012 he shut down his business to build the movement needed to restore our republic. He expects to do this until he is unable.
Dr. John Reuter
Dr. Reuter is an Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies for Marquette University’s Political Science Department.
Dr. Dennis Roscoe
Dr. Dennis Roscoe holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in electrical engineering and a PhD in neurophysiology from the University of Arizona, School of Medicine. He has been a professor of biomedical engineering at Case Western Reserve University and a professor of neurology at UW Madison, College of Medicine. For the past 16 years, he has also developed a passion for astronomy and astrophotography and currently owns and operates his own personal observatory (RoscoeSkies.com). He specializes in the imaging of deep space objects such as nebulae, and in May 2014, his images were published in TIME.com. He teaches astronomy and astrophotography at UWM Waukesha and is a guest lecturer at Carroll University.
James Santelle
James Santelle recently completed a 30-year term of service as a criminal prosecutor and civil litigator with the United States Department of Justice, including over six years as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. During his tenure, he served in both Washington, D.C. and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, working directly with former Attorneys General Janet Reno and Eric Holder, among others. Mr. Santelle is a graduate of Marquette University (English & history) and of the University of Chicago Law School.
Amoun Sayaovong
Sayaovong is an author who has published articles on the Hmong and is widely read on the topic. He does presentation to groups and organizations. He has interviewed some of the major players in Hmong history, including William E. Coby, former CIA director, and Hugh Tovar, former station chief of the Southeast Asian office of the CIA. He has intimate knowledge from firsthand accounts of General Vangpao and Dr. Yangdao, two of the most influential Hmong leaders in
history.
Barb Schacht
Retired as School Librarian Barb also was also a Science teacher within the West Allis-West Milwaukee School District. Barb kicked of her teaching career with CFE in 2009 by blending her love of history and science in a course called “History of Science,” since then she has taught over 25 unique offerings.
Bret Schafer
Bret Schafer is a senior fellow and head of the Alliance for Securing Democracy’s information manipulation team. Bret is the creator and manager of Hamilton 2.0, an online open-source dashboard tracking the outputs of Russian, Chinese, and Iranian state media outlets, diplomats, and government officials. As an expert in computational propaganda, state-backed information operations, and tech regulation, he has spoken at conferences around the globe and advised numerous governments and international organizations. His research has appeared in the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, and he has been interviewed on NPR, MSNBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, and the BBC. Prior to joining GMF, he spent more than ten years in the television and film industry, including stints at Cartoon Network and as a freelance writer for Warner Brothers. He also worked in Budapest as a radio host and in Berlin as a semi-professional baseball player in Germany’s Bundesliga. He has a BS in communications with a major in radio/television/film from Northwestern University, and a master’s in public diplomacy from the University of Southern California, where he was the editor-in-chief of Public Diplomacy Magazine.
Marge Schell
Marge holds a BS in medical technology, an MS in administrative leadership with a focus in adult education and two certificates in grief support. She started her career in medical technology and retired in 2015 from volunteer management. She has a passion in lifelong learning and helping people learn about their inner self.
Peg Schrader
Peg Schrader is the 3rd Vice President (Voter Services) for the League of Women Voters.
Dr. Sara Schreiber
Dr. Sara Schreiber was the Forensic Technical Director of the Toxicology Laboratory at the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner’s Office. Sara has dedicated her entire career to forensic science. Sara’s passion for forensics is evident in her daily work and professional involvement in the forensic science community. Currently an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice at Wisconsin Lutheran College.
Patricia Shapiro
Retired Community Nurse and Grapevine Presenter.
Dr. Rebecca Shumway
Rebecca Shumway is an associate professor in the Department of History at UW-Milwaukee. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history and African studies from Northwestern University and both her master’s and doctoral degrees in history from Emory University.
Kim Skoczynski
Kim Skoczynski is currently the Concierge Liaison for Clement Manor. She has been assisting residents with making the move in decision for over 15 years.
Kathleen Smith
Retired Nurse Administrator who always had a passion for history. Upon retirement she dove head first into her passion and then decided to share it with the community. Teaching for several years at a lifelong learning program on the northeast side of town she now joins CFE and has several topics to share with our lifelong learners.
Deb Solis
Deb Solis, holds an M.F.A. degree in dance performance/choreography with a minor in Asian stage disciplines form the University of Wisconsin in Madison. She has over 40 years of teaching experience. Her passion is sharing the Chinese meditation movement discipline, T’ai Chi Ch’uan for all ages and all fitness levels. She has been an instructor at local, regional and national fitness conventions, conferences and workshops and has been an instructor at CFE for over 20 years.
Ken Solis
Ken Solis, M.D., M.A. is a retired internist and emergency physician. He also has a master’s degree in bioethics. His 1-2 hour drives to and from work also gave him the opportunity to learn a number of other subjects by listening to college level lectures on a variety of topics, including philosophy, various histories and the sciences. Ken is published in several different disciplines and is a current contributor and researcher for the International Big History Association whose members study and often teach about the major events and trends that have occurred over the course of the history of the universe.
Don Valentino
After a 31-year career, Don retired as a captain from the Milwaukee Police Department in 2000. Having always enjoyed history, he returned to school and earned a master’s degree in history from UWM in 2010. He also had a 20-year career in the Army, retiring in 1997.
Michael Wagner
Michael W. Wagner (Bachelor of Journalism, University of Nebraska; Ph.D., Indiana University) is William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair of the Wisconsin Idea and Professor of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he directs the Center for Communication and Civic Renewal. His work, exploring how individual interactions in the information ecology affect what people believe, what they want, and what they do has been published in prestigious journals such as Science, Journal of Communication, the International Journal of Press/Politics and in books he has co-authored at Cambridge University Press, CQ Press, and Sage Press. He is Associate Editor of Public Opinion Quarterly, the Founding Editor of the Forum in Political Communication, a member of the General Social Survey’s Board of Advisors and a winner of five university-wide teaching awards.