05/29/2026
Every year as another Leadership Portage County class comes to an end, I find myself sitting in reflection for a while. There’s always gratitude. There’s always pride. But this year especially, there’s a deep sense of appreciation for what was built together over these last 10 months.
Last night, we celebrated 27 incredible individuals graduating from the program, and honestly, this cohort was something special.
Month after month, they showed up fully. They came with curiosity, vulnerability, openness, and a real willingness to grow — not just professionally, but personally. They leaned into difficult conversations, explored the heart of Portage County, challenged perspectives, supported one another, and poured themselves into becoming better leaders, coworkers, neighbors, and humans.
Somewhere between the early mornings, long conversations, bus rides, laughter, uncomfortable growth moments, and shared experiences… something profound happened. Connections were formed that went far beyond networking. Friendships were built. Trust was built. Community was built.
And if I’m being honest, I’m going to deeply miss seeing these faces every month.
Our graduation celebration was held at Mid-State Technical College’s beautiful LEAD Center, and one of the most meaningful parts of the evening was watching organizations come out to celebrate and support their employees’ accomplishments. There is something incredibly powerful about a community that chooses to invest in people. Last night felt like a reflection of that - people showing up for one another, cheering each other on, and recognizing growth together.
We were honored to begin the evening with remarks from Adam Olson, Program Director for the UW-Stevens Point MBA, Sentry School of Business and Economics. PCBC is incredibly grateful for UWSP’s collaboration and partnership as our program sponsor. A special thank you as well to Lyna Speaks, Dr. Lyna Matesi, whose wisdom, energy, authenticity, and leadership left a lasting impact on this cohort throughout the year. Every time she entered the room, the conversations deepened and the connection grew stronger. She helped elevate this experience in ways that are hard to fully put into words.
Our evening sponsor, Community First Bank-Thank you for your continued support in the Leadership Portage County program!
To our sponsors — thank you for believing in leadership development and investing in this program:
Sentry, Fall Line Outfitters Co., Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association, Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Delta Dental of Wisconsin, Ortho Molecular Products, Lineage, Inc., and Community First Bank.
And to the many speakers throughout our community who showed up authentically to educate, share their experiences, and pour wisdom into this group — thank you. Your openness and willingness to lead with heart made a lasting difference.
Congratulations to our 2026 Leadership Portage County graduates:
Stacy Bach – Sentry
Scott Bembenek – Skyward
Chris Biechler – Sentry
Carissa Check – Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Jessica White Wing Clark – Ho-Chunk Gaming Wittenberg
Suzannah Diamond – Simplicity Credit Union
Joey Greshowak – Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin
Elsie Griffin – UW-Stevens Point
Ashley Held – Delta Dental of WI
Sam Ivey – Stevens Point Area YMCA
Amanda Kawlewski – Delta Dental of WI
Lori Kozicki – YMCA
Bobbi Kubish – Food + Farm Exploration Center Center
Derek Marshall – Simplicity Credit Union
Siera Miller – First State Bank
Gina Miresse – UWSP
Toran Nieman – One Lineage
Summer Peters – UWSP
Bailey Pilman – One Lineage
Ashley Prinsen – Skyward, Inc.
Erin Raikowski – UWSP
Jenna Schmoll – Gamber-Johnson
Ciara Schultz – University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
Aliza Schutten – Community First Bank
Becky Schwartz – UWSP
Kari Schwingle – Peoples State Bank
Morgan Vanderhei – Mid-State Technical
Thank you all for making this year unforgettable.
We are now accepting sponsorships and applications for next year’s Leadership Portage County program. If you or your organization are interested in being part of this experience, please contact Holly at [email protected] or call 715-344-1940.
