GOVERNANCE BOARD

Chair

Michael Hughes' adventures have brought him right back to where it started. He graduated Wausau West High School in 2001, and then left the state to attend college at the University of Pittsburgh. After graduation, he was lured back to Wisconsin to attend law school at University of Wisconsin - Madison. Upon receiving his law degree, Michael was a sole proprietor who litigated throughout the state for about 15 years. He has recently joined a firm and focuses his legal practice on resolving insurance disputes.

Michael has a pair of twins that keep him deeply engaged, amazed, and fatigued. In his free time (ha!) he enjoys exercising, playing chess, and attending as much live music as possible.

Vice-Chair and Chair of Grant Writing Committee

Amanda originally followed a job to north central Wisconsin, but is proud to have put down roots and grown a career and family in the Wausau area. Amanda has always had an affinity for nature, which was made clear by her choice to attend Northern Michigan University, located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. She spends many weekends at the family property in the Keewenaw Peninsula, nurturing her daughter’s love of the outdoors. During the work week, she can be found meeting with her wealth management clients. Outside of the day job, Amanda serves on two other non-profit boards, golfs in a women’s league, and spends time with her husband, daughter, and their small zoo of pets.

Captain of Making it Happen at Aplomb PR

A communications and public relations guru who specializes in small business marketing and public relations, Elizabeth received her degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire prior to planting her roots in the Wausau area. She founded her own marketing and PR agency in 2010 and today works with clients of all sizes both locally and throughout the United States. Growing up in northern Wisconsin, the outdoors were a huge part of her upbringing and remain a focus for her and her family. When not working or chasing her young son around, she loves getting off-grid at her family cabin in Price County, spending summer afternoons on Lake Wausau, supporting other community boards and adopting adorable mutts from the shelter.

Chair of Grand Opening Committee

Tia, originally from Madison, WI, relocated to Wausau two decades ago to be closer to family. With over 10 years of experience in the mortgage industry, she has transitioned her focus to specialize in compliance within the financial sector.

Tia wears multiple hats as a wife, mother, and daughter. Juggling her very energetic four-year-old and growing teenager is both exhausting and fulfilling. Outside of work and family, Tia tries to embrace Wisconsin’s oh-so-short summers while also relaxing. She enjoys creating delicious meals for her family, exploring new destinations, and improving her amateur gardening skills. Tia’s daughter was diagnosed with food allergies at seven months old. This experience sparked Tia’s interest in the origins of our food, its impact on our bodies, and our relationship with nature.

Chair of Capital Campaign Committee

Occupational Therapist Registered & Licensed

Originally from Ohio, Tricia moved to north central Wisconsin during a career change and enjoyed the area enough to settle down here. Trained as an Occupational Therapist, Tricia has a unique clinical perspective for understanding holistically how individuals engage with their environment and developing specific adaptations to address each person’s unique needs. Tricia has a passion for supporting the community’s ability and resources to reduce barriers for increased engagement in holistic activities that integrate physical, mental and social wellbeing.

Growing up on 8 acres and bringing home every wayward animal she encountered as a child, a lifelong passion for nature and animals blossomed. She aspires to increase integration of the outdoors into her clinical skills and provide more opportunities for the Wausau community to have access to nature based occupational therapy. Tricia regularly enjoys getting outdoors in almost any form but especially enjoys camping, hiking and kayaking.

Psychologist & Integrated Services Director at Bridge Community Health Clinic and Managing Partner at Tall Pines Behavioral Health

Dakota Kaiser is a Central Wisconsin native dedicated to paying forward the investment the community made in his education and development. Dakota is a Health Service Psychologist specializing in developmental and health psychology assessment and intervention, focusing his career on building quality care and prevention systems in our community. He currently serves as the Integrated Services Director at Bridge Community Health Clinic and operates Tall Pines Behavioral Health Clinic with his wife. He is on the board of directors of Marathon Counseling and Residential Services, the co-chair of the Marathon County School Based Counseling Consortium, an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, and involved in several community organizations. He and his wife Rachel, have two children who remind them that there is always time in the day to play in the mud and climb a tree.

Chair of Annual Events Committee

Mandi has grown up in Central Wisconsin, graduated from high school in 2004. She then went on to further her education at UWSP where she received a teaching degree. After a few years she decided traditional/public education was not the right fit and left the profession. She then moved on and worked her way up to operations manager at a local retailer. After being there over a decade, she along with her family decided it was best to end the out of home career path for now. She is currently a stay at home mom of two children, as well as a "farm wife" and busy homemaker. In her free time she enjoys being outdoors with her kids, playing board and card games as well as playing sports.

Chair of Annual Fundraising Committee

All roads lead home. Jenna was born and raised in Wausau, WI, graduating from Wausau West High School in 2005, before her adventures took her to Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula where she received her undergraduate degree from Michigan Technological University. After graduation, Jenna’s profession took her and her now husband to the greater Indianapolis, Indiana area where she spent the last 15 years growing her career and family, always hoping to move back to central Wisconsin. In 2023, Jenna and her family moved back to where she was raised (literally), putting down roots on the same land that she grew up on.

Jenna has two kids that keep her active, both mentally and physically. During the work week, you can find her conducting research and designing services to help transform the way federal government serves the public. In her spare time, Jenna enjoys doing crossfit, walking her dogs, and watching her kids try new things (e.g, hockey and skiing)!

Dr. Benjamin Kaster, MD, MPH, is a dedicated hospitalist and addiction medicine specialist at Aspirus Wausau Hospital, where he brings his expertise to the forefront of patient care. Alongside his clinical work, Dr. Kaster is deeply involved in medical education as an attending physician for the family residency program and adjunct professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin

Originally from Minnesota, Dr. Kaster's journey in healthcare has taken him around the world. After completing his undergraduate degree, he received the University of Minnesota Human Rights Award. This recognition allowed him the opportunity to spend two transformative years on the ground in Uganda, East Africa, where he co-founded Uganda Rural Fund’s Hope Academy School. Today, the school flourishes with over 400 students, a clinic, and a public library.

Dr. Kaster's academic pursuits and passion for global health and healthcare equality led him to pursue a Master's in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. Spending over a year and a half in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Kaster was exposed not only to healthcare inequalities but also educational disparities. This experience has fueled his ongoing efforts to fight for social justice and equality for all at home and abroad.

In his cherished moments away from medicine, Dr. Kaster finds solace and joy in the company of his beloved family: his wife, Ann, and their daughters Norah, Zoe, and Florence. The Kaster family's home is powered by solar panels, and driven by electric cars reflecting their commitment to sustainability and their efforts to fight climate change.

The Kaster crew wholeheartedly embraces outdoor activities such as beekeeping, maple syrup making, and the delightful chaos of chicken chasing. Whether it's tending to their outdoor pursuits or simply basking in the sun, the Kaster family can always be found enjoying the great outdoors.