Julie Borgealt is the Assistant Director of Outreach for Alverno College. She has worked in continuing education for the college since 2008. Prior to that, she planned professional
development workshops, seminars and annual meetings for corporate clients and medical associations. Julie has a B.S. in Business from Indiana University. In 2015, she earned her
Master’s degree in Community Psychology with a focus on program evaluation and research at Alverno. Julie has worked with the college’s character education programs, LACE and
LACCS since their inception in 2010. She is the primary coordinator for Wisconsin’s annual character education conference. Julie also serves as a representative
for Alverno College at Wisconsin Women in Higher Education Leadership.
Lauren Feaster
Lauren Feaster humbly serves as the newly-appointed Chief Executive Officer of Professional Dimensions, a leading women’s professional association in the Milwaukee area whose mission is
to unite women leaders in the relentless pursuit of better. Prior to joining Professional Dimensions, Lauren served in various executive capacities within the non-profit education realm with
both City Year Milwaukee and Teach for America Milwaukee. During her tenure, she has led community partnerships, fundraising, staff management/coaching, training, program evaluation,
strategic planning and business operations. As an advocate for youth, education and collective impact, Lauren remains engaged in community through her service on City Year’s Regional
Board, the Leaders Igniting Transformation (LIT) Board, and as co-chair of the K12 Civic Response Team via Greater Milwaukee Foundation. Additionally, she works to inspire leadership as a
member of Milwaukee Urban League YP, Global Shapers, and Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. Lauren holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and is currently pursuing
her Masters in Character Education.
Colin Jacobs
Colin Jacobs is the Human Resources Director of the Pewaukee School District. Prior to that role, he was an elementary school principal and provided collaborative leadership for a
National District of Character. He has been trained through LACCS and the 11 Principles of Character Education training in addition to presenting breakout sessions at the
state conference. He started his career as an educator teaching 1st grade and 6th grade before becoming an administrator. He is also an adjunct professor at Alverno
College in their School of Education's Master's Degree Program. He is a doctoral candidate in Cardinal Stritch's Leadership, Learning, and Service Program. He and his
family attend Eastbrook Church where he taught Sunday school classes and he currently serves as an Eastbrook Academy board member. He enjoys spending free time with his
wife and children and following local sports teams.
Ronett D. Jacobs
For more than 20 years, Ronett Jacobs has focused on innovative student-centered instructional practice, designing creative learning environments, coaching teachers and advocating for
students that are subjected to marginalization.
Ronett is a director for the Thea Bowman Institute for Excellence and Leadership and LACCS at Alverno. She is also currently the Program Coordinator for Teach for America at Alverno College
which prepares "on the job" Master's licensure teachers for service in underserved schools around the city of Milwaukee. Ronett participated on the board of directors at Eastbrook
Academy in Glendale until July of 2020.
Ronett is currently pursuing her doctorate in Educational Leadership at Alverno and holds an M.A. Curriculum and Instruction from Marian University and a B.A. in Education from Alverno
College. For seventeen years, Ronett was an exemplary classroom teacher instructing third and fourth-grade students and an instructional coach. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with two of
her three children, and her husband. Ronett loves to experience the people and cultures of the world through travel and has lived in many places such as Georgia, Kentucky,
Washington, D.C., Maryland, North Carolina, Japan, and Hawaii.
Marisa Riepenhoff
Marisa Riepenhoff is a sixth grade teacher at Atwater Elementary School in Shorewood, Wisconsin. She has worked with upper elementary and middle
school learners and educators in classroom and nonprofit settings since 2001. Marisa served as Vice President of Education for SHARP Literacy, a STEAM nonprofit, from 2016 to 2019,
partnering with school leaders and teachers from 43 schools in Milwaukee, Waukesha, and Racine. Since returning to the classroom, Marisa continues to facilitate professional development in
arts integration for elementary and middle school teachers through work with the Milwaukee Art Museum and the National Writing Project at Carroll University. Marisa's framework for
professional development is inspired by her decades-long work as a teacher consultant with the National Writing Project. Marisa earned a MS in Teaching from Pace University in New York City
in 2004 and graduated from Carroll University’s Educational Leadership Program in 2016. Marisa moved to the Milwaukee area eleven years ago from Austin, Texas. She
and her family love walks near Lake Michigan.
Arianne Kailas Vitrano
Arianne Kailas Vitrano has been in education for fifteen years as a teacher, school leader and teacher/leader coach. Arianne began her career as a Teach for America Corps Member, teaching
both 5th and 2nd grade in the South Bronx. Arianne then took on a school leadership role as the Assistant Head of Lower School at the Bank Street School for
Children. Transitioning to Milwaukee, Arianne spent four years coaching school principals and aspiring school leaders.
Arianne specializes in creating nurturing, dynamic school communities, facilitating professional development, curriculum development/implementation, teacher/leader coaching, and academic data
analysis. Arianne’s unique strengths include an ability to build and maintain strong relationships, helping others achieve their highest potential, perseverance in the face of
challenge, enthusiasm and passion. Arianne holds a B.A. in Psychology and French from Emory University, a M.S. in Elementary Education from Pace University and a M.S. in School
Leadership from Bank Street College.
LEADERSHIP ADVANCING CHARACTER AND CULTURE IN SCHOOLS (LACCS)
