Every mural project is a labor of love—one that often requires years of hustling for walls, artists and funds. If you want to accelerate our efforts of bringing more art to rural areas, you can join and contribute to our nonprofit by become a board member.

When individuals agree to sit on our nonprofit board, they often do so out of a passion art that creates impact in our Central Wisconsin community. We want to be as transparent and upfront as to what we require to maintain an excellent and healthy board for Rise Up. And we want anyone interested in understanding the responsibility of oversight that comes with the role.

OUR BOARD MEMBERS

Christy Keele

Christy Keele

President / Founder
Christy Keele, the founder of Rise Up, has dedicated herself to empowering individuals - especially children through education, advocacy, and support services. As Executive Director/CEO at CASA of Marathon County and Former Staff Attorney at Voices for Children; Christy has spearheaded numerous initiatives aimed at uplifting marginalized children. Under her guidance since creating Rise Up in 2017, our nonprofit has been recognized for its impactful projects and unwavering commitment to positive change in our community.
Tara Draeger

Tara Draeger

Vice President / Co-Founder
Tara Draeger, co-founder of Rise Up, brings a deep passion for healthcare to her work in empowering communities and advocating for a healthier Central Wisconsin. As System Director of Community Health and Health Equity of Aspirus, Tara has been instrumental in developing projects that address the healthcare needs of our area. Her commitment to ensuring access to quality healthcare for all has driven many of Rise Up's mural projects in the past. Tara's dedication and expertise in healthcare have been pivotal in shaping our foundation of healing through art.
Ka Youa Xiong

Ka Youa Xiong

Treasurer
Ka Youa Xiong serves as a Compliance Analyst at Peoples State Bank. In addition to her professional role, Ka Youa is the Treasurer of Rise Up, where she applies her financial acumen to oversee the organization’s fiscal health and integrity. Her dual roles highlight her commitment to both financial stewardship and community empowerment. Ka Youa’s expertise in compliance and finance is invaluable to Rise Up, where she manages budgets, financial planning, and reporting, ensuring that the organization’s resources are effectively utilized to maximize its impact.
Brenda Schumacher

Brenda Schumacher

Secretary
Brenda Schumacher serves as the secretary of Rise Up, where her organizational skills and attention to detail are essential to the smooth operation of the organization. Brenda’s dedication and meticulous approach contribute significantly to Rise Up's mission, helping to create a structured and transparent environment that supports the organization’s growth and impact. Brenda is also a Real Estate Agent with Schumacher Realty at RE/MAX Excel, helping our community find their next home is her passion!

WHAT MAKES A GREAT RISE UP BOARD MEMBER

Willing to Volunteer

We understand that over 50% of private nonprofits pay their board members. We do not at this time. We have part-time paid staff (view here) that lead board meetings and lean on us for discussion and decisions to keep our nonprofit sustainable and objective. Like all nonprofits, we need board members who want to take on at least one of these board member responsibilities:

CURTAIN RAISERS

In boring corporate talk, these are the “fiduciary” board members. Curtain Raisers facilitate new connections with yet-untapped financial contributors, securing sizable donations or long-term commitments.

Nonprofit board directors have a number of key responsibilities, but a fiduciary one will help connect us to their network of growth opportunity, advise investing options, as well as, help appoint a treasurer and work alongside them.

FRIEND RAISERS

Friend Raisers cast a wider net as a valuable ally in our community efforts.

Help us build enthusiasm among those who are within your sphere but may not be aware of Rise Up yet! Be apart of events we do with the community and help us build our network of supporters in a friendly, personal manner! 

BARN RAISERS

Amish communities across America maintain the age-old tradition of “barn raising,” where families come together and pool their time and tools to erect a barn in the span of a day. We don’t have much use for a barn, but the basic principles hold true: little can get done without “elbow grease,” but many hands make for lighter work. Help us paint or work events!

CONSCIOUSNESS RAISERS

Consciousness Raisers bring the knowledge and gumption required to spearhead grassroots advocacy efforts within your community.

Activism-minded trustees of the board are essential. Our mural projects focus on heavy topics that need to be addressed in our direct local communities to effect change.

We cannot do that without advocates of Rise Up who are willing to voice opinions on bettering Central Wisconsin.

swift decisions

Every board faces moments of indecision or an issue that is difficult to resolve. It is normal for a group of decision-makers to hesitate when facing a risky or challenging situation. It is a chronically indecisive board, however, that can endanger the momentum and progress of the organization they are meant to support.

Work with artists, not against

While we want our board to be passionate about community public art, we are not accepting those who want to dictate the art. That is done between artist and the organizations we partner with. We pair artists with impactful projects and your role as a board member is to help us with our nonprofit. But if you want to paint or design a mural – definitely see our Artist Collective and how to apply to become a paid artist.

Commit to In-Person Attendance

Excluding sickness, as apart of volunteering your time to be on the Board of Directors that you commit to that agreement. Should it be, at the end of the year, you have failed to be in person to less than 9 out 12 meetings a Vote of no confidence / vote of no confidence will be taken by other board members to see if you should be offered the opportunity to resign.

Duty of Loyalty

Board members should act in good faith and put the interests of the organization above their own personal interests. This requires understanding any conflicts that may exist between different groups and taking action to balance their interests. We work with many people from all walks of life in our projects, keeping a professional relationship and advocating for Rise Up is a must.

Commit to 3 Years

We want to avoid burnout and keep fresh ideas coming in with people on our board to keep Rise Up sustainable. After 3 years of successful service, each board member will be offered the opportunity to resign or stay on; in a board meeting scheduled before their next term begins. Nothing dramatic! It’s not like quitting a job – you’re a valued volunteer and we understand if the time commitment just doesn’t fit in your schedule after your first year. Maybe your life has gotten busier or you’re moving away. Either way, we understand and are happy and flexible to work with new and emerging RAISERS!

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© 2024 • Rise Up Central Wisconsin, Inc is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization.
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