WALSAA Board of Directors
June Roush – Director, President
June Roush earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics, with a business and industry option, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and then a master’s degree in business administration from Edgewood College. The majority of June’s work experience was with John Deere Financial (JDF). June held individual contributor roles in acquisitions, collections, credit analysis/underwriter, strategic and IT business analysis, and process improvement, along with customer and merchant management supervisor roles and IT division leader responsibilities for business analysis, project management, and quality assurance/testing. June retired in 2019 after 30 plus years with JDF. Additionally, in 2010, she founded her own income properties company, Roush Investments, LLC. In 2019, June accepted the Harmony Hill Farm Sanctuary Board of Director and Treasurer roles. June grew up on a century dairy farm near Plain, Wisconsin. Today, she continues to do the bookkeeping for the family farms. She has two children, Isaac and Ashlyn.
Jane Hillstrom – Director, Vice-President, Sponsorship Lead
Jane Hillstrom found her passion for agriculture at an early age on her grandfather’s dairy farm. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with double majors in Meat and Animal Science and Ag Education in 1980. A first-generation graduate, she credits CALS scholarships with helping her through college. After working for the Integer Group as VP of Strategic Counsel, she started Hillstrom PR. She and her team managed public relations campaigns for a wide range of industries including agriculture tourism and healthcare. She finished her career at Filament Marketing. Jane holds a certificate in Reputation Management from the Public Relations Society of America and still enjoys talking through an issue or crisis with industry friends. She is a founding board member of Isadoora Theatre Company and served on the board and executive committee of the Door County YMCA. Jane and Mark Breseman, her husband, returned to Southwest Wisconsin after 25 years living in Door County. They have two grown children.
John Brunnquell – Director, Secretary/Treasurer, Past President
John Brunnquell graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in Agronomy and master’s degree in Poultry Science. His research led to his being awarded patents for both fat and cholesterol reduction in shell eggs. Since founding Egg Innovations in 1999 and leading the company to a national presence, John earned his Ph.D. in Avian Ethology at the University of Kentucky. He has served on numerous industry boards and committees and has been recognized many times for his volunteer work; including induction into the Wisconsin 4-H Hall of Fame and being named an Outstanding Alumni of the University of Wisconsin. John and his wife, Cathy, were selected as the United States’ Outstanding Young Farmers by both the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Jaycees organization. John served as past President of the Wisconsin Agricultural Alumni Association, The Wisconsin 4-H Foundation and Organic Egg Farmers of America. John and Cathy have three children and five grandchildren.
Curt Lauderdale – Ex-Officio Director (CALS)
Curt Lauderdale works in the Office of Academic Affairs at the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS). Curt serves as the assistant dean for student advising and development. In this role, Curt works closely with Career Services and Academic Advising across the College. Curt grew up on a multi-generational dairy farm in Elkhorn, WI, attended Lawrence University in Appleton, WI, for his undergraduate degree, and has a Master of Arts in Education degree from The George Washington University Graduate School of Education. He enjoys exploring Madison with his dog Tilly.
Andrew Stevens – Ex-Officio Director (CALS Faculty)
Andrew Stevens is an Assistant Professor of Agricultural and Applied Economics in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research and teaching activities focus on economic decision-making throughout the food supply chain from agricultural production to consumer demand. By better understanding how individual producers and consumers make decisions, he hopes to support producers, address market failures, and inform evidence-based policymaking. Andrew is originally from the Twin Cities area in Minnesota, earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from the University of Chicago, earned his MS and PhD degrees in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and worked for two years as an Assistant Professor of Agricultural Economics at Mississippi State University before joining the faculty at UW-Madison in 2019.
Meghan Reimann – CALS Ambassadors Student Rep
Meghan Reimann is currently a sophomore studying Animal & Veterinary Biosciences, with certificates in Ceramics, Life Sciences Communication, and Leadership (Morgridge Center for Public Service). Originally from Buffalo, New York, she serves as a CALS Ambassador within Academic Affairs and works alongside their social media team. Actively involved in research, she works as an Animal Technician at the Livestock Laboratory and is an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the Laporta Lab, where she also serves as the lab’s Public Relations Manager. In the future, Meghan plans to pursue both a master’s and a doctorate degree, with the long-term goal of owning her own research lab.
Amanda Bender – CALS Student Rep
Amanda Bender is a plant pathology major from Walworth, Wisconsin. Active in several campus organizations, she is sentinel for the Association of Women in Agriculture (AWA) and coordinator for the Collegiate Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom program. As a Badger Dairy Club member, she was the group’s World Dairy Expo business chair. She was also president of her FFA chapter while in high school. In the future, Bender plans to work towards a doctorate degree.
Nicole Broege – CALS Student Rep
Nicole Broege is currently a senior at UW-Madison, majoring in Dairy Science with a certificate in Data Science. She is originally from Janesville, Wisconsin, where she grew up owning and showing a small herd of registered Holsteins, Rock-Edge Holsteins, with her two older sisters, Kristen and Jenna. Active in the industry, Nicole was dedicated to the Wisconsin Junior Holstein Association, where she was chair of the Junior Activities Committee and Outstanding Holstein Girl. On campus, Nicole is very involved with student organizations, serving this year as Secretary for the Association of Women in Agriculture, Treasurer for Collegiate Farm Bureau, and President of Badger Dairy Club.
Nicole Breunig – Director, Marketing & Development Chair
Nicole Breunig is a 2006 graduate of UW-Madison with a double major in Life Sciences Communication and Dairy Science. She joined as the Marketing Chair for WALSAA in 2023. She received her Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications and is a passionate marketing and communications leader with work experience in agriculture, food production, CPG, event management and media through private enterprises and government entities. She grew up in Green County on a dairy farm in southern Wisconsin. She is married to a fellow alum, together with her husband they have four boys and reside in Manitowoc, Wisconsin on their farmette. She is a volunteer in her community helping with youth sports, PTA, serves as sponsorship chair to the Manitowoc 4-H Dairy Committee for the Manitowoc County Fair Junior Dairy Show, is the advisor for the Manitowoc County Junior Holstein Association and also coaches dairy bowl.
Brian Koch – Director, Events Committee Co-Chair
Brian Koch grew up on a livestock farm near Jefferson, Wisconsin. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Meat and Animal Science, with a Business and Industry option from UW-Madison. He spent the first ten years of his career in production management in the meat industry. He has worked as a financial advisor for the last 25 years; founding Red Barn Advisors in 2015. He currently serves on the Delta Theta Sigma Alumni Board of Directors and with the Rotary Club of Waupun. Brian is married to Valerie and together they have five children and one grandchild. He enjoys watching his kids participate in high school sports (volleyball, baseball and soccer). He also enjoys getting back to the family farm, sporting clays and other outdoor activities.
Kay Maas – Director
Kay Wilhelm Maas is a consulting clinical registered dietitian nutritionist. She attended UW-Madison and CALS to earn an undergraduate degree in bacteriology, meat and animal science, and a master’s degree in meat and animal Science. Maas and her husband, Duane, live in Pewaukee, Wisconsin, and they have three daughters. Maas is a lifetime member of WALSAA and is interested in focusing on scholarship opportunities for CALS students while serving on the Board of Directors.
Dawn Manthei – Director
Dawn Manthei is the Vice President of Research and Development for Denali Ingredients. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree at UW-Madison in Food Science. She was an active 4-H member in her youth and has a strong passion for agriculture and the dairy industry. She is currently a mentor for Women in Dairy through the IDFA and is passionate about serving others. She resides in Hartland Wisconsin with her husband and has two children. In her free time, she enjoys travel, food, music, and anything involving water.
Julie McKiernan – Director
Julie McKiernan first became interested in agriculture in 8th grade when she was a member of the Montello FFA junior soils team at Farm Progress Days. Julie became the first female Montello FFA President in her senior year. She attended the UW-Madison majoring in Agricultural Economics and Dairy Science with a Business and Industry Option, graduating in 1987 with a BS-Agriculture degree. She worked at Bou-Matic Dairy Equipment until 1996, where she managed the customer service department. She obtained her real estate sales license and transitioned into self-employment and co-ownership in a residential building company where she managed the office and was corporate Treasurer. In 2010, she became the Office Manager for a small welding and manufacturing company. The last seven years she worked for Kalscheur Implement Co. Inc. at the parts counter, a Case IH dealership, and recently joined Brooks Tractor Inc., a John Deere construction dealership, also at the parts counter. Julie served a three-year term on the School District of Lodi School Board, has been the past Treasurer and current member of the Lodi FFA Alumni and currently is a Village of Dane Trustee and board member of the Dane-Vienna Fire District. Julie brings a diverse background with her knowledge and past experiences.
Paul Mitchell – Director
Paul Mitchell has been on the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison since 2004 in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics. He grew up on a farm in northeastern Iowa and attended Iowa State University for his PhD in Economics. At UW he runs an active research, teaching and Extension program focused broadly on agriculture. As director of the Renk Agribusiness Institute, he leads the Institute’s broad mission to enhance education for students and support research and outreach for the state’s agribusiness sector, which includes putting on the Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum each year. He is currently serving as the CALS interim associate dean of academic affairs.
Michael Murphy – Director, Events Chair
Michael Murphy, Ph.D., is a 1987 University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) graduate in agricultural economics who has a passion for learning and employee performance. Murphy continued his education at UW-Whitewater to earn a master’s degree in business administration, and then at Benedictine University for his Ph.D. in organizational development. Currently, Michael works for St. Ambrose University as a Business Development Manager. Murphy and his wife, Nancy, live in DeWitt, Iowa, close to their three adult children and grandchild.
Tracy Propst – Director, Scholarship Co-Chair
Tracy Propst grew up on her family’s registered Holstein dairy farm, Crescentmead Farm, in Ixonia, Wisconsin, and graduated from CALS at UW-Madison in 1991 with a B.S. degree in Bacteriology. Her early career included roles at Oscar Mayer in product development and food microbiology, as well as a year as a Wienermobile Hotdogger and ultimately in sales. She spent 22 years at Gehl Foods and served as Vice President of Food Service Sales and later worked with Professional Dairy Producers. Since 2020, Tracy has served as Executive Director of the Beaver Dam Chamber of Commerce, driving economic growth, tourism, business support, and community engagement. Tracy is actively involved in numerous organizations, including the Beaver Dam Rotary, Marshfield Medical Center-Beaver Dam Community Advisory Board, Community Health Committee and Leadership Wisconsin Board of Directors. She and her husband, Andy, operate a 2,000-acre crop and hog farm in Beaver Dam with Andy’s brother and are proud parents of UW-Madison children: Zackary (BBA, 2020) and Lindsay (BS expected 2025, WALSAA Outstanding Sophomore).
Lindsey Sarbacker – Director, Social Media Lead
Lindsey Sarbacker is currently a Lead Crop Insurance Adjuster for Rain and Hail serving farmers and ranchers in eastern South Dakota. She is a recent UW-Madison CALS graduate, earning degrees in Dairy Science and Life Sciences Communication with a certificate in Agricultural Business Management. At UW-Madison she was active in Collegiate Farm Bureau, National Agri-Marketing Association and Badger Dairy Club. She currently serves on the WALSAA Marketing and Development Committee as lead of WALSAA’s social media platforms.
Lizzy Schultz – Director, Student Outreach Co-Chair
Lizzy Schultz graduated from CALS in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in animal science. Following her graduation, she has worked in communications, public relations, and marketing for a variety of publications, firms, and agencies, including AgWired, Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, broadhead, and 10Pearls Studio. In 2023, she returned to UW-Madison as a full-time MBA student at the Wisconsin School of Business. She is receiving her MBA in Marketing and Brand Management and will graduate in the Spring of 2025.
Brooke Trustem – Director, Student Outreach Co-Chair
Brooke Trustem is a sixth-generation dairy farmer from Evansville, Wisconsin, and is the Sales & Marketing Coordinator for BouMatic. Trustem was raised on her family’s 2,500-cow dairy farm. She is passionate about the dairy industry. A recent UW-Madison CALS graduate, Trustem was highly involved in many agriculture-related organizations on campus. She was the President of CALSAA and the Badger Dairy Club, Secretary of the Association of Women in Agriculture and Director of Public Relations for the Collegiate Farm Bureau. In these roles, Trustem helped coordinate events that helped educate the public about agriculture. She is the Rock County Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Agriculturists chair along with serving on the Evansville FFA Alumni Board.
Rachel Zwieg – Director, Farm & Industry Short Course
Rachel Zwieg graduated from UW Madison’s Farm and Industry Short Course in 2008. She earned both Soil Science and Green Industry certificates. Rachel is an owner/operator at Zwieg’s Maple Acres LLC, a seventh-generation robotic dairy and crop farm. Rachel and her husband Kyle have focused on sustainability efforts and the integration of technology to gain efficiency and economic advantage. Zwieg’s Maple Acres has been the top producing robotic dairy in North America for multiple years. Rachel and Kyle lead the way in preserving farmland by being one of the first 15 farms to enroll in a conservation easement in 2010 through the State of Wisconsin’s PACE Program (Purchase of Agricultural Conservation Easements). Rachel and Kyle were selected as National Outstanding Young Farmers in 2023. The couple have three children, Theodore, and twins Landon and Logan.
Stephanie Hammerly – Membership and Events Coordinator
Stephanie Hammerly joined WALSAA as their Membership and Events Coordinator in 2016. In addition to WALSAA, she works with other organizations in the agricultural and dairy industries. Hammerly is an alumnus of UW-Platteville with a bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness and Animal Science with an emphasis in Communications and Marketing. She owns Polled Dairy Cattle #PolledPlace in Wisconsin Dells, and started Dreamstone Dairy, a small herd of Polled Holsteins and Red & Whites, with her husband Joel. They have three children, Hannah, Hunter and Hudson. She is the Board of Education Chair for Trinity Lutheran School, serves as a Director, Board Secretary and Promotion and Education Chair for Columbia County Farm Bureau, and serves on the Wisconsin Dells Youth Cheerleading Board of Directors.
Jill Makovec – Bookkeeper, Marketing & Development Co-Chair
Jill grew up on her family’s dairy farm, Lazy M Acres, near Muscoda, Wisconsin . Today, she is a Strategic Marketing Executive with Learfield Communications representing Wisconsin Radio and Brownfield Ag Networks. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she earned her master’s degree in dairy science for her research and focus on milk quality, along with a bachelor’s degree in dairy science and agricultural journalism. A strong advocate for Wisconsin agriculture, Jill served as the 60th Alice in Dairyland where she worked to promote the industry’s significance to the state’s economy and quality of life. In addition to serving as the WALSAA Bookkeeper, she works on the Wisconsin Fairest of the Fair committee. She utilizes her public speaking skills and Dale Carnegie training to conduct media and etiquette presentations for the WI FFA state officer team, Association of Women in Agriculture, and other organizations. Outside of work, Jill continues her family’s legacy in agriculture managing her family’s century farm.