Current MIED Fellows - 2005

Diane Burnham, Urban Ecology Center

Diane Burnham began her career in nonprofit through her involvement with Public Allies-Milwaukee in 1998-99, during which time she was placed at the YMCA Holton Youth Center. She continued her career with the YMCA Holton Youth Center and Northside YMCA branches for the next six years working as a Program Director with at-risk youth and teens. During Diane's service with the YMCA, she obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Human Services. Diane also has served as a Board Member of Daystar, a transitional living shelter for women of domestic violence, from 1999-2001. She has also volunteered with Asian Moon Festival, National Youth Service Day -Milwaukee Committee, Wisconsin Humane Society, and more.

Her community work placement is at the Urban Ecology Center, where she works as a Business and Outreach Intern assisting with membership/marketing, rentals, special events and community outreach. Diane is working towards her Masters Degree in Urban Studies. She would like to target the system "from the inside out". Diane's determination to serve the community and reach disadvantaged populations is a high priority. You can find more information on the organization that Diane serves at www.urbanecologycenter.org

Kevin LeMoine, Sixteenth Street Community Health Center

Kevin is a Project Assistant with the Environmental Health Department of the Sixteenth Street Community Health Center. He has been given the responsibility of coordinating the Menomonee Valley Benchmarking Initiative (MVBI) - a collaborative project aimed at tracking trends related to the economic vitality, environmental health, and social well being of individuals, businesses and communities in and around Milwaukee's Menomonee Valley. The Valley, the former center of Milwaukee's industrial history, is now Wisconsin's largest brownfield. Over the past five years, it has been the subject of considerable redevelopment efforts.

His primary task is to coordinate the collection and analysis of data from City and State agencies, private entities, or from primary data collection. These data are related to over 60 indicators which will provide insight into whether or not the Valley is being redeveloped in a sustainable way. Other responsibilities include writing analyses and creating visual aids for publication of a 2005 State of the Valley report, collaborating with other MVBI team members, and getting the word out through conference presentations and publications. For more information on the organization that Kevin serves, please see www.sschc.org.

Danielle Luer, City of Milwaukee Summer Youth Internship Program

Danielle Luer is a recently returned Peace Corps Volunteer; her service was in Caazapa, Paraguay where she worked as an Urban Youth Development Volunteer. While living in Paraguay she organized the Caazapa Annual Women's Leadership Conference, taught sexual education, HIV awareness, workforce readiness, and English. She also hosted a weekly radio program and facilitated a variety of community development organizations within the schools and local medical centers. She holds a B.A. in Social Change and Development, Communication Processes, and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay and is currently pursuing a M.S. in Urban Studies at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

Through the MIED Fellowship program Danielle is currently working as the Program Coordinator for the City of Milwaukee Summer Youth Internship Program. The Youth Internship Program which she developed and runs has placed more than 200 Milwaukee central city youth in summer jobs in City of Milwaukee departments. More information on the Summer Youth Internship Program can be found at www.mkedcd.org/SYIProgram

Matt Melendes, Sherman Park Community Association

The Sherman Park Community Association (SPCA) is a nonprofit organization composed of residents, businesses, and institutions of the Sherman Park neighborhood. SPCA was established in 1971. SPCA's mission is to "promote the quality of life in our neighborhood". SPCA achieves this mission through its resident driven programming, which includes Housing Outreach, Community Organizing and Parent's Against Lead Outreach via the Milwaukee Health Department.

Matt has worked with and advocated for residents of our neighborhood. He identifies and cultivates resident leaders organizing them into block clubs and block clusters. These entities are the mechanism by which neighborhood issues (sanitation, public safety and community relations) are resolved. Matt works with local business coalitions, which include associations and Business Improvement Districts, to foster strong neighborhood businesses. Finally, Matt has assisted SPCA in advocating for the preservation of high quality housing. For more information on the organization that Matt serves, please see www.shermanpark.org.

Jana Mischlich, Urban Economic Development Association

Jana began her internship with Urban Economic Development Association of Wisconsin, Inc. (UEDA) in August 2004. Her first project involved researching best practice standards for community development corporations and nonprofit organizations in the City of Milwaukee. Over the last five months she has worked to bring the National Development Council's Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) certification series to the Milwaukee area. The first course will be held in June 2005. The HDFP certification program focuses on developing and financing affordable housing. Jana also researchs grant opportunities and writes grant proposals for UEDA programs, in addition to representing UEDA at community events. More information on the organization that Jana serves can be found at www.uedawi.org

Elizabeth Moen, Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM)

In her time with HACM, Elizabeth worked on many projects in order to benefit public housing residents. As the coordinator a VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Site for two tax seasons, she ensured access to free income tax filing for public housing residents. Her coordinating role included the recruitment and management of the volunteers who prepared taxes for low-income taxpayers. Elizabeth established a Neighborhood Networks computer lab in one of the public housing developments and scheduled the activities in the lab. Additionally she served as a tutor of basic computer skills classes to the older residents of public housing. Elizabeth assisted in the preparation of HACM grant proposals for federal HUD grants as well as grant writing for the Westlawn Resident Organization. She coordinated the successful silent auction for the United Way and Community Shares. Finally, Elizabeth worked with NASA in order to display items for a space-themed science fair held in a public housing development. For more information on the organization which Elizabeth served, please see www.hacm.org

Kristin Stieger, Menomonee Valley Partners

Kristin holds primary responsibility for the ongoing management of the grant writing process, including but not limited to grant research, development, coordination, writing, budgeting and oversight of grant achievement timelines. Also develops and maintains strong working relationship with funders and other community partners.

Much of Kristins' efforts are related to the coordination West End Development. One of the most promising areas for redevelopment is a 140-acre former rail yard that runs along both sides of the Menomonee River. This important brownfield is being transformed into a cutting edge business park and one-of-a-kind 70-acre community park along the Menomonee River. When complete, the project will demonstrate how new development can coexist with - and actually strengthen - the surrounding ecology and neighborhoods. Public investment (federal, state and local) will ultimately exceed $22 million. Many responsibilities are involved with the coordination of West End development including:

• Research and communicate options for park ownership, maintenance and programming including budgeting
• Support Park Development Committee and Sub-committee activities
• Maintain communication with outside parties interested in park development
• Engage all relevant levels of government and government agencies
• Stay abreast of overall west-end development site plans
• Organize and staff $6 million capital campaign

More information on Menomonee Valley Partners can be found at www.renewthevalley.org

Nicole Wilde, North Avenue Community Development Corporation

Nicole Wilde joins the Milwaukee Idea Economic Development (MIED) Fellows program from Ashland, Wisconsin, where she most recently worked as summer youth program coordinator for Northland College. Serving as a MIED fellow, Nicole works with the North Avenue Community Development Corporation (NACDC) where she helps build capacity through marketing and outreach activities. She is pursuing a graduate degree in Business Administration at UWM, with an emphasis in entrepreneurship and will graduate August of 2005. Nicole served as a Peace Corps Volunteer on the small island of Dominica in the West Indies from 1993 to 1995 and as an Americorps volunteer in Hood River Oregon in 1995. To learn more about the organization Nicole serves, please visit www.northavenuecdc.org/

MIED Alumni

Helen Hermus, Layton Boulevard West Neighbors

Helen Hermus, served as a MIED Fellow at UWM's Consortium for Economic Opportunity. Her 2-year fellowship placement was with Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, where she focused on commercial district revitalization on Lincoln Avenue, from 27th Street to 43rd Street. Helen received Bachelor of Science degrees in English and Communication from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. After working in the printing industry, she served in the US Peace Corps from 1992-1994, teaching English as a foreign Language in Poland. Her idealism and belief in the power of community led her to take advantage of the MIED fellows program to pursue her Masters degree in Urban Studies because of its well-rounded, multi-disciplinary approach to social issues. Helen completed her MIED fellowship in 2004. She accepted the offer of permanent employment at Layton Boulevard West Neighbors, where she serves as the director of their Main Street Program. For more information on the organization that Helen served, please visit www.lbwn.org.