PRESIDENT

Elisabeth (Lis) Kuisis is a Wisconsin native, born and raised in Milwaukee, and has called Madison home since 2003. Lis has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Women’s Studies (now called Gender Studies) with a Certificate of Environmental Studies and Master of Science degree in Urban and Regional Planning with a focus on ecological land use planning, both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Lis started with the Department of Natural Resources in 2001 and has worked in the department in various capacities for the last 23 years working with diverse audiences throughout Wisconsin. Currently, she is a Grant Program Manager with the Community Financial Assistance Program administering several environmental grant programs. At one point in her DNR tenure, she was the Director of Green & Healthy Schools Wisconsin, a DNR-DPI partnership program providing information, resources and support for school staff, community members and others interested in green and healthy initiatives and activities for Wisconsin's public and private schools. Lis is a parent of a current BRMS 7th grader and a BRMS alumni 11th grader at LaFollette in the STEM Academy. Lis is eager to give back to the BRMS community and contribute to our charter renewal efforts. She is approaching this opportunity to serve the Badger Rock Community in the same way she approaches any endeavor: with 100% enthusiastic dedication. 

VICE PRESIDENT

Hello, I'm Quentin Riser, but you can call me "Q." Alongside my partner Jess, with whom I've shared a journey for 8 years, we're proud parents to three amazing children: Eden, who's 6 and a fashionista, Naz, our 3-year-old mini-me, and Jordy, who's so sweet and nearly 2. As an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Human Ecology, I'm deeply committed to ensuring every child, regardless of their birth circumstances, has access to exceptional care and education. What truly excites me about BRMS is its vibrant culture, where innovation is the norm, not the exception. The instructors and administrators set a high bar for creativity and forward-thinking, and the students? They're simply remarkable. Their energy and potential are boundless, and I eagerly anticipate the impact they'll make in Madison and the world at large.

TREASURER

Mario Garcia Sierra is originally from Guatemala City, Guatemala. He moved to Madison in 2003, hoping to continue his higher education goals. Mario has been working with Madison Gas and Electric (MGE) since 2012. In June of 2022 he became the Director of the Residential and Community Service area. In his role, he oversees a vibrant and diverse team of eight people dedicated to promoting energy efficiency and conservation through innovating approaches centered around equity. Prior to MGE, Mario worked for Centro Hispano. He later had the honor to be part of the Board of Directors from 2014 to 2020. Mario is a father of an 8 th grade Badger Rock scholar. He is committed to supporting public education and contributing to a vibrant and sustainable community. Mario has been involved in many community efforts and organizations in the Madison area.

SECRETARY

Greetings All. Nan Youngerman here. I am proud to be a founding member of the Badger Rock Middle School Community, working since 2010 to create a school embedded in a neighborhood center that brings people together around common values of Place, Sustainability, Cultural Relevance and Inquiry/Design. I enjoy the challenge of supporting BRMS as it evolves, always reflecting the contributions of many partners, dedicated staff, students and families. My hope for students is that they practice being resilient during their middle school years and use that skill as a gift for the rest of their lives.  During my teaching career, I joyfully taught at Orchard Ridge, Falk & Crestwood Elementary as well as Cherokee & Spring Harbor Middle Schools. During those years I was recognized for innovative teaching practices and excellence in the teaching of Science / Math with a national Presidential Teaching Award. I worked on Teacher Action Research in the Madison Schools and nationally to help teachers seek answers to their own questions, which they believed would help them become more powerful professionals. I enjoy connecting with former students, some of whom are working in the Madison Schools and with the wonderful energy of today's learners. Always and always: I believe an emphasis on creativity, critical thinking and strong independent learning skills plants the seeds for a lifetime of success. I enjoy giving back to my community and I love traveling, biking, cooking and time with my friends and family, including four grandsons ages 3, 5, 6 & 8. They all keep me young. 

PARENT REPRESENTATIVE

César Sanchez is an educator, active and participatory community member with roots in Chicago. His career spans over 20 years in community development and organizing, with a focus on building capacity and fostering engagement in both Chicago and internationally. Currently, as the Family, Youth & Community Engagement Coordinator for the Madison Metropolitan School District, he co-leads engagement strategies for the West side feeder schools from elementary to high school to strengthen family-school-community partnerships.

COMMUNITY

David Ahmann: UW graduate with a BS in History. Taught at the Work Learning Center for Madison Public Schools as my practicum location for my teaching certificate. I was hired by Landmark schools in Los Angeles in 1985, a school specifically for dyslexics. I then moved to Los Angeles Unified and taught in the Watts neighborhood in south central LA for 2 years at Locke High School. A career change happened when I moved to Santa Fe, NM as a newlywed in 1989. I started in the financial services industry. I returned with my wife and family to Madison in 1995 and started a financial planning practice with Raymond James. I have been honored to work on the Badger Rock Governance Council for 7 years. You may see me around Madison on the bike paths as I am an avid cyclist.

ROOTED/BRNC PARTNER REPRESENTATIVE & COMMUNITY

Sarah Karlson  (she/her/ hers) is Director of Urban Agriculture Education - Madison South. Sarah comes to her work at Rooted from Oakland, CA where she began her work in food justice and urban agriculture in 2005. She continues this work at Badger Rock, managing the 2-acre Badger Rock Urban Farm and Badger Rock Community Garden and provides gardening and culinary-based education opportunities. Sarah is passionate about gardens as a tool for education, food access, joy, connection, and building community resilience at the intersection of food, racial, environmental, and educational justice. She has shared her broad skills at Badger Rock for nearly a decade nurturing youth and community members along with the plants she cultivates.

PRINCIPAL

Welcome to Badger Rock Middle School! 

As your principal, I look forward to partnering with you! It takes a village, and I am excited and honored to be a part of the Badger Rock village! During my time at Badger Rock, I have seen firsthand the dedicated staff, families, and community members committed to sustaining a school that provides deep and meaningful learning experiences for all students. I am committed to cultivating a deep sense of connection and belonging where all students feel welcomed, safe, and included. We will prioritize communicating our mission and core values while managing the tensions between adopting and implementing innovative practices (i.e., project-based learning and environmental justice) within the larger traditional school system. As your principal, I will work closely with the community to listen to and uplift the voices of our scholars, families, and staff to ensure our collective voice is heard and valued! 

PARENT REPRESENTATIVE

Jimmy Okech is a Project Manager at Wisconsin Department of Transportation. He has a Master's in Computer Information Systems / IT Management from Boston University. Jimmy was born in Kisumu City in Kenya, near Lake Victoria, East Africa.  He is married to Amanda Okech, a Minnesota native, whom he met in Kenya almost 20 years ago. They have two wonderful daughters, Adeli and Zuri, a Badger Rock Middle School student.  Jim loves the outdoors, music, and cooking fresh meals which his mom taught him to do. As a guest chef, he recently made beef stew, tomato soup and African chapatis with BRMS students. The emphasis on project-based learning and the student-centered nature of Badger Rock Middle School remind Jimmy of his school days. 

I am a husband, a father, and a storyteller who sees the world through the lens of connection. To me, a community isn’t just a place you live—it’s a living, breathing practice of showing up for one another.

My philosophy is pretty simple: every voice is a necessary thread in the fabric of the whole. Drawing on twenty years of navigating the human side of education and the creative flow of the arts, I see the "Village" as a collective ecosystem. Real growth happens when we move past just "inviting" people to the table and start building the table together. I’m dedicated to the idea that participation is beyond an act of empowerment—a way for us to break down barriers and co-author a future where every child and family truly feels they belong.

COMMUNITY

Lisa Chambers is responsible for oversight of the day-to-day activities of at UW-Madison’s Morgridge Center for Public Service (connecting campus and community through community service, learning and research to build a thriving democratic society). Previously, she spent nine years as the director of the Centre for Community Partners at the University of Toronto. Prior to her work at the University of Toronto, she served as the Executive Director of Michigan Campus Compact and earlier in her career she held student affairs positions at Kent State University and St. Norbert College. She has a BA in Communications from UW-Stevens Point and a Masters in Educational Psychology with a College Student Development emphasis from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Lisa is originally from Madison and is thrilled to be back home. She is the proud mother of two adult men – her oldest lives in Amsterdam and her youngest is a firefighter in Durham, NC. Lisa enthusiastically accepted an invitation to join Badger Rock Governing Council after participating in the Principal Experience, where she spent a day with BRMS leadership, staff, and students. She is grateful to be welcomed into the community and looks forward to supporting the school’s mission and vision.