Eau Claire Women in the Lead Articles

In Eau Claire, There’s at Least 100 Women Who Care, and They’re All Part of This Organization

100 Women Who Care raises thousands of dollars for local nonprofits every year

In 2006, Karen Dunigan of Jackson, Michigan, saw a need for baby cribs in her community. She thought to ask 10 friends for $1,000 to donate cribs to those who needed them, but then thought asking 100 women for $100 would probably be a little bit easier ...

Inspiring the Next Generation: First Hmong Principal in U.S. Works Beyond the Classroom

Kaying Xiong's passion for education and community goes beyond her work in the Eau Claire Area School District

At the height of the Vietnam war, a family of five fled from Long Tieng, Laos to Thailand in the middle of the night. The father of the family, captain of the Royal Lao Army, fought for the U.S., and despite the difficult decision of leaving all they knew behind, he applied for asylum in the United States. In June of 1978, the family made their way to Chicago, making history along the way. ...

Standing Out In STEM: UWEC Alumna Among Elite Group Honored With 3-D Printed Statues

this Blugold grad stands out – like, literally

It’s not unusual for Blugold alumni around the U.S. and the globe to be recognized for major accomplishments in their fields. Yet some alumni success stories stand out – literally, like a big orange statue. Beatris Mendez Gandica, a 2013 UW-Eau Claire information systems and international business graduate, is a security program manager at Microsoft and CEO and founder of the Nuevo Foundation ...

Unwavering Voice: Colleen Bates Speaks Up on the E.C. County Board for Those Who Can’t

longtime elected official wins statewide award from counties association

Across more than 38 years in public office, Eau Claire County Board Supervisor Colleen Bates has maintained a passion for looking out for her neighbors and trying to solve the problems they face collaboratively ...

Breaking (Sound) Barriers: C.V. Youth Symphony Welcomes First Female Director

symphony orchestra celebrates 40th anniversary, orchestrates new sounds with some notably new faces

Lydia Park admits she didn’t see herself becoming the conductor of a youth symphony orchestra when she began her music career 20 years ago. Granted, when you’re 10, those aspirations align closer to astronaut or president of the United States. (No big deal.) And yet, Park is the first female director of the Chippewa Valley Youth Symphony, an organization that celebrates its 40th birthday this year. In that time, no woman has ever graced the podium. Until now ...

Bonhomie, Bonspiels, and Broomstacking: E.C. Curling Club Recruits More Women

curling has always been an inclusive sport, but one local club aims to relaunch all-women's league

Curling is an inclusive sport that makes room for people of all ages and abilities. And amid the camaraderie and respect that typifies this centuries-old sport, the Eau Claire Curling Club stands out for its dedication to encouraging new players and ensuring that everyone interested in playing gets a chance to try different positions on a team ...

How Do Women Tackle Leadership Roles? ‘We Get It Done.’

Country Jam manager Kathy Wright shares how she excels in leadership

Kathy Wright’s answer to new opportunities is not no – it’s not now. As general manager of Country Jam, board president of Scouts BSA, member of the board at Visit Eau Claire, former sales representative at WEAU-TV, member of 100 Women Who Care Eau Claire ...

UWEC Prof Studies the Science of Saving Lives

local psych prof receives $412K grant to study suicide prevention

Many young women are told that science is “boring” and math is “too hard,” but for researcher and UW-Eau Claire psychology professor Dr. Jennifer Muehlenkamp, researching in the field of clinical psychology is her true passion ...

Women Gain More Seats at the Table

once largely shut out of politics, female elected officials now more common in the Valley

‘The first time somebody asked me to run for office, I laughed at them,” explains Eau Claire City Councilwoman Kate Beaton. At the time ...

UW-Stout Multicultural Coordinator Is One of State’s Most Influential Latinos

Vickie Sanchez inspires inspiration for Latinx and BIPOC students

Victoria “Vickie” Sanchez was recently named one of the top 39 most influential Latinos in Wisconsin by Madison 365, which is run by the 365 Media Foundation – a nonprofit journalistic organization based in Madison ...

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