Rotary Club of Madison

Welcome New Members! DeAndre Martin is the Executive Director of CEOs of Tomorrow, his sponsor is Peter Gray. Brian Espinosa is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Adapt Marketing Consulting, his sponsor is Ron Luskin. Kyle George is Vice President Relationship Manager at Lake Ridge Bank, his sponsor is Tara Grays.

Administrative Coordinator – Rotary Club of Madison (Full-Time) The Rotary Club of Madison is seeking a detail-oriented, tech-savvy, and personable Administrative Coordinator to join our small team. This full-time role supports the work of a vibrant, membership-based service organization committed to connecting leaders, fostering understanding, and making a lasting impact in our community and around the world. Key Responsibilities: Provide support to the Executive Director and assist volunteer committees. Maintain and update membership records using our database. Design and distribute a weekly e-newsletter. Update and maintain the club’s website and social media channels. Prepare correspondence, presentations (PowerPoint), and meeting materials. Process membership dues and event payments. Support weekly luncheons, including set-up, logistics, and on-site member assistance. Respond to member inquiries and assist with general office operations. Qualifications: Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities. Proficient in Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher). Experience with database management, website updates, and social media platforms . Ability to engage and organize a diverse group of community leaders and volunteers. Why Join Us? You'll play a vital role in supporting an organization that brings together over 400 local leaders to create meaningful change through service. If you thrive in a mission-driven environment and enjoy working with community leaders, we encourage you to apply. Salary range: $25/hour, negotiable based on experience. Paid benefits include vacation, health, disability and life insurance. Full-time, flexible hours. Opportunity to advance. To Apply: Please send your resume and a cover letter highlighting your relevant skills to: patjenkins@rotarymadison.org Deadline to apply is August 6, 2025.

July 16: Madison Public Library Celebrates 150 Years --submitted by Joy Cardin The City of Madison did not have municipal water, sewage or electricity when its first library opened in City Hall in 1875 - but it had the smarts to promote learning and provide access to information for its residents. The Director of the Madison Public Library Tana Elias presented the history of the library system as it celebrates its 150th anniversary this year when the Rotary Club of Madison met on location at Madison’s Central Library this week. Over the years, the library has grown to include nine branches in neighborhoods throughout the city and the Dream Bus Library bookmobile. This spring there was a groundbreaking for the 10th library branch in Reindahl Park. The Imagination Center will be an indoor-outdoor library and community space. It is scheduled to open in September of 2026. Elias can’t say for sure how libraries will evolve in the future, but she believes our Madison Public Library system will continue to provide the tools and experiences to keep the community informed, inspired and engaged. If you missed the program, you can watch it here: https://lnkd.in/eCYK6npa.

July 9: The Annual Changing of the Guard --submitted by Joy Cardin The Rotary Club of Madison bid a fond and funny farewell to now Past President Jason Ilstrup and welcomed new Club President Anthony Gray with anticipation and enthusiasm. President Anthony good-naturedly proclaimed meetings will start and end on time from now on and predicted continued success for the club. Thank you Past President Jason! We appreciate you - if not your singing voice! We know your work with the club is far from over. Welcome President Anthony! We know the club is in good hands. If you missed the meeting, and Melanie Ramey’s cameo on Jason’s blooper reel, you can watch it here: https://lnkd.in/gUk7VhZX. 

We welcomed Jen Timm as a new member of our club at yesterday's Rotary meeting! Jen Timm is director for the Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at UW-Madison. She is also a clinical associate professor at the UW-Madison School of Nursing. She is originally from Nevada, Iowa, and makes her home in La Cresent, Minnesota, with her husband, Robert. They have four children. Jen holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing; a master’s degree in nursing education; and a doctorate degree of nursing practice; all from Winona State University. She is a recipient of the 2021 Elizabeth Russell Belford Award for Excellence in Education and the 2021 Program of Excellence Award from the National Council on Aging and the National Institute of Senior Centers. Jen serves on the Finance Committee of the Midwest Nursing Research Society and has served as president of the Kappa Mu Chapter of Sigma International Nursing Society for the past 5 years. She enjoys watching her children in their various activities, sports, hiking and spending time with her dogs. Elaine Mischler is her sponsor.

June 25: Is There a Path for Immigration to US Anymore? --submitted by Larry Larrabee Grant Sovern, a local immigration attorney, made an interesting and very entertaining presentation on the three levels of benefits for immigrants: Visas, Permanent Residence, and Asylum. He began by pointing out there is no such thing in America as an application for immigration. The process for obtaining any of the above is extremely complicated, as well as frequently changing with each administration since the law was written in 1952. Without legal representation, it is practically impossible for the average person. New York City, in response to this, began providing legal representation which has cut the number of deportations by 50%. As a result, Madison has the Community Immigration Law Center located in Christ Presbyterian Church on Gorham, staffed by 7 volunteer attorneys, has seen the same results here. For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/gtYw-6Pq.

Welcome New Members! The following joined our Rotary Club at today’s meeting: Lisa Dugdale is executive director of the Center for Community Stewardship. She is originally from London, England, and came to Madison in 2015. Lisa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Albion College and a Master of Public Policy and Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. She is a member of the National Network of Fiscal Sponsors. She serves as co-chair of the Cap Times Kids Fund Child and Family Community Grant Committee and is a member of their executive board. She has also served on the board of the Dane County Timebank. Her favorite hobbies are biking, gardening and cooking. Scott Haumersen and Amanda Jabs are her sponsors. Mike Kollath is founder of Palladium Tax Advisors. He is originally from Monmouth, New Jersey. Mike has 3 children, and he and his wife, Sheren, live in Middleton.  He attended UW-Whitewater where he earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting. Mike is a member of the American and Wisconsin Institutes of Certified Public Accountants. He serves on several boards including the Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Literature and the Middleton Chamber of Commerce. Mike enjoys gardening, exercising and fantasy football. Bryan Chan and Keri Allard are his sponsors. Efrat Koppel is development director for the REAP Food Group. Born in Milwaukee, Efrat holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and sociology from UW-Madison and a master’s degree in public affairs from Brown University. Efrat is listed in InBusiness Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2025 and was a Sustain Dane’s Live Forward Award Nominee in 2024. Volunteering for the Dane County Food Collective, walking along Lake Monona, and composing music are Efrat’s favorite activities. Tanya Zastrow is Efrat’s sponsor.

Quick pics from Today's Rotary meeting at Alliant!

June 18: Dane County Veterans Memorial Coliseum --submitted by Larry Larrabee Dane County Executive, Melissa Agard, prefaced her presentation on the $125,000,000 renovation of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum by briefly summarizing Dane County’s current financial situation and the uncertainties of State and Federal funding. She pointed out the renovation is needed to address the declining number of events held there and that renovation is far less expensive than replacement. The county is currently seeking corporate partnerships to accomplish the goal as has taken place in Champaign, IL, Minneapolis, MN, and Grand Rapids, MI. Ms. Agard concluded by outlining her proposal for qualifying the Dane County Airport as an international airport similar to Rockford, IL, and Des Moines, IA. If you missed our meeting last week, you can watch it here: https://lnkd.in/ghs5-xex.

Rotary Club of Madison Innovation Grant Application Deadline is August 1, 2025 The Rotary Club of Madison and its Madison Rotary Foundation announces a deadline of August 1, 2025, for this year’s Rotary Innovation Grants Program. If you need up to $5,000 on a relatively quick turnaround to explore or launch an innovation that will enable your organization to better serve your constituents, operate more efficiently, extend its reach or do something amazing, please consider applying for this grant. If you would like to apply, here is a link to the application: https://lnkd.in/g76RXjxA