about Us

Margaret Hanrahan

Chair

Margaret's legal expertise in advocating for abused and neglected children and vulnerable adults, along with her knowledge of the services that can better support them, brings a unique perspective to the Foundation board.

She graduated from Michigan's Kalamazoo College and went on to receive her law degree from Marquette University Law School. Her legal background includes private law practice and serving as Law Clerk for the Wisconsin Court of Appeals, District II; and Staff Attorney for Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee. Margaret resides in Lake Mills where she has served on the Friends of the Lake Mills Library Scholarship Committee and the Lake Mills Main Street Program Economic Development Committee. She is a current member of the Jefferson County Bar Association, serves as an Election Inspector for the Town of Lake Mills and an adult literacy tutor for Jefferson County Literacy Council.

Steve Battenberg

vice-chair

Steve is a partner at Carlson Black O'Callaghan & Battenberg LLP, a real estate and business-focused law firm located in Madison, Wisconsin.

With extensive experience representing nonprofit corporations of varying size, Steve has worked closely with tax-exempt entities on organizational and tax compliance issues. He currently serves as general counsel to multiple trade associations and charitable organizations.

Steve grew up in the area and graduated from Johnson Creek High School. He later returned to raise his own family, and is now looking to give back to a community that provided his–and his four children's–start in life.

Steve continues to be an active member of the community, having served many organizations, including the Town of Portland Planning Commission (Chair), the Waterloo CATV Board (Chair), Pantheon Industries (President and board member), Waterloo Youth Sports Organization (Coach and board member), Waterloo Community Foundation (President and board member) and the Johnson Creek Education Foundation (scholarship committee member).

He earned his Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from the University of Washington, his law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law and his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

Ben Wehmeier

President and Chief Executive Officer

A longtime community leader, Ben brings a wealth of experience and a high-performance track record to the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation. In his prior role as Jefferson County Administrator, he drove large-scale projects that enhanced wellbeing and prosperity for the region, most notably accelerating economic development on a tremendous scale, growing access to technology, focusing on intergovernmental collaboration and partnering to add innovative mental health supports.

Ben's background in leading teams that get results, his expertise in state and local government, his deft ability to build coalitions across silos, and his bold vision for change on a regional scale make him the ideal leader to spearhead the next evolution of the Foundation's journey, nurturing local, state and national partnerships and mobilizing resources to create transformational improvements in family and community wellbeing.

Ben is a retired Army Officer with time on active duty and the National Guard. He holds a Juris Doctor and Master's Degree in Public Administration from Northern Illinois University, a Master’s in Management from Webster University, an undergraduate degree in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and an executive certificate in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.

Ben serves on the Thrive Economic Development Board, Chairs the Finance Committee for the Rock River Community Clinic and serves on the Fifth WI Congressional District Service Academy Nomination Advisory Board.

Randall J. Phelps

Finance Committee Chair

Randy brings experience in business management to the GWCHF board, having held many leadership positions in the manufacturing industry.

Employed by the ORBIS Corporation for 32 years, he held leadership positions including Marketing Manager, Venture Manager, General Manager and VP of Business Development including Acquisitions. Randy has served on the Watertown Regional Medical Center Board for 13 years where he served as Chairman and as a member of the Finance Committee. He also serves on the Educational Foundation of Watertown, Inc. board as President. He is also the Finance Chairman for Christ United Methodist Church. Randy obtained his bachelor's degree from Wartburg College with an emphasis in Business Administration/Economics. He furthered his education with an MBA from the Wharton Graduate School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania with an emphasis in marketing.

Elliott D. Clark

Elliott's experience working as the Truancy Abatement Officer for the Watertown Unified School District (WUSD) gives him first-hand knowledge into the needs of the underserved population in our community.

His passion for the students and families he works with, combined with his "boots on the ground approach" lends a valuable perspective to the GWCHF Board. Elliott is a graduate of UW-Oshkosh where he obtained a degree in English. He served in the United States Army/Army reserve for four years and in addition to his work with WUSD he is employed by Scott-Systems as Executive VP of Sales and Marketing. Elliott is an avid sports fan and has previously coached basketball, baseball and softball at the high school and college level.

Orlando Dominguez

Orlando's passion for helping others grow, and his strong commitment to advocacy, spurred his interest in the work of the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation.

He has lived in the Watertown, Wisconsin area for almost two decades and found ways to give back to youth, including his current role as a WIAA Basketball Official and previous licensure as a substitute Teacher.

As a lifelong learner and first generation college graduate, Orlando values the positive impact of education. He holds a Master's Degree in Human Resources from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, along with Bachelor's and Associate’s degrees.

His career experience in plant management, training, and human resources bring valuable perspective to the Board, including expertise in process-management, project management, and data analysis. Orlando works as a Senior Human Resources professional at Palermo's in Jefferson, Wisconsin.

Dr. Michael Grajewski

Retired as a Family Physician after forty years, Dr. Grajewski’s personal and professional life in Watertown continues to support improving health for all in the hospital, office and the larger local community.

Dr. Grajewski has worked with Community Health Assessments and their implementation for many years, since inception. As Medical Director of the Watertown Network, and prior Chief of Staff at Watertown Regional Medical Center, he facilitated quality improvement. He is a volunteer physician at Rock River Community Clinic.

Dr. Grajewski’s BS and MD are from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, coming after a residency in Kansas City, MO. He has practiced in the ICU, OB, ER, surgery, nursing homes, but mostly in office-based practice, owning his practice for many years.

Involved with running and bicycling, Dr. Grajewski supports the Interurban Trail, and is a Trustee at St. Thérèse of Lisieux Parish. His four daughters grew up in the community and he lives in Watertown with his wife, Monica.

Barb Gudgeon

Barb has always had a passion for working with children, founding a soccer program and youth center in Waterloo 30 years ago. She has served on the Waterloo Plan Commission for nine years, was a founding member of the Waterloo “2000 and Beyond” committee, and served on several school board sub-committees.

Barb has worked in the dental field for 47 years, with 15 years as Executive Director of the Community Dental Clinic, a nonprofit dental clinic that provided care for patients who were low income, uninsured and Medicaid recipients. She brings a vast amount of expertise in personnel management, training, inventory control, vendor and IT relations, grant writing and submission, policies and procedures, and facility operations. She was also the primary force in developing services for special needs patients both in the clinic and in hospital settings.

Additionally, Barb has worked as a lead dental assistant, operations manager, and clinic director for several offices in Madison and the surrounding area. She also has small business experience, having owned and operated a bed and breakfast.

During her free time Barb enjoys spending time with her five grandchildren. She is a fixture with the Waterloo rec program she founded, continuing to coach soccer over the past 30 years.

Jenifer Hedrick

Jenifer has spent most of her professional career working as an occupational therapist in school settings throughout Dane and Jefferson Counties. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations-German Area Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Bonn, Germany, and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MS OTR) from Mount Mary University in Milwaukee.

A proud Watertown High School graduate, Jenifer grew up in Watertown and remains deeply committed to the community she calls home. Besides the Foundation Board, she currently serves on the boards of three community organizations, including the Education Foundation of Watertown, Bread and Roses, and the Women of Immanuel Church, having previously served as Parish Educational Director. Jenifer also serves on the Dodge County Board of Supervisors, where she chairs the Human Services and Health committee and is a member of Building a Welcoming Watertown, where she actively supports their warming shelter initiative.

Jenifer’s volunteer and leadership work centers on creating and sustaining thriving individuals, families, and communities—values that are reflected in both her educational background and personal interests. Motivated by her own positive upbringing, she is dedicated to advocating for the needs of others and strengthening the well-being of the community.

Richard (Dick) Jones

Dick Jones brings a lifetime of dedication to education and community service to his role as a board member. He holds a degree in Education from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and spent 35 years teaching and coaching at Waterloo High School. During his tenure, he founded and led Y.O.S.T, an intergenerational program that strengthened connections between students and the broader community, reflecting his long-standing commitment to collaborative learning and service.

Beyond the classroom, Dick has been deeply involved in numerous professional, civic, and faith-based organizations, including the National Education Association, Wisconsin Education Association, Waterloo Education Association, Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Board, Avestar Credit Union Board, and Lake Mills Methodist Church, where he served as Finance Director.

Since 2006, Dick has served on the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors, holding multiple committee roles, including 18 years on the Human Services Committee (six years as Chair) and 16 years on the Finance Committee (14 years as Chair).

Carol Quest

Carol has dedicated 35 years to the health and wellness of our region as a Registered Nurse, and for over 15 years she has been the Director/Health Officer of the Watertown Department of Public Health.

Through her career, she has provided bedside nursing at Watertown Regional Medical Center, and has worked at local County and City health departments as both a Public Nurse and an administrator. Carol's profession has given her the opportunity to impact and support current and emerging Public Health practices in our region and as a State and local public health advocate she has garnered the knowledge and skills needed to understand the complexities of improving public health. Carol currently serves on several boards, including the Watertown Regional Medical Center Joint Venture Board, Watertown Area Cares Clinic, a non-profit medical provider for low-income, uninsured residents; Dodge/Jefferson Healthier Community Partnership and Dodge/Jefferson Community Health Assessment. She is a member of Healthiest Wisconsin 2020, where she also served on the board and implementation plan committee.

Dan Rahfaldt

Dan is deeply connected to the community and is passionate about supporting a healthy environment and creating sustainable growth. His professional career focuses on business development, technical sales and product management for industrial automation components. Dan founded and led Xsell Products, Inc. (2000–2022), an independent industrial power transmission and automation sales agency, and currently operates Deerfield Properties, a Watertown-based commercial and residential property improvement firm, which he founded in 2016.

In 2025, Dan expanded his ventures by founding Silver Creek Investors, the current owner of the Watertown Country Club.

Dan is a long-time Watertown resident and is married with two children. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. His community involvement includes serving as a member of the Good Shepherd School Board for 5 years, Watertown Main Street Program for 4 years, and service on the Watertown Country Club Board 2025-present.

Nate Salas

Nate's role as a bank executive has given him the skills necessary to think strategically, plan and effectively communicate his vision.

He is committed to helping steer the Watertown region into a healthy and vibrant future. Nate earned his BS in Engineering with a Major in Political Science from the US Air Force Academy. He went on to earn his MBA in Finance at UW-Whitewater and a professional degree from the Graduate School of Banking from UW-Madison. He served 7 years in the military; four years as a cadet and three years as an officer in the Office of Special Investigations Aviano Italy. He has been employed in the banking and finance industry for 9 years. Nate is the founder and president of YES!Watertown, committee member of the Watertown Branding Commission and Board member of Partnership Bank. He has also served as a member of Leadership Watertown and Watertown Rotary.

Mick Selck

After 30+ years in law enforcement, Mick Selck recently retired as Chief of Police from the City of Lake Mills Police Department.

He has served his community in roles which included the American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life" as Chair and Co-Chair, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Rotary Club of Lake Mills where he has served on the board of directors and as club president. He is the current Assistant Governor for Rotary District 6250. He has also been a foster parent.

Mick has served the GWCHF as a grants committee member since 2022 and joined the board in 2023. In retirement Mick has started an LLC where he will use his skills to mentor juveniles, and was recently hired as Chief of Police for the Town of Lake Mills.

Michael Sullivan, MD

As a family physician, Dr. Sullivan has a unique connection to the health needs of the community. He has been a physician partner at Watertown Family Practice since moving to the area in 2004.

Dr. Sullivan has served as Vice Chief of Staff and Chief of Staff on the WRMC Medical Executive Committee. He received his BS in Biology and MD from the University of Illinois. Dr. Sullivan previously served on the WRMC Board of Directors and as a provider at the Watertown Area Cares Clinic. He is a current member of the Tour da Goose Planning Committee, YES! Watertown and the YMCA Capital Campaign Committee.

Ben Wehmeier

President and Chief Executive Officer

A longtime community leader, Ben brings a wealth of experience and a high-performance track record to the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation. In his prior role as Jefferson County Administrator, he drove large-scale projects that enhanced wellbeing and prosperity for the region, most notably accelerating economic development on a tremendous scale, growing access to technology, focusing on intergovernmental collaboration and partnering to add innovative mental health supports.

Ben's background in leading teams that get results, his expertise in state and local government, his deft ability to build coalitions across silos, and his bold vision for change on a regional scale make him the ideal leader to spearhead the next evolution of the Foundation's journey, nurturing local, state and national partnerships and mobilizing resources to create transformational improvements in family and community wellbeing.

Ben is a retired Army Officer with time on active duty and the National Guard. He holds a Juris Doctor and Master's Degree in Public Administration from Northern Illinois University, a Master’s in Management from Webster University, an undergraduate degree in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and an executive certificate in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School.

Ben serves on the Thrive Economic Development Board, Chairs the Finance Committee for the Rock River Community Clinic and serves on the Fifth WI Congressional District Service Academy Nomination Advisory Board.

Tina Crave

Chief Transformation Officer

Tina Crave is the Foundation's Chief Transformation Officer, leading key priorities that will move the needle on wellbeing for youth, support strong families, and contribute to a thriving community.

As the Foundation's founding President and CEO, Tina stewarded the organization's first decade, growing its impact by leveraging investments, championing braided funding for projects, and stewarding both state funding and private philanthropy.

Tina believes relationships, connectedness and a "get it done" spirit make rural communities the right place to create social innovation that sets an example for our state, our nation and our world. Her entrepreneurial mindset and embrace of lifelong learning inspires partners to take on the meaty, challenging issues impacting community wellbeing, creating systems that center the needs of the community.

Tina serves on the boards of Thrive Economic Development and Rainbow Hospice as well as on an executive committee for the Wisconsin Office of Children's Mental Health.

Nathan Peters

Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer

Nate provides leadership for the Foundation's investment strategy and portfolio, helping to guide the Foundation's strategic vision and enhance our financial capabilities. He leads the Foundation's financial modeling and forecasting, and brings steady oversight to all investments.

Nate leads some of the Foundation's largest impact investment projects, including the multi-million dollar initiative that will transform the former Bethesda Corporate Campus over a number of years to a nonprofit center and model housing development that meets the needs of the Watertown community for generations to come.

With a background of finance, commercial and small business banking experience, Nate holds a Bachelor's Degree in Finance from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.

Kim Melcher

Chief Impact Officer

Kim weaves together the people, strategies, and data that drive the Greater Watertown Community Health Foundation's mission to measurably advance the wellbeing of young children and families throughout Dodge and Jefferson Counties. Kim's high-touch, collaborative leadership style effectively engages staff, stakeholders, and community leaders around the complex challenges of systems change.

Kim continuously builds the capacity of the multi-sector teams she leads, modeling innovation and an entrepreneurial approach. Her role, in part, is finding ways to powerfully connect people to the work–and to each other–using data, best practices, and inspiration.

An experienced community health strategist, Kim has been shepherding successful programming for more than two decades. Past roles include Deputy Director for ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Suburban Milwaukee County Coordinator for the Wisconsin Well Woman Program, Coordinator of Community Workforce Health at Community Memorial Hospital, and Health Educator with Independent Care. She holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Concordia University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Community Health Education from the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse. Kim holds a Professional Certification in Results Based Accountability.

Tom Linder

Data Specialist

Tom advances the Foundation's culture of data-driven decision making and continuous quality improvement. He supports the planning and evaluation of Foundation programs, grants and investments to ensure they are "moving the needle" on priority measures of health and wellbeing.

Gifted at parsing complex information and providing thoughtful interpretation, Tom proactively supports our community partners in their understanding of the results-based accountability questions of: "How much?" "How well?" and "Is anyone better off?" His previous work includes strategic planning, research and market analysis in the fields of pediatric healthcare and commercial real estate. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater.

Susan Olson

Social Impact Coordinator

Susan is a highly-skilled project manager, overseeing complex initiatives that require coordinating people, perspectives, resources and deadlines. With the belief that "progress happens at the speed of relationships," Susan creates community around strategic priorities. She convenes organized, effective and gracious work sessions that build momentum for our collaborative teams.

Work experience in both technology and parks and recreation (where she created award-winning programs and was recognized twice as employee of the year) built Susan's management and project leadership skills, which are complemented by intermediate proficiency in Spanish. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.

Andi Merfeld

Grants and TalkReadPlay Coordinator

Andi is the approachable, knowledgeable interface for community change leaders. With a focus on equitable grant-making practices, she prioritizes accessibility by facilitating the grant process at every stage. She keeps an open ear to community needs, helping ensure foundation investments benefit those who need it most. She is also the driver of the TalkReadPlay program, building a network of trusted messengers who support parents as their child's first teacher, and managing a high-profile, multi-channel communications campaign that supports TalkReadPlay messaging.

On a team made up of people who wear many hats, Andi is perhaps the most versatile member. She has been part of the team since the beginning, and her role has continued to grow and change over her tenure. Andi holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire.

Deb Portman

Community Manager at the Collective and Secretary

Deb provides the countless essential functions and details that make our workplace wonderful. As the Collective's Community Manager, she is the first point of contact for our tenant-members and visitors. Responsible for events, activities, room rentals and engagement, Deb is a friendly, knowledgeable resource for dozens of Collective community members.

Deb was instrumental in developing the vision and processes for the Collective and in overseeing a seamless relocation of our headquarters. She works proactively to build community and create relationships among the many organizations that co-work at the Collective. Deb has extensive experience as a finance and operations manager in healthcare, and attended the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh.

Jill Van Sickle

Early Childhood Learning Coordinator and Coach

Jill is an essential part of the team working to collectively "move the needle" on early childhood outcomes. She coordinates with internal team members to manage projects and drive strategy but spends a large amount of time out in the community, building the capacity of early care and education leaders through training and coaching.

Jill is generous and encouraging as she shares her extensive knowledge of best practices that support the social-emotional learning of young children, and is passionate about supporting community partners in structuring environments, routines and interactions that measurably improve outcomes for children and families. Jill is a Pyramid Model trainer and holds Wisconsin Infant Mental Health Endorsement at Level II. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and Teaching from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater. Jill completed the Infant, Early Childhood, and Family Capstone Certificate Program from University of Wisconsin - Madison.