A CONVERSATION WITH LESLIE ANN HOWARD: RETIRING PRESIDENT & CEO, UNITED WAY OF DANE COUNTY

Guest:  Leslie Ann Howard

After 33 years, 25 as President & CEO of United Way of Dane County, Leslie Ann Howard will retire from United Way at the end of this year.  On this program, Leslie Ann Howard reflects on coming to Madison from Pennsylvania to earn a master’s degree in social work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and how that led her to the United Way and her rapid advancement to the leadership positions.

Most known for leading the evolution of United Way from a fundraising organization to a community impact organization, Leslie describes how this transformation inspired the Agenda for Change which created significant achievements in the areas of Education, Safety and Health and will continue to grow under the leadership of Renee Moe who will take over as President & CEO of United Way on January 1st.

WELLNESS: HOW TO NURTURE IT

Guests: Colleen Keegan, Director of Activities, Heidi Frey, Wellness Coordinator, Ruth Hutchison, resident, Attic Angel Community



Wellness is more than the absence of disease. “Wellness is an active process through which people become aware of, and make choices toward, a more successful existence,” says the National Wellness Institute. The Attic Angel Community has embraced the dimensions of wellness which include physical, emotional, occupational, intellectual, spiritual and social which they picture as overlapping circles.

On this program, Colleen Keegan, Heidi Frey, and Ruth Hutchison describe what a wellness program looks like in real life and how it nurtures successful living - no matter what the age. Ruth Hutchison not only talks the talk but walks the walk as a living example of the wellness wheel in action.

For more information, go to www.atticangel.org.

THE UW ODYSSEY PROJECT IS A GATEWAY OUT OF POVERTY

Guests:  Professor Emily Auerbach, Project Director, UW-Madison Odyssey Project; Tosumba Welch, Odyssey Project student and success story



What do Emily Dickinson, Martin Luther King, Walt Whitman, Shakespeare and Gandhi have to do with breaking down economic barriers that so many low-income adults face today?  A whole lot, says Emily Auerbach, Project Director of the UW-Madison Odyssey Project and award-winning English Professor.  Each Wednesday from September to May, low-income adults enrolled as UW special students in the Odyssey Project, gain a voice and a sense of empowerment through lively discussions of literature, history, philosophy, art and writing.  They receive six credits through the English Department, and for many it is the launching pad for a college education or skilled career path.

On this program, Tosumba Welch, one of the Odyssey Project’s many success stories, joins Emily Auerbach and describes how his life has been changed and gives us a sample of his writing and oratory skills.

For more information, go to www.odyssey.wisc.edu.

LIVE LIFE ON YOUR OWN TERMS THROUGH SAIL

Guests: Ann Albert, Executive Director, SAIL; members Tom Popp and Jane Earl

SAIL - Supporting Active Independent Lives - is celebrating it’s 10th Anniversary this year.  Began as a vision more than 20 years ago, it has evolved into a real-life membership-driven organization designed to improve the health and well-being of people as they age.  In 2005, SAIL began offering services, and today it is thriving as membership continues to grow, services and resources expand, and social engagement flourishes.

On this program, Ann Albert and members Tom Popp and Jane Earl, describe how SAIL works in their lives and how it has become a model for the nation.

For more information, go to www.sailtoday.org.