Amanda Buckley, MBA

For the past seven years, Amanda has been employed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, a nonprofit professional membership association of 6,800 physicians from around the world. As the Education Manager, Amanda was responsible for developing and coordinating an annual conference which served more than 6,000 physicians. She is extremely skilled at program development, speaker vetting, adult learning techniques and program evaluation. She also has experience identifying knowledge gaps, assessing quality indicators and creating strategies for improvement based on the needs assessment data obtained by evaluating program attendees.

Amanda holds her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Cardinal Stritch University and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Community Leadership and Development from Alverno College.

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Caty Bulgrin, MS

In her role as Director of Operations and Research, Caty serves Wisconsin Philanthropy Network (WPN) by providing critical research and analytical services, including development of the Wisconsin Gives Report. She is responsible for communications, marketing design, website development, and office operations and finances. Caty leads WPN’s specialized initiatives, including Leadership Advanced, the Wisconsin Leadership Development Project, Endow Wisconsin, and the 2020 Census Initiative.

Prior to joining WPN, Caty served as the Director of Adult Day and Residential Services at Curative Care Network, a leading community resource that provides services to children, adults and senior citizens with disabilities or limiting conditions at community-based sites and natural settings in Milwaukee and surrounding counties. As the Director, Caty was charged with overseeing a $6M budget; 12 direct reports; nearly 100 indirect reports, and 350 adults with developmental disabilities. Before Curative, she was a Rehabilitation Counselor and Vocational Evaluator for the Milwaukee Center for Independence (MCFI). In that role, Caty completed assessments to develop comprehensive vocational evaluations, Individual Rehabilitation Plans, and Individualized Plans for Employment.

In addition to her full-time job, Caty is a volunteer guardian for three people with disabilities and works for her father part-time at his accounting business. Caty serves on and is Secretary of the Board of Directors at IndependenceFirst (IF). She is also on the Executive, HR, and Fund Development Committees for IF.

Caty earned her Master of Science degree in Educational Psychology from UW-Milwaukee and her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from UW-Eau Claire. Caty is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor. Caty and her husband, Eric, who serves a Principal Engineer at Northwestern Mutual, love traveling across the U.S and world together. She enjoys cooking, baking, and spoiling her nieces and nephews.

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Tony Shields

In his role as President and CEO, Tony serves the Wisconsin Philanthropy Network (WPN), by leading all aspects of strategy and operations for membership, staff, programs, fundraising, expansion and execution of its mission. The Wisconsin Philanthropy Network is the state's only organization devoted exclusively to the profession and practice of philanthropy. As WPN’s leader, Tony serves a growing network of 130 member organizations contributing over $600 million annually to non-profits locally, regionally, nationally and globally. WPN’s mission is to support and promote effective philanthropy through education and research, best practices, enhanced partnerships and thought leadership.

Prior to joining WPN, Tony served as Executive Director of United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee (UNCOM), a collaborative of Milwaukee Settlement House Neighborhood Centers and as publisher of the Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service. Before UNCOM, he led Community Relations efforts for Harley-Davidson, Inc. In that role, Tony developed strategic plans and implemented outreach and programs for a number of factory-based and national efforts and directed community outreach to support major company sponsored initiatives and philanthropic efforts.

Before joining Harley-Davidson, Tony held community and public relations leadership/executive positions for organizations including Milwaukee Bucks Professional Basketball Inc., the Boys and Girls Clubs and public relations and marketing firms.

Tony has been honored for his leadership by the Cardinal Stritch University Alumni Association, Milwaukee Community Journal and Madison 365 publication. He has served on various community boards and volunteered for several initiatives and is currently serving as a board member for the Medical College of Wisconsin Consortium for Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment and as an appointee of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers serving on the Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council. Previously he has served on the boards of the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, Cardinal Stritch University Board of Trustees and College of Business and Management Dean’s Advisory Board.

Tony holds both a Master of Science in Management and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interpersonal Communications from Cardinal Stritch University where he also serves as Adjunct Faculty in the University’s College of Business and Management.  He and his wife Christa, who serves as Vice-President of Development for Special Olympics of Wisconsin, have two daughters.

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Michelle St. Clair

As the Director of Member Relations and Resource Development, Michelle is your liaison for membership and sponsorship questions. Michelle is passionate about expanding opportunities, improving communities, addressing basic needs – and being part of an organization nurturing philanthropy’s important role in her home state.

Prior to joining the Wisconsin Philanthropy Network, Michelle worked in development in health care, non-profits, and higher education in urban, suburban and rural communities across Wisconsin. From West Central Wisconsin to Dane County, suburban southeastern Wisconsin, and inner city Milwaukee, she has partnered with stakeholders to advance positive change. Most recently as a Development Officer at Community Memorial Foundation, she supported the free Community Outreach Clinic in Menomonee Falls. She has also helped grow student success programs in higher education, supported neighborhood safety and community-police relations, and advanced programs and innovative initiatives in workforce development.

As an Americorps*VISTA alum, Michelle enjoys volunteering and community service projects. She is a 2018 graduate of the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County’s Project LEAD class, past City Year of Milwaukee Advisory Board member, Artworks Career Coach and volunteer. Today most of her volunteer time is dedicated to her daughter’s school.

Michelle earned a Master’s Degree in Urban & Regional Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a bachelor’s in sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. As a lifelong learner, she has taken graduate courses in business administration at Mount Mary University and recently completed a Fund Development Certificate Program offered by the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and Non-profit Center of Milwaukee.

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