Meet the Staff
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Staff
Tony Shields
President/CEOTeam Members
Tony Shields
President/CEOIn 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 of Greater Milwaukee, 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 Consortium member for Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment, on the Board of Advisors for the Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the Milwaukee County Parks Foundation board and as an appointee of Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers serving on both the Milwaukee Child Welfare Partnership Council and Census 2020 Statewide Complete Count Committee. Previously he has served on the boards of the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin and as a Trustee for Cardinal Stritch University.
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.
Michele St. Amour
Administration and Operations CoordinatorTeam Members
Michele St. Amour
Administration and Operations CoordinatorAs the Coordinator of Administration and Operations, Michele (she/her) heads up daily office operations, membership and program support as well as website maintenance and graphic design support.
Bringing nearly five years of nonprofit leadership and board service to her role with multifaceted experience in nonprofit management, fund development, programming, membership relations and marketing, Michele served most recently as both the Operations Director and Director of Programming for the Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN). Prior to that, she worked for the BonTon Stores Inc as an Art Director and Graphic Designer.
Her side hustles include acrylic painting, photography and jewelry design. She also holds a membership in the Wisconsin Visual Artists group, Southeast Wisconsin chapter. Her free time is dedicated to the creation of art, spending time with family and friends, outdoor activities and travel.
Michele earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Art from the University of Wisconsin Madison. Over the years she has also completed additional Marketing, Website Design and Art coursework. She is also a past board member of the Education Foundation of Wauwatosa.
Karla Lodholz
Director of Programs and ResearchTeam Members
Karla Lodholz
Director of Programs and ResearchKarla is a nonprofit industry expert with a proven track record of leading teams, forming strategic partnerships, and delivering financial results and community impact. A trusted and respected professional committed to empowering people and strengthening communities with vision, compassion, and results.
In her role as Director of Resource Development and Member Relations, Karla will serve as a key driver of WPN’s revenue and member retention strategies by directing membership cultivation, revenue generation and communication efforts. Working closely with the philanthropic community focusing on strategies that will increase education, awareness, and engagement with statewide membership involvement.
Prior to joining WPN, Karla served as Director of Donor Services for the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin where she focused on the recruitment and retention of donors, growing organization assets and providing education and awareness to the community. Establishing trusted relationships with financial advisors, CPA’s and estate attorneys providing tools and resources that ultimately helped guide clients with philanthropic goals.
Before the Community Foundation, she was a Regional Vice President with the American Heart Association, Midwest Division. In that role, Karla was responsible for strategic sales growth, board implementation, corporate development, special events and multi-year sponsorships. Prior to the American Heart Association, Karla held positions with organizations including the United Way of Marathon County and the American Cancer Society driving new business development, strategic partnerships, and client relationship building.
Karla has received awards for “Coach of the Year” and “Revenue Generation for Top Performance. She currently volunteers and serves on various community boards including the Medical College of Wisconsin Community Advisory Board, North Central Technical College Alumni Association, Early Bird Rotary, Helping Businesses Build Assets (H.B.B.A.) and The Joseph Project.
Karla holds her Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Cardinal Stritch University and her Bachelor of Science in Administration of Justice from Marian University.
Wisconsin Philanthropy Network staff kindly requests that these bios and photos are not reproduced without permission.