Cathe | Board & Staff

Programs By Age

Board & Staff

Key Staff

Jennie King - is the Executive Director of the CATHE. Jennie began her involvement here when her three boys joined the judo program. Her involvement spread to Jubilate Choir, the Children’s Youth Theater, and further grew when she accepted an assistant teaching position at the Children’s House preschool. Jennie taught for The Children’s House for 5 years and in 2011 accepted the Executive Director position. Jennie holds a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Indiana University, and has held various positions within that field. The CATHE is near and dear to her family, and she is thrilled to be able to participate in shepherding it into the future. Jennie lives in Burlington with her husband and three sons.

Peggy Weidert - is the current bookkeeper at CATHE starting her position in March 2011. She was born and raised in Burlington and continues to enjoy living here with her husband and three children. She attended 4-H meetings on this property as child in what was then the church basement. She comes with 20 years of bookkeeping experience. She developed her passion for bookkeeping as an employee of Tripco Travel Service in Burlington and eventually as the owner of that business. She continues to handle the books for her husband’s electrical contracting business.

Board of Directors

	Tricia Riley-Edwards - is the former Executive Director of the CATHE Center. She has enjoyed the CATHE since its inception in 2005 and in 2009 became the Exec. Director. She also has served on the ChocolateFest Board with her husband for the past four years finding, booking and organizing the entertainment for the four-day festival. Trish is currently the Vice-President of the B*Jazzled Booster Club, the Burlington High School Show Choir. She attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison graduating in 1985. She then acted professionally for a number of years until returning to Law School and graduating in 1990. With the support of her husband, she is still active in community theater with her two teenage sons who have also developed the love of theater and all things cultural.
	Sherry Engstrom - is a resident of Lake Geneva, where she lives with her husband and two college-student sons. She is an adjunct entrepreneur, meaning that she teaches Sociology and Humanities at college part-time while establishing her new consulting business, Mind Your Muse. Her passion regarding The CATHE Center is to establish an adult theatre ensemble group called Adult Theatre Guild. Sherry also serves as a member of the CATHE Finance Committee.
	Ngoc DeMarco - a resident of Burlington, WI and involved with the CATHE Center since 2007, joined the CATHE Board in December 2009. Ngoc is the PTA President for The Children’s House @ CATHE, the Montessori-based preschool located in the CATHE Center. Ngoc also is an active member of the Friends of the Burlington Public Library Board. With an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business at the University of Virginia and a BA in International Affairs from Georgetown University, she brings small business and corporate expertise. Prior to joining the CATHE Board, she worked at a small, Burlington-based manufacturing company in various administrative management functions (procurement, human resources, finance and accounting) for 4 years. She also has 6 years of experience in management consulting. With A.T. Kearney in Chicago, Ngoc assisted global corporations and non-profits in areas such operational improvements, cost-reduction initiatives, clinical trial analysis, and marketing strategy effectiveness. At Putnam Associates in Boston, she worked in pharmaceutical market research and analysis. While at ICF Kaiser in Washington, DC, Ngoc worked with various federal agencies in environmental and policy consulting. Ngoc is taking a hiatus from the professional world to raise her three young children, ages one, three and five. Her hobbies include playing tennis, cooking and gardening.
	Dr. Jessica Lahner - a resident of Burlington, WI, has served on the CATHE Board of Directors since 2009, and is the liaison between Apple Seeds and the Board. With a doctorate in counseling and an emphasis in industrial organizational psychology, she brings both a mental health and organizational health perspective to the board. She has published peer reviewed articles in Small Group Research, Journal of College Student Development, Journal of Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology and Health among other publications, and presented research at the annual conferences of the Society of Organizational and Industrial Psychologists, American Psychological Society, American Psychological Association, and College Reading and Learning Association. Dr. Lahner has served as an adjunct professor at the University of North Texas, a fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Counseling and Consulting Services, an organizational consultant for various organizations such as Raytheon Missile Systems, and is currently an adjunct professor at Carthage College. In additional to her professional work, Dr. Lahner spends most of her time keeping up with her four year-old twin boys.
	Mark Leemkuil - Originally from Madison, Mark moved to California to work in the film and television industry. He has produced programs for MTV, numerous music videos for artists ranging from Johnny Cash to Jane’s Addiction, oversaw film production at 2 companies, and worked for Lucasfilm on the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles and Star Wars. After returning to Wisconsin and settling in Burlington, Mark has worked as a high school teacher, employment consultant and made 2 independent documentaries.
	Bob Miller - is serving his second term as Mayor of the City of Burlington. A retired Racine County Sherriff’s Deputy, Mr. Miller previously served 10 years on the Burlington Common Council. In addition to his city duties, Mr. Miller serves on the boards of the Racine County Economic Development Corporation, the Burlington Senior Center, and the Burlington Chamber of Commerce. He is also a member of the Burlington Rotary Club and has volunteered for several community and civic projects. Bob and his wife Edna reside in Burlington and are proud grandparents of their first grandchild. Laurel Priesgen - originally from Madison, WI and currently a resident of Town of Randall, WI she is employed by the University of Wisconsin Extension Service in Kenosha County. While she is relatively new to The CATHE Center, she has a decided passion for its mission – bringing Burlington and the surrounding areas a community center which extends personal growth and education opportunities to all residents. Laurel currently serves as the Chair for The CATHE Center Marketing Committee. Her previous life/work experience has included advertising, marketing, international sales, web-based photography for the real estate industry and account management. She is involved in her church, care giving for family members and will complete her certification in macrobiotic nutrition therapy in 2011. While her bachelor’s degree is from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, she has been a lifetime learner through many avenues. Her recreational interests include; cooking, walking, reading, home improvement projects and needle arts. Larry Cannon - has been a resident of Burlington for the past 30 years. He is a journey man plumber, currently employed with KS Energies, co-owner of LarryVille Gardens LLC a small natural production vegetable farm, and co-op member with two other small farms. Larry has been on the CATHE board for one year and is in charge of building maintenance. From Chicago to Milwaukee and beyond, Larry has been in charge of plumbing some of our most impressive buildings. He is an accomplished builder of buildings and an up lifter of spirits.
	Tom Nicccolai - lives in Burlington with his wife, Jean. Originally from Kenosha, he is a graduate of UW-Parkside and the Medical College of Wisconsin. Prior to moving to Burlington, he spent 9 years on active duty with the U.S. Navy. While living in Burlington, he has been active with the Boy Scouts, community theater, several choirs, and the Kenosha Public Museum. He and his family are members of St. Mary's Catholic Church. He is active in the business community in Burlington, being a partner in Veronico's, a local cafe and restaurant. He has worked as an orthopedic surgeon with the Aurora Burlington Clinic for the past 20 years.
	Peter Turke - has served on the CATHE Board of Directors since 2006. He has resided in Burlington since 1996, lives across the street from the CATHE center and acts as a liaison between the center and its neighbors. Peter is a stay-at-home dad caring for his four children ranging in ages from nine to two. He has served several terms as a board member of the Cooper School PTO and was recently appointed to the City of Burlington’s Park Board. Peter offers the CATHE Board analytical and legal expertise, using his past professional experience as an engineer and attorney. After earning a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he designed HVAC and mechanical systems for United McGill Corporation in Chicago, IL and Grinnell, Iowa. Following this, Peter returned to Madison, graduated from UW Law School and then practiced law in Milwaukee at the firm of Reinhart, Boerner & Van Deuren specializing in commercial real estate. In his free time, Peter enjoys golf and reading.