Renee Ernsting is the Director of Child Care Partnership. She has worked for the agency for 20 years in various positions, promoting positive outcomes for young children and their families in 10 western Wisconsin counties.  Her current focus is on connecting families with child care services, developing child care professionals, and collecting data that impacts…

Dan Schumacher earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Public Relations and Bachelor of Science (BS) in Business Administration from Winona State University and earned his Master of Arts, (MA) in Educational Administration from Winona State University. Dan Schumacher has been the athletic director at UW-Eau Claire since 2014. Prior to working at UW-Eau Claire…

Renee Sommer is a WI State Certified Peer Specialist and Founder of At The Roots LLC. Renee has lived experience with neurodivergency, anxiety, depression, PTSD, C-PTSD, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and self-medicating. As a sexual assault survivor and member of the LGBTQ+ community, she offers support to the community that is trauma-informed, inclusive, and peer-centered. For…

Kristel Tavare is the Director of PK-12 Initiatives at Chippewa Valley Technical College. She has been in this role for the past five years. Prior to CVTC she has served as an academic advisor at University of Wisconsin- Stout, a K12 counselor, and a teacher. Her program is the fastest growing area of the college…

As General Manager of Express Employment in Winona, Mike Dieter enjoys helping companies become employers of choice to attract top talent. When not serving his team, Mike is active on the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, chairs the Economic Development Committee and spends as much time on the Mississippi River boating and…

Business owner and author, Mike Kreiling spends his days leading his Express Employment Professionals franchises and his weekends outdoors hiking, biking, and enjoying nature with his wife, two sons, and their dog. Check out Mike’s new book on growth through grief at mikekreiling.com

I have been at CVTC for two years both as faculty for Business Management and Human Resources courses, and as the Leadership & Organizational Development Trainer for Workforce Solutions. These positions have given me the curriculum structure of and content knowledge of decision-making to help align professional development courses in the workplace with CVTC course…

Empower2Retain is led by Dr. Emily Elsner Twesme, DBA, who specializes in inclusive communication, workplace training, and leading 1st Year Pros. Her time as a college instructor, manager, and small business owner brings real world experience and expertise to this work.