WHO WE ARE
LEAD2CHANGE YEAR IN REVIEW VIDEO
Mission

To empower and inspire youth to be catalysts for change in their communities.

Vision

A community strengthened through constructive youth engagement in all aspects of society.

Overview

Lead2Change is a career-readiness organization that engages young people in leadership opportunities and equips them with essential tools to be successful in college, their career and the community. Young people who experience our programs enter the post-secondary world confident and clear about their career interests and their position in the global workforce.

As part of a national movement, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation founded the Youth in Service Fund in 1996. The program was created to engage young people in youth leadership and philanthropy.  After many years of success and granting nearly $550,000 to youth-led projects, in 2011, the Youth in Service Fund transitioned to Lead2Change, a career-readiness non-profit organization. Since 2011, Lead2Change has empowered more than 500 young adults, ages 16 to 24 years old, to be catalysts for change in their communities through interactive career-readiness classes, professional development workshops and paid internships.

Leadership

Dionne Grayson, Executive Director
Dionne Grayson is a visionary leader committed to helping youth and young adults discover their purpose, believe in their potential, and boldly pursue their dreams. Serving as Executive director of Lead2Change, Mrs. Grayson, along with 22 youth, co-founded Lead2Change. To date, nearly 1,000 young people have successfully completed this program.

With a career spanning more than 25 years, Dionne has earned many accolades; in 2017, she was named a Woman of Influence by The Milwaukee Business Journal. In 2018, Mrs. Grayson was recognized as a Leading Woman in Business by O, The Oprah Magazine. Her greatest accomplishment, however, is the title “mentor,” given to her by small business owners and young people across the country.

Mrs. Grayson received her undergraduate degree in Clinical Psychology from Alverno College and a graduate degree in Social Work Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She resides in Milwaukee with her husband Vern.

Board of Directors

Board Chair
Marcus Taylor, Rockwell Automation

Board Vice-Chair and Maketing Committee Chair
Linda Hogan, Bader Rutter

Board Secretary
Christian Braverman, Colliers International

Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair 
Kristiyan Trukov, R.W. Baird & Co.

Board Director and Community Volunteer 
Mamie Roberson, Community Volunteer

Program and Community Engagement Committee Chair
Fran Sutter, GMR Marketing

People & Performance Committee Chair
Sam Smith, Capri Senior Communities

Board Director and Program Manager for Fund My Future Milwaukee
Ashleigh Edgerson, City of Milwaukee

Board Director
Suzanne Zwaska, US Bank

Executive Director
Dionne Grayson, Lead2Change Inc. 

Board Standing Committees

Finance

Kristiyan Trukov, Chair, R.W. Baird & Co.

Amanda Aliperta, Momentum NonProfit Strategies

Brittany Eronson, RSM US LLP

Christian Braverman, Colliers International

Patrick Schulz, Robert W. Baird & Co.

Sara Anderson, Ascent Global Logistics, Inc.

Thomas Serafin, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, LLP

Marketing Communications

Linda Hogan, Chair, Bader Rutter

Aubri Wierzbicki, Bader Rutter

Hope Manuel, Milwaukee Public Schools

Liz Roberts, Bader Rutter

Manisha Nabke, Digitas

Merilou Gonzales, Bader Philanthropies

Taylor Dei, Pepsi Co.

Justin Liesener, Bader Rutter 

People + Performance (P2)

Sam Smith, Chair, Capri Senior Communities

Leronica Shaw, Advocate Aurora Health

Melanie Shafer, SimpleLegal 

Christian Bradford, Truity Partners

Carson Miller, Truity Partners

Program and Community Engagement

Fran Sutter, Chair, GMR Marketing

Daniel Bergen, MSOE

Ashleigh Edgerson, City of Milwaukee

Dane Siegenthaler, GMR Marketing

Avery Bable, GMR Marketing

Dorintha Robinson, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin

Marcus Taylor, Rockwell Automation

Stanthia Grier, US Bank

Staff

Administrative Staff

Dionne Grayson: Executive Director

Amanda Aliperta: Fund Development Consultant

Cheryl McMurtry: Accountant

Mark Briggs: Program Services Manager

Tanika Reesnes: Human Resources Consultant

Olivia Reel: Executive Assistant and Communications Consultant 

Markesha Hilliard: Marketing Specialist 

Program Staff

Katherine Polace: Lead Brick by Brick Instructor

Sherri Jordan: Lead Career Advancement Coach

Sheena Polachowski: Brick by Brick Instructor

Quinetta Britton: Brick by Brick Instructor

Yolanda Radford-Sartin: Brick by Brick Instructor

Jessica Parker: Brick by Brick Instructor

Jerrmond Walker: Career Advancement Coach

Brieanna Harris: Career Advancement Coach

Va’Na Barki: Career Advancement Coach

Monique Bates: Career Advancement Coach

Interact Club

Paige Hunt: Interact Coordinator

Partners
African American Chamber of Commerce
Anon Charitable Trust
Bader Rutter
Cardinal Stritch University
The Commons, WI
Ebony Esthetics
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern WI
Greater Milwaukee Foundation
Innovative Fiber
Kohl Foundation
 
Kohls Hometown Giving
Marquette University Diederich College of Communications
Marquette University Education Opportunity Program – Talent Search
Milwaukee Public Schools Contract Compliance Services, Office of Accountability & Efficiency
Milwaukee Public schools Partnership for the Arts and Humanities
National Association of African American HR Professionals
Neo Soul Productions
Potawatomi Foundation
PumpFive Fuel Delivery
Rockwell Automation
 
Reasons for Hope MKE
Secure Futures
T.A.L.K. Publishing
Townsend Foundation
Union Pacific
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Helen Bader School of Social Welfare
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Peck School of the Arts
Department of Film, Video, Animation, and New Genres
Vibez Creative Arts Space
World Outreach Church