Meet our Board Members
Gail Graham, President:
Gail Graham is Business and Employer Services Coordinator at Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board.
She is responsible for planning, delivery and management of services provided directly to businesses and employers.
Gail collaborates with Job Center partners to streamline processes to provide full service employee recruitment and coordinates On the Job Training contracts.
In her position, she conducts other analysis and activities that identify and address employer focused training needs. She is a former president of the United Way of North Rock County.
Jane Thompson
Jane Thompson is co-founder of Rock University High School and the former Dean. She is a former Spanish teacher and international programming advisor for the School District of Janesville. Currently, Jane volunteers at RUHS and serves as the Executive Director to the RUHS Governing Board.
Steve Mathesius, Board Member:
Steve Mathesius is the VP of Data Management and Chief Information Security Officer at TDS Telecom. He holds a BA in Computer Information Systems from Wartburg College and earned his MBA from the University of Wisconsin. Steve and his family live in Milton, where in his free time he enjoys cycling. Steve is active in the parents' group and joins the board as parent liaison. His middle kid, James, is a member of the first freshman class at RUHS graduating in 2023.
Dr. Karen Schmitt
Dr. Karen Schmitt serves as the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Blackhawk Technical College. Dr. Schmitt received her bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison in Geology and Geophysics, master’s degree
at the University of Otago (New Zealand) in Geology, and Ph.D. from Columbia University in Geological Sciences. Dr. Schmitt joined Blackhawk Technical College in 2020. Prior to coming to Blackhawk, Dr. Schmitt served as Provost and Vice-Chancellor of Academic Affairs for University of Wisconsin (UW) Colleges from 2017-2020. During the restructuring of the 2-year campuses of UW Colleges in 2018-2019, she also served as Interim Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs with the UW System Administration.
Before returning to her home state of Wisconsin, Dr. Schmitt spent 16 years working within the University of Alaska system where she held roles of Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, Vice Provost of Research; Sponsored Programs, Dean of the Community Technical College and Dean of the Schools of Management and Career Education. Dr. Schmitt’s academic career within higher education began at the University of Washington in Seattle as Research Coordinator, progressing to Program Manager and Associate Dean in the College of Ocean and Fishery Sciences. Dr. Schmitt’s prior professional work experience includes Marine Project Coordinator with ITT Antarctic Services and Senior Research Geologist with Exxon Production Research.