Alice Skenandore, founder and Executive Director
Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Tribal Member; Mother of 5 boys and 1 girl; Grandmother to 2
Alice became a strong community activist, in Laughlin, Nevada, where she lived with her family for 7 years prior to moving back to her native state of Wisconsin, helping to push the county forward in the development of schools and family centered events and infrastructure. Alice also served her communities as a Traditional Midwife for more than 27 years, attending over 740 home births, following the basic tenet that, all women are innately midwives and every woman deserves a midwife. She believes that midwifery has always been a ‘cradle to grave’ role for the wise women of all communities. She has helped many other women, through the apprenticeship model, to become practicing midwives themselves.
Oneida and Green Bay community member since 1992, Alice helped form a successful women’s support and learning group which met weekly, with children in tow, over a period of 8 years, studying various topics including alternative health choices, personal relationship development, parenting, etc. In 1998, Alice founded Wise Women Gathering Place. WWGP continues to operate through the lens of midwifery. In 2001, Alice authored a unique relationship development tool named Discovery Dating. Discovery Dating helps the reader to explore the attitudes, behaviors and beliefs of the people with whom they are developing relationships.
Alice travels extensively, lecturing and educating women and families about the benefits of home birth and breast-feeding and culture based, holistic health care. The basis for all of her work is to assure the most informed choices and greatest level of self-determination available.
Beverly Scow, Assistant Director
Kwickseutaineuk Ah-kwa-mish First Nation, of the Kwakwakawak Peoples from west coast in British Columbia, Canada; Mother of 3 girls and 1 boy; Stepmother to 4, Grandmother to over 8 grandchildren
Bev has lived on the Oneida Nation Reservation in Wisconsin since 1991. Bev apprenticed as a Traditional Lay Midwife with Alice Skenandore. Her work has shifted to Community Midwifery, as they continue to work to create safe space for individuals, groups and community to struggle through difficult challenges on their journey of healing. As one of the women that met around the original kitchen table that became Wise Women Gathering Place, Bev became a founding member of the organization.
Beverly has an Honorary Degree from Native Indian Teaching Education Program (NITEP) at the University of British Columbia. Bev is a Certified ToP Facilitator and Qualified ToP Trainer. She uses TOP Facilitation Method to support groups like Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), American Indians Against Abuse (AIAA), Oneida Community Integrated Food System, Ho Chunk Youth Services, Oneida Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Coordinated Community Response (CCR), Living In Non-violent Kinship Embracing Diversity (LINKED), Women Growing Leadership Diversity- Sowing Seed for the Future, Adolescent Parenting Coalition (APC) and APC Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Committee. Bev supports group through focused conversations, consensus workshops, action planning, strategic planning, conflict resolution and virtual facilitation. She has co-trained over 60 people in Oneida and many more on Top Facilitation Methods.
Bev has co- trained countless Discovery Dating Facilitators. She also supports evaluation and development work on the promising practice of Discovery Dating, towards becoming recognized as an evidence based program. She is also available for interactive presentations on Historical Trauma/Generational Healing, Compassionate Communication, Restorative Justice, Bullying, Transitional Living Programs and Domestic Violence Prevention.
Julia McLester, Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Program Specialist
Oneida Nation of Wisconsin Tribal Member; Proud mother and grandmother
Julia has joined us bringing 20 years of experience in helping people. Julia has worked at Golden House in Green Bay for the past 15 years. She was appointed to represent the Oneida Tribe on the Board of Directors for the American Indians Against Abuse Coalition. Julia formerly devoted 17 years to Oneida Social Services in various capacities. She then worked for three years at Great Lakes Inter Tribal Council helping people with disabilities and recently spent one year working at the Menominee Domestic Violence Shelter as a Client Advocate.
Sam McKenzie, Sexual Assault/Domestic Violence Program Specialist
Non-tribal (Australian); Mother of 1
Sam has a Bachelor of Education and taught in Australia for approximately 10 years before returning to study for a Bachelor/Masters in a Applied Science, Health Promotion & Prevention. Previously, Sam has worked at the Mental Health Foundation of Australia as the Coordinator of Program Development, Crisis Intervention & Community Education & Prevention, with a focus on Suicide and Depression Awareness & Intervention, and as the Director of Family, Teen & Community Development for the YMCA in Green Bay, WI. Currently, Sam is additionally employed at the Sexual Assault Center of Family Services' Brown County SART Project. Over the past 20 years, Sam has provided assistance and resources to over 3000 sexual assault survivors. Sam providesd training to many responders to sensitive crimes and enjoys working with communities to create a safer enviroment for all.
Jen Schanen, Community Outreach Specialist
Non-tribal (Luxembourg)
Achieved her Bachelor of Social Work at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay with minors in Spanish and dance. She also worked at Golden House in Green Bay with families who were being sheltered from domestic violence before leaving for a year of service with AmeriCorps NCCC. Jen traveled throughout the USA to diverse communities in several states, including New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, learning and serving around the stark realities of people in times of dire need. Jen has also volunteered and worked with several other agencies in Brown County, serving adults and children facing homelessness, disabilities, discrimination, and other social challenges.
Judy VanderBloomen, Administrative Assistant
Non-tribal (Finnish); Mother of 1 boy (who's a Hollywood stunt man!)
Judy has a Master's degree in Nutrition and is certified by the state as an herbal practitioner. Judy brings to her position with Wise Women a wealth of organizational experience as a legal secretary in Atlanta and a real estate secretary in Los Angeles. She has also been an office manager for her husband's appliance business locally. She was born and raised in Wisconsin but has also lived in Alaska, Georgia and Washington state. Proud to have served Wise Women for over 4 years, Judy appreciates how "everyone at Wise Women does what they need to do to help other people!"
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| What I would really like to do is to be able to change the lives of a group of people, with the same materials they deal with everyday. - Vik Muniz |
