Nadine Brock, Research Director

Nadine manages Stamats’ research services. With more than 25 years of experience in market research, she consults with clients across higher ed, consumer, and business-to-business segments and designs qualitative and quantitative research initiatives. She excels at leading focus groups, interviews, campus visits, and presentations.

Before joining our team, Nadine consulted in news media and worked for clients across multiple industries at GfK in Germany, one of the largest market research agencies in the world. She earned an MBA from the University of Iowa and completed her undergraduate degree in international business and marketing at the University of Colorado.

Melinda Verdone

Dr. Melinda Verdone has extensive experience in program management, oversight of evaluation processes, program review, and technical skills attainment. In her current role as the Assistant Director of Program Development in the Division of Continuing Studies at UW-Madison, she oversees and guides the strategic development of noncredit programming. Melinda earned an Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership from Edgewood College, Madison, WI. She holds an M.A.Ed. in Teaching and Learning, also from Edgewood College, and a M.S. in Microbiology from Northern Illinois University. She is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP) by the Project Management Institute.

Noah LaMaide

Noah LaMaide is an Outreach Specialist at UW-Stevens Point Continuing Education & Outreach. A passionate advocate for AI technology, Noah frequently employs tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT in his professional work, promoting their benefits to colleagues. He played a pivotal role in organizing the AI Innovations at Work conference held at UW-Stevens Point in February 2024. Noah is eager to share how AI tools have enhanced his workflow and looks forward to helping you brainstorm ways to improve your own.

Mara Prausa

Mara Prausa currently serves as a Program Manager for Continuing Education on the UWSP at Wausau campus. She manages a diverse portfolio of programming including certificate programs, professional development workshops, customized trainings, conferences,  and personal enrichment classes. In addition, she loves to help plan and co-lead trips with UWSP Adventure Tours. She has worked for non-profit organizations most of her life and honed her skills in relationship building, collaborating, fundraising, sponsorship development, grant writing, and above all, problem solving through adaptability and creativity. Outside of work, Mara enjoys playing piano, running, hiking, biking, skiing, traveling, and baking. Usually you can find her “playing outside” with her husband, two children, and black lab.

Carie Winn

Carie has spent the past eleven years working as a major gift fundraiser and outreach specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, helping forward the objectives of the College of Professional Studies through private philanthropy and relationship building. Through her work, Carie has had the opportunity to hone her communication and people skills. Working at a university has also led to rediscovering the joy she experiences from being in an educational environment where people are focused on learning and discovering ways of making the world a better place.

In addition to her career, Carie serves on several boards, including the Stevens Point Area Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, the Stevens Point Tourism Commission, the Stevens Point Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Point of Discovery School Advisory Board. Carie resides in Stevens Point, Wisconsin with her husband, two teenagers, dog, and cat. When she is not working or volunteering, she enjoys biking, running, skiing, hiking and spending time with family and friends.

Melissa Vergara

The Office of Compliance and Integrity is pleased to welcome Melissa Vergara to the OCI team as a Compliance Specialist with a Youth Protection and Compliance focus.

Melissa served as the Risk and Compliance Manager as well as the Precollege Liaison for the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point from Dec. 2020 – April of 2024.  She was instrumental in developing policies, protocols, processes and resources for UWSP on many risk and compliance-related matters, including youth protection.

Melissa now serves with the Office of Compliance and Integrity to provide compliance and risk-related guidance, support and expertise on youth protection and SYS 625 compliance, as well as other compliance-related issues and topics.  Melissa in her free time enjoys camping, fishing and being a Girl Scout troop Leader in her area.

Morgan Anderson

Morgan Anderson serves as the Director of Camps and Conferences and Liaison to the UW System for Youth Protection at UW-Whitewater. With a Master of Education-Student Affairs Administration from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and a unique professional resume, she’s prepared with the knowledge and passion to create unforgettable experiences for event attendees of all ages. She believes in the transformative power of events and is fueled by the joy of sharing impact through creative storytelling.

Prior to her current position, Morgan served in various capacities with the University of Wisconsin Institutions and Technical Colleges. Her passion for bringing events to life and attention to detail, alongside her experience working in Human Resources and investigating Title IX cases provides a balance of creativity and real-world expertise to advance the current and future camp, conference and clinic experiences at UW-Whitewater.

Marianne Wolc

Marianne has provided 18 years of service to the School of Graduate Studies and Continuing Education at UW-Whitewater, from 1995-2005, and 2016-present. With a passion for innovation and a meticulous approach to detail, she oversees GCETech, ensuring the smooth operation of registration systems. Her responsibilities also include managing departmental websites, overseeing marketing projects, and implementing new software solutions. Marianne is dedicated to meeting the technological needs of her department with enthusiasm and commitment.

Marianne developed her diverse skill set at the Savannah College of Art and Design and the Department of Corrections, where she made a significant impact through her dedication and drive.

Outside of her professional life, Marianne’s zest for life is evident in her cherished moments with her husband, Chad. Together, they enjoy 4-wheeling adventures and nurturing their garden. Their shared love for the outdoors often leads them to campfires, where they relax with their two dogs and enjoy the laughter of family and friends.

Rebecca Bauer

Rebecca Bauer is a Program Manager at UW-Stevens Point with over a decade of experience in Continuing Education. She has managed diverse programs, including youth, personal enrichment, travel, professional development, conferences, and credit courses. She will share how she and her team leverage Asana, a program management tool, to streamline their work and boost efficiency.

Stefanie Stamper

Stefanie began working at UW-Parkside in January 2020. Before joining UW-Parkside in 2020, Stefanie worked as a Senior Trainer and Organizational Development Specialist in both the financial and healthcare industry.
In November 2022, she was promoted to the Assistant Director of Noncredit Programs. In her current role, she manages development trainings, assists with the development of noncredit-to-credit pathways, customized training contracts for organizations, and arranges community-based personal enrichment classes. Stefanie is the secretary of the Parkside Employee Alumni Group (PEAG), a member of the Leadership Racine Planning Committee (and proud LR23 graduate), and a member of SRKA. Stefanie is also 2007 graduate of UW-Parkside. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family and doing Zumba!

Kristine Pierick

Kristine Pierick is a senior Instructional Designer with the Universities of Wisconsin Office of Online & Professional Learning Resources. Kristine has over 15 years experience in instructional design in both higher education and private settings. She has extensive experience developing courses in various online formats, including competency-based and self-paced courses. Kristine is an advocate for equitable course design and accessibility.

Ryan Anderson

Ryan Anderson is currently the Senior Director of Instructional Design and Media for the Universities of Wisconsin Office of Online & Professional Learning Resources. Prior to this, Anderson worked at Epic (the nation’s leading healthcare software vendor) serving as the e-learning and training divisional leader. He has also been an adult education instructor for Madison College and a K-12 teacher. Anderson has excelled in bringing cutting-edge technology and instructional design approaches into the online classroom since he joined the Universities of Wisconsin in 2012. UW-Madison awarded him the Shauna Schullo Best Distance Teaching Practices Award in 2016. To meet his goal of bringing students the best possible online experience, his team partners with faculty on a rigorous design process grounded in the latest instructional design theory. He facilitates the integration of a myriad of tools and strategies including competency-based education, virtual reality, gamification, adaptive learning, scenario-based learning, microcredentialing, and Generative AI. The result: innovative, yet affordable, online educational experiences that can be accessed anywhere, anytime, by anyone.