Board of Directors
Paula Kiely
Board Chair
City Librarian (retired)
Milwaukee Public Library
Samantha Pekarske
Vice Chair
Content Strategist
Standing Partnership
Mary Gute Witte
Secretary
Philanthropist
COA Youth & Family Centers
Steve Dittman
Treasurer
CPA
Milwaukee Teachers' Education Association
Vince Bushell
Publisher
Riverwest Currents, Inc.
Brenda Cárdenas
Milwaukee Poet Laureate 2010–2012
Professor Emerita, Graduate Program in Creative Writing
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Matthew J. Hills
Attorney
DeWitt LLP
Ed Krishok
Attorney (retired)
Remaining Awake, LLC
Ck Ledesma
Milwaukee Arts Board 2022 Artist of the Year
Founder of Cosecha Creative Space
Howard Leu
Founder of ArtFluent, LLC
Margaret Rozga
Wisconsin Poet Laureate 2019–2021
Professor Emerita, Department of English
University of Wisconsin-Waukesha
Nakeysha Roberts Washington
Founder & CEO of Genre: Urban Arts
Advocates
Karen Campbell
Former Chair of Woodland Pattern Board of Directors
Bill Embly
Writer, Community Member
Karl Gartung
Co-founder of Woodland Pattern
Peter Goldberg
Attorney (retired)
Anne Kingsbury
Co-founder of Woodland Pattern
Robert Ragir
Philanthropist
Jill Sebastian
Professor of Sculpture (retired)
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
Staff
Jenny Gropp &
Laura Solomon
Executive Directors
Michael Wendt
Programming Director
Antonio Vargas-Nieto
Assistant Programming Director
Alexa Nutile
Education Director
Marla Sanvick
Art Director
Lewis Freedman
Book Center Manager
Molly Hassler
Executive Assistant
Chuck Stebelton
Special Projects (at large)
Teaching Poets & Artists
Jordan Blanco
LaDasia Bryant
Ajamou Butler
Sean Enfield
Emily Igwike
Nikki Janzen
George Jones
Jenna Koch
CJ Scruton
Kathrine Yets
2025-26
Milwaukee Emerging Poet Fellows
Moki Ruminski
(Practice)
Diya Gitanjali Mark
(Projects)
2024-25
Milwaukee Youth Poet Laureate
Aleena Ahmed
Nicolet High School
Curators
Kimberly Blaeser
Native Writers in the 21st Century Series
Brenda Cárdenas
Unwriting Borders Poetry Series
Karl Gartung
Readshop
Nomka Enkhee
Ping Pong Book Club
Roberto Harrison
Unwriting Borders Poetry Series
Ae Hee Lee
#ALeetleMoment Interview Series
Siwar Masannat
Unwriting Borders Poetry Series
Jay Mollerskov
Formations Series for New & Improvised Music
Hal Rammel
Alternating Currents Live Concert Series
Nakeysha Roberts Washington
Genre: Urban Arts: Revolutionary Arts Criticism Residency
Takahiro Suzuki
aCinema Film Series
Janelle Vanderkelen
aCinema Film Series
Volunteers & Interns
Doyin Aderele, Beck Behnke, Neeraj Bhogvalli, McKinley Blackwell, Sylvia Grey, Justin Heitman, Lisa Hollenbach, Oliver Krawczyk, Peter Larson, Ae Hee Lee, Shuyang Li, Mia Lucke, Liat Mayer, Devon McPhee, Phoebe Nelson, Alex Niemi, Sabine Peterka, Delaney Regan, Joey Reindl, Lydia Roussos, Allison Thompson, Miranda Trimmier, Jackie Valadez, Ed Werstein, Yuchen Zhao
We acknowledge that in Milwaukee we live and work on traditional Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, and Menominee homelands along the southwest shores of Michigami, part of North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes, where the Milwaukee, Menominee, and Kinnickinnic rivers meet and the people of Wisconsin’s sovereign Anishinaabe, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Oneida, and Mohican nations remain present.
We further acknowledge the grave evil colonialism introduced to these lands through genocide as well as slavery, and also via racist and xenophobic beliefs, laws, and practices that continue to inflict harm upon Black, brown, and Indigenous lives. We honor those who have lived—and do live, now—at these intersections of identity and experience, and are committed to the active dismantling of white supremacy.
720 E. Locust Street
Milwaukee, WI 53212
Phone: 414 263 5001
Hours: Tues–Sun | 12-7 pm
Closed Mon
Building Accessibility: Despite the age of our physical location, and attendant limitations to access, Woodland Pattern is committed to making its programs and facilities available for as many as possible. Please call for more information.
Events Accessibility: Woodland Pattern is able to offer captioning services for its online events and with advanced notice can provide ASL interpretation for live events. Please contact us with accommodation requests and questions.
© Woodland Pattern 2025