Don Hietpas
President
Retired Chief Financial Officer of the Appleton Area School District. Former officer of Valley King Incorporated, a franchise of Burger King. Former member of the Appleton Area School District Board of Education. Various other non-profit Boards.
Nick Ross
Vice President
Nick Ross is an advocate for Diverse & Resilient, Wisconsin's largest LGBTQ+ non-profit agency, working to serve members of the LGBTQ+ community. Nick has loved Appleton Public Library since their teenage years, when they would take the bus from Neenah to Appleton to roam the stacks and browse in a safe and welcoming environment. Nick voraciously read every book about the LGBTQ+ community they could find, and they will be forever grateful to the librarians who made the bold, life-saving choice to add young adult LGBTQ+ material to the collection. Through their work with Friends of the Appleton Public Library, Nick strives to give back to the library that has given so much to them and so many others in our community.
Chuck Erickson
Secretary
Chuck Erickson is an Independent Educational Consultant & College Achievement Coach at College Connectors in Appleton, WI. He helps students and families navigate the college search and application process; Chuck is in his seventh year in this role. He graduated from Lawrence University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish and a Bachelor of Music degree in Choral/General Music Education. He also attended Iowa State University where he earned a Master of Education degree in Educational Leadership & Policy Studies with a focus in Higher Education/Student Affairs. Before working as an Independent Educational Consultant, Chuck served as Associate Director of Admissions at Lawrence University for over 10 years.
Amy Friedel
Treasurer
Amy Freidel is the Controller at Lawrence University in Appleton, WI. Amy joined the Lawrence University community in February 2016. Prior to joining Lawrence Amy worked for over 20 years in public accounting specializing as an auditor in the nonprofit sector and is a CPA. Amy has spent her entire life in Wisconsin and currently resides in Neenah. She is the proud mother of three daughters and two dogs. Amy also volunteers her time on the Board of the Women's Fund for the Fox Valley Region.
Priscilla Daniels
Community volunteer for over 25 years. Retired from Robert W. Baird. Also, a long-time Board member of the Fox Valley Symphony Orchestra. Daniels has an MLIS from the University of Oklahoma. Currently she serves as Chair of the Friends of Appleton Public Library: Development Committee.
Erin Chudacoff
Erin Chudacoff is a donor relations professional who specializes in higher education philanthropy and stewardship. She currently serves Lawrence University Executive Director of Donor Engagement. Erin is a community volunteer and advocate. In addition to her role on the Friends board, she is a member of Leadership Fox Cities steering committee and Lightning Gridiron Club Board. Served as a United Way impact area volunteer for eight years. Erin graduated from Lawrence University with a major in anthropology. After graduation she worked for the University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School in the Office of Diversity Resources.
Lee Allinger
Appleton Area School District’s Lee Allinger was selected in the spring of 2007 as Superintendent of Wisconsin's sixth largest school district. Lee is a native of Appleton who attended Appleton schools and raised his own family here. He served as a teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and deputy superintendent for 23 years prior to becoming Appleton’s Superintendent. Lee has a total of 33 years dedicated to the Appleton Area School District. In retirement he maintains positive relationships with the community and currently serves on the boards of the Community Early Learning Center, Mielke Family Foundation, Friends of the Appleton Public Library, Lawrence University Community Advisory, and Basic Needs Giving Partnership Grants.
Kirsten Finlayson
One of Kirsten's first accomplishments upon moving to Appleton in 2009 was to obtain library cards for herself and her family. Reading is one of the primary extracurricular activities taking place in her home, as evidenced by the rather wild and untended yard. Kirsten, a lawyer at Chubb Insurance for 20 years, pioneered the remote workplace model well before Covid required it. Kirsten's work and travel have taken her to Asia, Europe, Central America and more, but she is delighted to call Appleton home. Some of her favorite books include: An American Childhood, Gilead, and My Brilliant Friend.
Jeff Knezel
Jeff Knezel is a Retired president of Schenck & Associates. He has 20+ years as a community volunteer. Jeff is a former Appleton Area Board of Education member, former Board chair LEAVEN Inc., and has served on several other Fox Cities non-profit boards.
Margi Mann
Margi Mann currently works at Kohler as a marketing lead for aging and women centric strategy and innovation. Prior to joining Kohler, Margi was a marketing and sales professional working at Kimberly Clark. Growing up in Door County, Margi still remembers her first climb up her library stairs with anticipation and excitement. She graduated from St. Norbert College with a degree in international business and a focus on German studies. Later, she graduated from Marquette University with her MBA. Margi and her husband have raised two daughters in Appleton who are now both at university. Margi also serves on the Appleton Library Board of Trustees and served as an Appleton Alderperson in the past.
Cassie McDonald
Cassie McDonald is thrilled to be on the Friends of the Appleton Public Library Board. She is the Sr. Manager, Community Relations at Harbor House Domestic Abuse Programs, Inc. and has worked in the nonprofit arena for over 10 years. Libraries hold a special place in her heart as they are beacons of hope for so many members in the community.
Nanci Micke
Retired VP of Marketing and Communications for United Way Fox Cities. Nanci enjoys being on the Development Committee for the Friends Board and is excited about the plans for the library's building project. Nanci volunteers with the Community Clothes Closet, Fox Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau Grant Committee, American Cancer Society Sole Burner, the Tri-County Multicultural Communications Committee and Wisconsibs.
B. Sridhar
Dr. Balakuntalam S. Sridhar, Management Professor (Eneritus) at University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh. Ph.D. in organizational theory and organizational behavior from The Ohio State University. As a senior executive in multinational corporations Sridhar has practiced all facets of human resource management. Sridhar is a consultant and trainer in strategic planning, leadership, and his clientele include several Fortune 500 multinationals in the U.S. and Europe, local businesses, and nonprofits. Currently, Sridhar is the Governor of Rotary District 6220. He was the founding president of IndUS of Fox Valley (2001-2007), President of Oshkosh Area United Way (2008) and President of Rotary Club of Appleton (2015-16). He serves on several boards for nonprofit organizations. Sridhar and his wife Dr. Sandhya Sridhar, a retired management professor, live in Appleton Wisconsin. Sridhars love volunteering, books, music and travel.
Connie Roop
Appleton Public Library has been and continues to be an important part of Connie Roop's personal and professional life. Connie is an author of over 100 children's books co-authored with her husband Peter. She taught science in Appleton for 34 years. Connie served as vice-president of Friends of Appleton Library Board and completed her two-year presidency of Friends in June 2021. Connie looks forward to her remaining three years on the Friends Board as the Appleton community commits to a 21st century library.
John Ptacek
John Ptacek is a Cloud Architect at Breakthrough Fuel, headquartered in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and a US Venture company. He graduated undergraduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Applied Mathematics, Engineering and Physics and received a Masters degree in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics from Madison. He grew up reading at the library in his hometown of Fontana, WI and his children grew up reading at the Appleton Public Library. He is grateful for the role libraries have played in the communities he has been part of.