Board of Directors
Noleta Franz
BOARD CHAIR
Assistant Director Belonging and Impact- Northwestern Mutual
Noleta Franz
Assistant Director Legal Process
Tiffany Davister
Treasurer
Partner – Indirect, State and Local Tax Services, Ernst & Young
Tiffany Davister
Partner – Indirect, State and Local Tax Services, Ernst & Young
BOARD MEMBER, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Tiffany has 15+ years of tax experience. Serves as the Wisconsin State Desk for the EY Practice, Tiffany has significant experience in delivering state and international indirect tax work with a wide range of multinational clients. Prior to her current position with Ernst & Young, Tiffany serviced as an internal auditor for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Tiffany is a CPA, licensed in Wisconsin. Tiffany has extensive income/franchise experience, including assisting with the Wisconsin State Desk for EY and Tiffany’s client service has focused on indirect aspects of multinational business from consulting to compliance, as well as experience in the daily functions of a tax department. Tiffany has strong relationships at the Department of Revenue, given her role serving as the Chair of the Wisconsin Taxation Committee, as well as her involvement with EY’s controversy practice, meeting regularly with Wisconsin Department of Revenue Auditors, Supervisors, and Section Chiefs/Directors. She has assisted various clients in the process of filing voluntary disclosures and meeting state tax filing requirements, as well as various controversy matters inside and outside Wisconsin. Tiffany has also worked on a variety of state income tax restructuring engagements throughout the Milwaukee area. She has extensive experience researching state tax issues, working through business and legal issues related to corporate restructurings, and implementing tax saving strategies. Extensive experience performing lookback reviews of state tax filings for refunds and prospective favorable filing positions. More recently, Tiffany has assisted clients in looking at their current processes and creating connected tax functions, including implementing tax determination software, revamping existing processes and implementing ETR tools to create a more connected and efficient tax function. Tiffany advises clients on all facets of state income and franchise taxes and indirect taxes such as sales and use tax, property tax, employment tax, VAT and federal excise taxes.
Education:
• Undergrad and Masters Degree in Public Accounting from University Wisconsin – Milwaukee
Hobbies:
• Traveling – goal of visiting all US National Parks (10 down…LOTS to go)
• Running
• Supporting my Entrepreneurial husband – flipped houses, bought our first VRBO rental last year and a few rental properties
Community Involvement:
• Co-Chair Milwaukee’s Professional Women’s Network
• Chair the WICPA Taxation Committee
• Ripples Task Force Leader
• Mentor Board Member
• City Year Associate Board Member
Jack Snow
Secretary
Sr. Manager, Partner Strategy & Management, Milwaukee Bucks
Jack Snow
Sr. Manager, Partner Strategy & Management, Milwaukee Bucks
BOARD MEMBER, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
A graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Jack has been with the Bucks for the last 5 years, including 4 previous years as an Intern. In his current role as Senior Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility for the Bucks, Jack works closely with community and corporate partners throughout the state who are supporting youth academically, socially, and emotionally. More specifically, Jack oversees the team’s mentoring and sports-based youth development initiatives working with corporate, community, and civic leaders to advocate for expanded quality programming across the region. Jack led the Bucks in the creation of non-profit MENTOR Greater Milwaukee, a first of its kind public-private partnership to support mentor programs across the city and to help meet the demand for quality mentors. Jack also led the Bucks in the creation of the Milwaukee Youth Sports Alliance, an organization created to ensure that every child has access to high-quality youth sports programs rooted in the principles of positive youth development and trauma-informed care.
Gaulien Smith
Owner, Gee’s Clippers
Gaulien Smith
Owner, Gee’s Clippers
BOARD CHAIR, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Gaulien “Gee” Smith opened the doors of Gee’s Clippers on June 1, 1995 with just 4 barbers and himself. Today Gee’s Clippers has grown to a 30 chair barbershop, and undoubtedly the leading barbershop in the state of Wisconsin. Gee and his staff has been the barber or stylist to hundreds of professional athletes, politicians and celebrities over the past 26 years.
Gee’s Clippers is making strides like no other barbershop in history. Gaulien has created community partnerships with the Milwaukee Bucks and numerous other large companies in the Milwaukee area. He also has a health clinic in his barbershop called Gee’s MKE Wellness Clinic. Providing health care and awareness to individuals in the community.
Gee and Gee’s Clippers are most known and respected because of their relentless commitment to the community. Giving of their time, money and resources, such as toy drives, coat drives, feeding families in need, creating a safe place and platform for men to talk about challenges they face and mental health which is an area that Gaulien is passionate about. Gee’s Clippers have received many awards and recognitions for their great work in the city of Milwaukee and across the globe.
Gee’s Clippers is the first barbershop in the country to charter a Boy Scout Troop, which is where they’re able to do mentoring.
Darice Brown
Owner, Dominion C4 LLC
Darice Brown
Sr. Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Recruiting, Programs and Partnerships, ServiceNow
BOARD CO-CHAIR, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Darice Brown is a dynamic leader with over 15 years of experience spearheading high-impact communication initiatives that resonate with diverse stakeholders. She has a track record of driving measurable results by aligning business priorities with compelling, data-driven narratives delivered through executive storytelling, strategic communications strategy, and crisis management.
Most recently, Darice served as the senior director of DEI Strategic Partnerships at ServiceNow. In this role, she grew the company’s inclusive partnership portfolio, boosted employee engagement, developed and moderated content for executive-level panels, and standardized social issues and crisis response while managing corporate partnerships with community and nonprofit organizations. Before joining ServiceNow, Darice held roles of increasing responsibility at Rockwell Automation, NTouch Communications Group, and the Red Cross of Southeastern Wisconsin.
Darice holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University and a B.A. in Professional Communications from Alverno College. She is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and the Mentor Greater Milwaukee board of directors.
Joe Zidanic
Senior Vice President of Finance – Milwaukee Bucks
Joe Zidanic
Senior Vice President of Finance, Milwaukee Bucks
BOARD TREASURER, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Joe Zidanic – MGM Treasurer, 53. Joined MGM in 2018, serving two terms as Treasurer. Joined the Milwaukee Bucks on November 7th 2017 and is entering his fourth season with the Club as their Senior Vice President of Finance. For the Bucks, Joe oversees the financial management of the arena (Fiserv Forum), the teams minor league affiliate in Osh Kosh (Wisconsin Herd) and the teams charitable are, the Milwaukee Bucks Foundation Inc. Prior to Bucks, joe spent 3 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers winning a NBA title in 2016 as their VP of Finance, 13 seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers as their VP & Controller and 1 season with the San Francisco Giants. Joe’s non-sports careers includes 7 years with Litton Industries and 3 years with Mosler Inc. An avid hunter and fisherman, Joe spends his free time volunteering for several home restoration non-profits (Habitat, Revitalize and OneSmallHouse and teaching financial literacy through Secure Futures. A graduate of Marquette University, 1990 in accounting, Joe also serves on the board and several committees of the Potawatomi Area Council (Waukesha) of the Boy Scouts of America.
Amanda Braun
Director of Athletics – University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Amanda Braun
Director of Athletics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
BOARD MEMBER, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Amanda Braun is in her eighth year as the Director of Athletics at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. The first-ever female to hold the post at Milwaukee, she was named to the position in March of 2013 before officially taking the reins of the department on May 1, 2013. In her tenure on campus, she has helped Milwaukee to new heights, starting by playing the lead role in bringing Panther men’s basketball contests back downtown. She also was instrumental in helping the University secure naming rights for UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
The department also received its first-ever $1 million gift under Braun’s watch in Fall of 2016, the largest ever made to Milwaukee Athletics at the time. A former basketball player at Siena College, Braun graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology and later earne
Katina Shaw
Vice President of Community Relations and Family Liaison–Milwaukee Brewers
Katina Shaw
Vice President of Community Relations and Family Liaison, Milwaukee Brewers
BOARD MEMBER, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Katina Shaw is entering her 15th season with the Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club. Her current position is Vice President of Community Relations and Family Liaison. Katina serves as the key liaison between the front office, players, their families, team ownership, investors and the community. She performs a variety of duties; including the creation and management of community programs, such as “Beyond the Diamond” Brewers monthly community volunteer outreach initiative, in addition to coordinating activities and programs for Brewers Wives, alumni and front office personnel, she also supports the community efforts of Brewers Community Foundation, the charitable arm of the Brewers.
Before joining the Brewers, Katina spent 8+ years in fundraising as the Market Manager for the Milwaukee Chapter of the American Diabetes Association, where she coordinated the fundraising efforts for the ADA Step Out Walk to Fight Diabetes in Milwaukee, Green Bay and Racine.
In June 2019, Shaw received The Business Journal Women of Influence Award and in February 2012, she received the Milwaukee Times Black Excellence Award, an honor that recognizes individuals who are making a positive difference in the community.
A native of Milwaukee, Katina resides in Milwaukee County with her husband Jermaine, son Jamar, grandson Jeremiah and their four-legged terrier, Tank. Katina is an active volunteer in the community, a member on various committees and serve on boards in the Milwaukee community such as; Girls Scouts of Wisconsin Southeastern, Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, MENTOR Greater Milwaukee, and Wisconsin Humane Society.
Jerry Roberts
Executive Director – Milwaukee Area Workforce Funding Alliance
Jerry Roberts
Executive Director of the Milwaukee Area Workforce Funding Alliance
BOARD MEMBER, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Jerry Roberts currently serves as Director of Philanthropic and Corporate Engagement for Midwest Urban Strategies, a consortium of 13 U.S. Department of Labor Workforce Development Boards working to marry traditional workforce development practices with economic development.
Jerry brings a career steeped in the corporate, nonprofit and philanthropy sectors. Roberts cultivates and leverages relationships with business partners and national leaders to assist in the development of strong regional workforce and economic initiatives. Previously, Jerry worked for Bader Philanthropies where he guided the Foundation’s annual $1.5 million investment in workforce grants and its growing $16 million Program Related Investment portfolio. Jerry’s contributions to the nonprofit sector include helping workforce development organizations move from their entrepreneurial beginnings to the next stage in organizational development and supporting conversations among regional leaders with an eye toward collaboration and systemic solutions.
Roberts also serves as the as the Executive Director of the Milwaukee Area Workforce Funding Alliance, a consortium of funders working on employment issues at the systemic level.
Jerry proudly serves on the board of Voice of the Experienced (VOTE), New Orleans and on the Race and Equity Advisory team of the National Fund for Workforce Solutions. He also lends his time, talent and resources to other boards and committees. Jerry is a 2016 Connecting Leaders Fellow of ABFE, the Association of Black Foundation Executives.
Roberts holds a master’s degree in the cultural foundations of education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, as well as bachelor’s degrees from Grace Christian College and UW-Milwaukee.
Shane Arnold
Sr Staff, Enterprise Cloud & Data Platform Architect – GE Healthcare, Digital Technology
Shane Arnold
Sr Staff, Enterprise Cloud & Data Platform Architect, GE Healthcare
BOARD MEMBER, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Shane Arnold serves as the Sr Staff Infrastructure Cloud Architect at GE Healthcare. As the Cloud Infrastructure Architect, Shane is responsible for leading two teams of engineers and architects that design, support, and build GE Healthcare’s global enterprise data & analytics platform which enables organizational machine learning, data science and artificial intelligence development.
Shane is a Milwaukee Native who prior to his role at GE Healthcare, he has held various senior engineering and technology leadership roles at many of Milwaukee’s major companies which include, Johnson Controls, Northwestern Mutual, Miller Coors, and BMO Financial.
Shane has a deep passion and proven track record in mentorship, volunteerism, relationship cultivation and working with at-risk youth, in an effort to try to help connect people from underrepresented communities with information, direction, and opportunities.
Shane received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from The University of Kansas as well as a bachelor’s in information science and Technology from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee.
Terrell Walter
Executive Vice President – Royal Capital
Terrell Walter
Executive Vice President, Royal Capital Group
BOARD MEMBER, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Terrell Walter is a M.B.A. graduate of the University of Wisconsin- Whitewater with an emphasis inFinance and Management, and an ACRE Alum. Joining Royal Capital Group in 2012, Terrell serves as Development Manager. In his role, Terrell leads the company’s project management, community engagement, entitlement, and construction management functions.
Prior to joining Royal Capital, Terrell spent three years in Finance as a registered representative providing investment guidance to individual and institutional investors. In this role, Terrell grew a passion for helping others and providing access to underrepresented people across all sectors.
Terrell’s commitment to the community is highlighted by his community and corporate affiliations including:
• YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee (Board Member)
• Rite-Hite Family YMCA (Chair)
• City Year Milwaukee (Associate Board – Fundraising Committee Chair)
• MPS Black and Latino Male Achievement (Mentor)
• Mentor Greater Milwaukee (Board Member)
Awards and Recognitions:
• 40 Under 40 (Business Journal)
• Real Estate Change Agent (Business Journal)
Dr. Kenyatta Sinclare
Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Organizational Learning Officer–Greater Milwaukee Foundation
Makda Fessahaye
Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
BOARD MEMBER, MENTOR GREATER MILWAUKEE
Makda Fessahaye began her role as Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in April 2022. In her role, Makda oversees all human resources initiatives and functions for UWM, which employs over 6,700 staff and serves more than 24,000 students. She provides vision, oversight, strategy and policy direction for the Office of Human Resources and serves as an advisor to the Chancellor’s Cabinet, Deans and shared governance in human resources related matters.
Makda previously served in the cabinet of former Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett and Mayor Cavalier Johnson as the City of Milwaukee’s Chief Human Resources Officer and the head of the Department of Employee Relations. She also served in Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ administration as the Administrator for the Wisconsin Department of Corrections’ Division of Adult Institutions, where she was responsible for the operations and management of the State’s adult correctional facilities and led prison reform efforts. She previously served as Legal Counsel for the Department of Corrections, primarily practicing employment law, privacy law, and open government law.
Makda has been recognized for her various accomplishments by her peers; her recognitions include Wisconsin Law Journal Up and Coming Lawyer, Wisconsin Women in Government Rising Star Award, Madison365’s Most Influential Black Leaders, Wisconsin Law Foundation Fellow, In Business Greater Madison’s 40 Under 40, and Milwaukee Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. Makda received her undergraduate degree in Communication Studies from Northwestern University, and Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School. She is admitted to practice law in the State of Wisconsin.
Anthony Poole
HUB Business Manager – UPS
Anthony Poole
HUB Business Manager for UPS
Anthony Poole has 30 years’ experience as an UPS Manager. Currently Anthony is the HUB Business
Manager for UPS where he oversees over 300 employees. At UPS, Anthony is a member of the African American business resource group. Over the last 20 years Anthony has mentored 100’s of young people as an AAU basketball coach. Also has a member of the JKFK Jordan Poole Academic All Stars, Anthony has supported and helped high school students preparing for college. Anthony is a board member with Atonement Lutheran School. Anthony also has served an the leadership team for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and helped lead annual workshops for 7th and 8th Graders at UW-Milwauke
Ghulam Kahn
Assoc. Dir. Enterprise Business Intelligence – Johnsons Controls
Ghulam Khan
Assoc. Dir. Enterprise Business Intelligence at Johnson Controls.
Ghulam Khan, Assoc. Dir. of Enterprise Business Intelligence at Johnson Controls, is an influential figure in Industrial Automation with over two decades of experience. His tenure includes strategic roles at Rockwell Automation and as Global Product Manager for Industrial Computers & Monitors. Ghulam’s commitment to innovation is evident in his founding of AutomationEMS, focusing on energy management solutions.
A winner of the 2018 Business Impact Award at Rockwell Automation, Ghulam holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering and is a Certified Energy Manager, Energy Auditor, and Demand-Side Management professional. Beyond his corporate achievements, he’s actively involved in community service with organizations like Humanity First and Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee. A proud Milwaukee Public Schools alumnus, Ghulam is passionate about mentoring and giving back to the community.
Theodore Lipscomb, Sr.
Executive Director- LISC Milwaukee
Danny Rivera
Director of Security, Global Security & Investigations- Fiserv
