About AWC

The national Association for Women in Communications (AWC) champions the advancement of women across all communication disciplines by recognizing excellence, promoting leadership, and positioning its members at the forefront of the evolving communications era. Benefits of national membership include:

• Networking and learning opportunities, such as AWC’s online member directory, annual conference, and online publications and links
• Clarion and other national awards for communications excellence
• Low-rate credit card and discounts on travel and professional products

The AWC-Madison Chapter represents communications professionals in and around Madison, Wisconsin. Join the local chapter to 

• Advance your career
• Broaden your social circles
• Take advantage of monthly programming and networking opportunities
• Find a new job in your chosen field of communications
• Network with other independent communicators, if you’re in business for yourself
• Connect with students at the UW-Madison
• Host one guest without charge for one professional meeting annually

Learn more and join AWC or renew your membership.

The UW-Madison Student Chapter is a resource for the next generation of communications professionals and those considering communications-related careers. The Student Chapter meets every other Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at 5055 Vilas Hall.

To connect students and professionals, the AWC-Madison chapter sponsors an annual event that brings students in various fields of communications in direct contact with local experts in their areas of study. The AWC-Madison chapter also makes an impact on the future of student chapter members by sponsoring travel for the chapter.

PEOPLE and COMMITTEES

The AWC-Madison Chapter is an all-volunteer organization. We thank all of the members of the Board and committees for sharing their time and talents.

Volunteers on the Membership Committee recruit new members; answer questions about membership; send renewal reminders; track contact information about members and prospects; and work the registration table at each monthly meeting.

Members of the Philanthropy Committee manage all of the details of Career Quest, AWC-Madison’s annual philanthropic event bringing together communications students and professionals.

Serving on the Program Committee involves recruiting and coordinating details with speakers for monthly meetings; managing meeting logistics; distributing program flyers; and tracking registrations.

Publicity Committee members prepare announcements for monthly meetings; write and send press releases; and ensure that current information is posted on the website.

Interested in joining the Board? We have several open positions to fill for 2009-2010! To find out more or to volunteer, contact any Board member listed below by clicking their name.

2009 ~ 2010 Board of Directors

Sharyn L. Alden, Membership
Sharyn L. Alden’s long-time journalism experience includes writing for over 250 newspapers and magazines and numerous news syndicates. Her business, Sharyn L. Alden Communications/The Writing & Design Studio, founded in 1988, works with clients to prepare compelling stories/PR strategies based on current newsworthy topics, just-launched or upcoming services/initiatives. Clients include universities, health care organizations, hospitals, biotech firms, and other businesses, in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Her business taps into a wide net of resources/contacts culled from decades of working with the media, to write/showcase and place compelling stories for internal and external communications.

Linda Blair, Membership
Linda Blair is the Technical Publications Manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Madison, Wisconsin. Prior to relocating to Madison she was the proprietor of “PRN Transcription,” based in Rochester, New York. She brought with her over 15 years of experience in writing, editing, legal and medical transcription. Linda has been active with our chapter since 2008.

Renee Kalvestrand, Treasurer (camera shy)
Renee Kalvestrand is a marketing professional with more than ten years of experience creating and implementing communication and marketing strategies for nonprofits and corporations. She holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and an MA in International Affairs from the Fletcher School at Tufts University . Renee joined AWC-Madison in 2009.

Shayna Miller, Public Relations
Shayna Miller is associate and style editor for Madison Magazine. She writes a monthly retail column, authors a weekly blog at madisonmagazine.com, styles and plans fashion spreads and photo shoots and serves as an authoritative source on local style and retail. Miller has also freelanced in the Milwaukee area for newspapers, magazines and Web sites. An AWC member since 2008, Miller communicates with local media on AWC events and speakers as well as assists in speaker recruitment.

Mary Ellen Schutz, President, Web, and Member Communications
Mary Ellen Schutz is a freelance writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience in the computer and scientific instrument industries. She holds degrees in Urban Planning and Electrical Engineering. She is the owner of Gentle Editing, LLC. Mary Ellen has been active in our chapter since 2007. You can visit her on the Web at www.GentleEditing.net

Kelly Kloepping, Past President
Kelly Kloepping of Madison, WI has been with Special Olympics Wisconsin for almost eight years as the Director, and most recently, vice president of Marketing & Communications. Previous to this position, she did public relations for Wisconsin’s 1,500 banks and savings and loans at Wisconsin Bankers Association. In 2001, Kelly was nominated and hired to the position of Director of Communications for Special Olympics Team USA, as she traveled in 2003 to Ireland, 2005 to Japan and 2007 to China for the Special Olympics World Summer and Winter Games. She has now resigned her Team USA position and focuses solely on her vice president position for the state of Wisconsin. Kelly is a member of the board of directors for NEXT (Madison Young Professionals Group), the past president of the Association for Women in Communications Madison Chapter, and a past president of the Wisconsin Communicators Council. She is a graduate of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a degree in public relations and a minor in journalism.