Megan Schuessler with her husband, Erik.

             By Megan Schuessler, Donor Services Manager

Hello! My name is Megan Schuessler and I am very excited to be a part of the Community Foundation team as the new donor services manager. In my new role I will get to work with donors and funds and connect their interests with nonprofits to meet needs.My career has meandered down a path I never expected but am truly grateful for. After graduating from UW-Green Bay with a degree in Communications, I worked in a few entry-level positions before growing my career at a packaging company in the area where I had the opportunity to lead branding and marketing communications efforts for several years.

I then left the corporate world for a marketing role at a nonprofit because of the compelling feeling I had to do more and to make a bigger impact on the needs of our community with my work. It was there that I was exposed to the power of philanthropy and the impact the kindness and generosity of others can have, but admittedly, I had no desire to be a “fundraiser” at the time. (Little did I know what I was doing was fundraising anyway, just in an indirect way.)

Due to my passion for helping people living their best lives, and health and wellness being a very large part of my interest in that, I accepted an opportunity to lead the rebranding efforts at ThedaCare in 2015. After about three years into my role there, I got over my “fear” of fundraising with the help of a friendly nudge and joined the ThedaCare Family of Foundations as a gift officer, primarily supporting donors and work in the healthcare system’s rural communities.

I am so grateful for the opportunities my career has given me to this point, whether that be meeting with dedicated trade show crews, flying in a B-17, listening to patients tell their stories, riding in a race car, or successfully executing a capital campaign in the middle of a pandemic with a dedicated committee who worked virtually to make it happen.

Like many people since the pandemic hit, I found myself really evaluating what is important to me and how I can use my talents and skills in the most meaningful way. My life’s goal has always been to leave my work, my community, and our world better than I found it. The Covid-19 pandemic really opened my eyes to the many needs and social inequities our local communities face. While I would have individually loved to help everyone, there is no way I had the time, talent, and treasure to support all the causes I care so deeply about.

So, when this position opened at the Community Foundation, I could think of no better way to serve my community and help advance the essential work of our nonprofits than by joining a team whose work is to “connect people who care with causes that matter” as it was so eloquently stated in our Voices of the Valley podcast. There are so many people who want to do good in the world and just need some help to figure out the best way to go about it. I am so grateful for the opportunity to do just that through my new position at the Community Foundation. I have met so many generous individuals through my previous work and I look forward to meeting more of them and learning their stories and inspirations through my new role here.

Outside of work, you will find me spending time with my family and friends. My husband Erik and I moved to Greenville from Oshkosh three years ago. We will celebrate our 10-year wedding anniversary next June. We have two very active boys, Rhett (5) and Tate (4), and a rescued black and tan coonhound, Elwood.

Our boys keep us very busy playing games and sports and highly entertained with their stories. We love attending sporting events (baseball is, admittedly, our favorite), and traveling, so 2020 was a long year without either of those things, but we are so glad these things are coming back into our lives! We enjoy unique sporting events and cheering on all Wisconsin sports teams, and especially enjoy attending Brewer games and Badger football games. We try to attend a baseball game each time we travel to a city that has a Major League Baseball team, and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles are on our bucket list.

When I’m not chasing after my boys, I enjoy running and often sign up for races to ensure I make time for myself to continue this hobby by forcing myself to train for them. I have a Netflix queue a mile long, but “Friends,” “Parks and Recreation,” and “Mad Men” are among my favorite TV shows, and it’s hard for me to turn down a good documentary.

I also enjoy reading and flipping through HGTV magazine for decorating ideas and the hottest paint colors. Volunteerism in my community has always been a part of my adult life, whether participating in community theater in my younger days, or serving on boards and committees prior to my role at the Community Foundation. I plan to continuing volunteering at local nonprofits as time allows.

I am honored to be a part of the team here and I look forward to connecting with you to learn how I can help you turn your passion into impactful problem solving in our wonderful community!

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