THE PEOPLE BEHIND Eyes of hope

Laura Roeven - Board Chair

Laura has been serving on the Eyes of Hope Board since 2008. Deeply committed to the mission of supporting and empowering local youth, she takes great pride in the innovative and compassionate programs Eyes of Hope provides. A passionate community connector, Laura enjoys building relationships and expanding mentorship opportunities through collaboration with local leaders and volunteers. Her years of dedicated service reflect her belief in the power of community, connection, and hope.

Amy Werner - Board Vice-Chair

Bio coming soon

Holly Tellander - Hope Tutors Program Director and Board Member

Holly believes that every student who wants a tutor should be able to have one, with no strings attached.  She is a lifelong educator with a BA in elementary education and an MA in both Bilingual/Multicultural and Special Education. Holly envisions a world where all students have what they need to learn and to realize that their unique contribution to the world is vital.

"Supporting kids is justice work - kids needs adults to stand behind them as they walk into the future. Do you have the time and curiosity to see the change that could be possible when we are united in our support for future generations?"

Gretta Walhovd - Hope Grows Program Director and Board Member

Gretta has been a gardener her entire life, and growing food in particular has always been her passion. After graduating with a BS in Genetics at UW-Madison, Gretta moved to Texas and founded a small CSA focused on growing greens and other highly-desirable vegetables. She also earned Master Gardener volunteer hours by starting and maintaining a Food Bank garden as part of a new community garden space. She is excited to bring her experience and enthusiasm to the Children's Garden at Lowell Street Park and to the greater Stoughton community!

“Eat food... Mostly plants.” - Michael Pollan 

Petrecia Shales - Board Member and Hope Tutors Committee

Petrecia is passionate about making education accessible and joyful for all children and celebrating diversity in abilities and learning styles. Petrecia is a mother of seven (three adopted through foster care), a former classroom and ESL teacher, and currently a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and volunteer tutor for Hope Tutors.  She is also an advocate, coaching families to best navigate the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process so their children thrive. Petrecia supports public, private and homeschooling and thoroughly believes that joy and learning must coexist.

Jennifer Mohyddin - Board Member

As a mother of four, with all three of her daughters having participated in the Girl 2 Girl Program from 2014 to 2023, Jennifer has been deeply connected to the mission and impact of the program for over a decade. In addition to her work with Eyes of Hope, she has served on several committees and boards throughout Stoughton. Her commitment is rooted in a passion for advocating and creating spaces that foster community and belonging for all children in Stoughton, especially those who too often go unheard or unseen.

Rachel Rogers - Board Member

A former participant in Eyes of Hope's Girl 2 Girl Program, Rachel remained engaged through the program's final years and has since played a vital role in developing programming and offering feedback to ensure the success of students, especially the small group of BIPOC students living in Stoughton. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she focuses on social and environmental justice. Rachel serves on the Board to help foster belonging, inclusivity, and community; the very values that Eyes of Hope provided her when she was a child.

Jean Ligocki - Board Member

Bio coming soon

Ashley Perkins - Board Member

Bio coming soon

Olivia Margis - Youth Liaison Board Member 

Olivia's opinions are invaluable to the Eyes of Hope Board as she provides a youth's perspective on its programming and initiatives. Her journey to Eyes of Hope started from helping her neighbors. Above all, Olivia has a strong desire to help her community.

Katie Huiser - Executive Director

Katie is committed to strengthening the community she has grown to love (since moving to Stoughton in 2013) by investing in its next generation. Previously, Katie volunteered at Pumpkin Patch preschool, MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), and the Stoughton Area Youth Soccer Association. Her goal is to increase awareness of Eyes of Hope and its programs in the community and to facilitate and support its mission of connecting youth to opportunity. 

Please reach out to Katie at eohstoughtonwi@gmail.com if you'd like to find out more about Eyes of Hope, Stoughton.

Jean Ligocki - Board Member

Bio coming soon

Deborah McMullin - Grant Writer

Deborah believes in providing Stoughton's youth with as many opportunities and options as possible to see them thrive, regardless of their ability to pay for programming. She has worked with children extensively in the past as a homeschooling mom, 4-H leader and scout volunteer. Deborah understands that the more youth are exposed to, the more talents they discover. These newly discovered talents allow them to shine more brightly into adulthood within thier communities. 

Jacqueline McGee - Youth Liaison Board Member

Bio coming soon

Amanda Burian - Board Member

Amanda is dedicated to creating a better world, looking for ways to uplift the community and always ready to build inclusion by encouraging love and hope. Amanda's love for humanity and dire need for inclusion stems from her work history in hospitality, food service, customer relations, office management and more. Amanda wants to build community, share resources, and be the good she wishes to see in this world.

Mary Fons - Board Secretary

Bio coming soon

Michael Shales - Board Treasurer

Bio coming soon