Mount Mary University welcomes new Board of Trustees members

Mount Mary University has elected new members to its Board of Trustees. Board members each serve a three-year term. All six are prominent female leaders in their professions and three of them are alumnae of Mount Mary. The new members are:

• Jessica Helfer of Mequon is a Senior Designer at Kohl’s Corporation. Helfer has served on the innovation and volunteer committees at Kohl’s and also supports early talent through active participation in internship programs, career fairs and informative presentations for college students.
• Heather Herling of Franklin is the senior human resources director at Johnson Controls, supporting the Digital Solutions business, the growth arm of the business. She is also a strong community leader and volunteer, serving as a Girl Scout leader, PTA board member and president of Franklin Little League.
• Lisa Jansen of Pewaukee is the director of interior design at Zimmerman Architectural Studios, where she is invested in creating environments that elevate the human experience. She received her bachelor’s degree from Mount Mary in 1988. Outside of the practice, Jansen serves as a trustee on the Pewaukee Library Board and on the advisory board for the interior design program at Waukesha County Technical College.
• Lena Lee of Los Altos, Calif., is an alumna of Mount Mary University with an undergraduate degree in business administration in 1985. Lee has held positions in accounting and management at a number of high-tech and biotech companies such as Celera Corporation and Compaq Computer Corporation.
• May yer Thao of Milwaukee is the governor-selected assistant deputy director for the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA). Thao currently sits on several local and statewide boards and councils where she provides strategic leadership, such as the Asian American/Pacific Islander Coalition of Wisconsin, the State of Wisconsin Council on Financial Literacy, the State of Wisconsin Council on Mental Health, the Milwaukee County Parks Foundation, and the Wisconsin Institute for Public Policy and Service.
• Marilka Vélez of Milwaukee is the senior vice president & senior director of marketing at Associated Bank. Vélez is the Board Chair of the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee, and she also serves on the Board of Directors for the Rotary Club of Milwaukee; and is also a member of the Milwaukee Film Marketing Committee. Vélez holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and Spanish from Mount Mary University. She graduated in 2003 and is also a member of the Alumnae Relations Committee at Mount Mary University.

“We very much look forward to having these outstanding women leaders as members of the Mount Mary Board of Trustees.  They bring expertise and a commitment to our mission that is invaluable!” said Mount Mary University President, Christine Pharr, PhD.