www.forwardjanesville.com | 17 build relationships between education and community partners and leaders. I love being an Ambassador because it gives me the chance to connect with a wide range of community leaders and stakeholders, while also helping to create positive change for our workforce and education programs. It’s amazing to see how our teamwork not only supports personal growth but also makes a big impact on the community as a whole. How does being an Ambassador cross over into your professional role? My role as an Ambassador aligns closely with my position as a University Relations Officer by allowing me to bridge educational needs with community resources. As an Ambassador, I can support community initiatives, while my university role focuses on fostering partnerships and advancing educational opportunities. UW-Whitewater is Janesville’s four-year university and we offer very strong programs in education and business that are essential to the local area. UW-W at Rock County focuses on meeting specific local needs with programs in nursing, business, education, and engineering, creating opportunities across a wide variety of industries. Both campuses provide affordable, flexible, and accessible education, and I couldn’t be prouder to say that I am an alumnus myself! As an alum, it’s incredibly rewarding to see the impact of our efforts on individuals’ personal and professional growth. What’s your number one bucket list item? I don’t think I have just one big bucket list item because I feel like I’m living my bucket list every day - building a life for our future family with my husband! But if I had to pick, the front row at a Dave Matthews Band concert would definitely be at the top. That’s an experience I’d love to check off the list! KELSEY PAASCH Owner, Contour Consulting JOIN Janesville Kelsey is a well-known community champion and cheerleader. She became a Forward Janesville member in 2021 and helped get JOIN Janesville, Janesville’s young professional group, off the ground in 2022. In her time on JOIN’s Leadership Team and Events Committee, Kelsey has played an integral role in making the volunteer-powered organization to grow and thrive. As JOIN was taking off, so was Kelsey’s business, Contour Consulting. Through her involvement with JOIN and with a business focused on coaching and management practice, Kelsey shared her insight on leadership as panelist at an event for the Janesville Fire Department. How did you become involved with JOIN and how has it changed since you became engaged? My mentor informed me of an opportunity with JOIN Janesville and encouraged me to apply. At that time, the organization was looking for someone to join the leadership team and head a committee focused on event planning. As they say, the rest is history. Since JOIN’s founding in 2018, we’ve expanded to more than 150 members and have implemented processes for leadership planning, event planning, social marketing, and membership outreach. For the past three years, we’ve partnered with the Beloit Young Professionals group to host an annual collaborative event which provides our members with valuable cross-networking opportunities. As we approach the end of 2024, we're excited about our new website, the formation of our membership outreach committee, and the transition of new leadership into key roles. Why do you think leadership is important? “As a leader, you are someone’s dinner conversation… do everything in your power to ensure it is a good one.” Leadership has such a large impact on our community. Having talented, ethical, and responsible leaders can influence positive change, set examples for others, and help navigate an intentional path to help our community thrive. I believe that investing in our current and young talent alike is the best investment any company, organization, or community can make. Participating in the leadership panel at the Janesville Fire Department was a meaningful experience for me because I am deeply passionate about the topic and strongly believe in the importance of nurturing leaders. It was fulfilling to share my insights and experiences with an organization dedicated to developing the men and women who risk their lives for us every day. When you’re not working or volunteering, where would we find you? With my family. I am a wife of 16 years to my husband Kevin and we have three kids together: Joshua (12), Michael (10), and Beverleigh (6). We love to travel and spend family time together. We also enjoy spending time with my in-laws, my parents, and with my sister and brother and their families. Family is important to us and we try to soak up as much time as possible together. Kevin and I also started a real estate rental company here in Janesville in 2022 and we are actively growing that business to provide quality homes.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTEwNzI5