ESP President’s message:

It’s hard to believe but my year as President of our Wisconsin Chapter of ESP is winding down, but not before some exciting final activities.  

This year we will hold our Annual Business Meeting ONLINE Monday, April 6, 10:30-11:45 am. Please plan to join us for updates, board member and officer elections, approval of the 2026-2027 budget, discussion and voting on bylaws changes, and other annual business. A Zoom Meeting connection will be shared via email at a later time. 

We will present chapter member awards and conduct officer and new member Installation on Thursday, April 9, 4:10 - 5:25 pm during the annual WI JCEP Conference, Lismore Hotel, Eau Claire. Our chapter Friend of Extension Award and Meritorious Support Service Awards will be presented Friday, April 10th at the All-Association Luncheon at the WI JCEP Conference. For more information, visit the JCEP website. Registration deadline is March 9th.

Board and Officer Nominations. Nominations are being accepted for President-elect, Treasurer and three Director At-Large board positions (one of which must be a retiree/life member). Nominations can be made through 8:00 am on Monday, March 23 using this google form: https://forms.gle/nf2hxwxWC135N69c6

I look forward to seeing you online and in-person in April. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your Chapter President for the 2025-2026 ESP year.

Join Epsilon Sigma Phi in Springfield, Illinois, October 12 to 15, 2026 for our National Conference. Explore leadership inspired by Abraham Lincoln and enjoy an opening reception at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Connect with Extension colleagues, gain new skills, and grow your professional network!

Whether you're looking to grow professionally, connect with colleagues from across the country, or simply have some fun, this conference promises something for everyone. With engaging sessions, hands-on workshops, and plenty of networking opportunities, it’s the perfect setting to recharge your passion and expand your impact.

Even better? You can share your own work with a national audience! The Call for Presentations (RFP) will be released around January 1st, so start thinking about the innovative projects, research, or ideas you’d love to showcase.

Let’s make the most of this close-to-home opportunity. Stay tuned for more details — and start planning your trip to Springfield!

Save the Dates

The annual Wisconsin Coalition of Annuitants Conference is scheduled for May 13-14, 2025, 9:30 AM-Noon by Zoom. Program details to be announced but will include reports from WRS and ETF and the impact of Artificial Intelligence. Please enter these dates in your calendar and plan to join the conference.

SWIB Performance

The State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) Core Trust Fund and Variable Trust Fund investment results for the month ending November 30 are presented in Table 1. This and other pertinent information is found at the SWIB web site at: https://www.swib.state.wi.us/wrs-performance

ETF Effective Rates

The Core effective rate is projected to be between 7.4% and 7.8%, with the Variable effective rate between 20% and 24%. The effective rate of interest is applied to your account balances once a year.

These figures are merely projections based on preliminary 2025 investment performance of the WRS Trust Funds. 

For the Core Fund, the effective rate includes a five-year smoothing incorporating investment performance in the last five years. The Variable Fund’s effective rate fully recognizes the investment performance of the previous year and does not have the smoothing feature.

ETF will announce the actual effective rates in February 2026 and Annual Annuity Adjustments in May. The Annual Maturity Adjustment is often 5-9% less than the annual effective rate.

Podcasts

SWIB offers a podcast series. You can hear the podcasts at: https://www.swib.state.wi.us/podcasts 

The 2026 membership drive began on October 1, 2025. Several emails were sent soliciting new members and reminders were sent for membership renewals. Chapter President Peggy Damann and Membership Committee Co-Chair Paul Roback presented on the November 12, 2025 Extension Exchange, which resulted in membership inquiries and several new members.  

As of February 23, 2026, we have 62 annual members and 99 life members. Since the last membership drive, we have had seven new members join the association. Of the 11 non-renewing members, four had left Extension and one retired. 

At the National Annual Council Meeting, the membership approved a $20 dues increase starting with the 2027 membership year. 

Please extend an invitation to colleagues to join ESP! 

Paul Roback & Mary Ann Schilling
ESP Membership Committee Co-Chairs

Respectfully Submitted by Paul Roback, Committee Chair

The Retiree Committee continues to serve as your link between Extension and retirement.  Members of the Retiree Committee include Jim Barthel, Ginny Hall, Christine Kniep, Linda Kustka, and Paul Roback. If you are interested in joining the committee, please reach out to paul.roback@wisc.edu! 

Recently, Paul Roback had an opportunity to interview Karen Dickrell to learn about what she’s been doing in retirement.  

I’m Not Lost, I’m  Just Exploring!

My role in Extension was as a faculty member in the Division of Extension Family Development Section. I started my career in Extension in Kewaunee County in 1985 and moved to Outagamie County in 1990. 

Over the course of time, I worked with many different programs, but all of them centered on the core of our society – families. In Kewaunee County there were no licensed day cares, and we worked diligently to inform the public about the need for guidelines and developing resources for families. As I worked on many other issues, I quickly learned that I could not do what needed to be done by myself. 

I needed to build relationships with the decision makers and the people that informed the decision makers. One interesting aspect in Kewaunee was a daily radio show. People got to recognize my voice and connected with Extension resources in a variety of ways. I remember one farmer telling me he enjoyed listening to my message of the day as he spread manure. While I was taken back by that statement, it made me realize more than ever that the outreach to county residents needed to take on a variety of outreach methods. There was a time that Extension staffing was determined (in my mind) by how many cows a county had, rather than the needs of families --- but those farms all had families that were making it all happen.  Resources for building strong families were sparse, and Extension had many tools to offer. We did one-on-one kitchen table financial counseling as a team with the Agriculture Agent. We did mailings, workbooks and early in the day of “portable computers” and spread sheets!

In Outagamie County I found a larger population, and the need to understand the many resources that were available to families in both the rural and urban areas. I focused the programs and found that working in partnership with other agencies like DHHS, we could do more to reach and impact families more effectively –forever keeping Extension ‘s unique role as Educator. One key accomplishment of my career was developing Cable Television programs for the Hmong Community in concert with many partners in the county. We had first generation Hmong living in a community that did not understand the resources available. We produced over one hundred educational programs that were used weekly in the area as well as in other parts of the state, Minnesota and California. We also had one program that we produced with public health on immunizations that were then used to educate individuals in the refugee camps in Thailand. Right before I retired, I worked with the State Historical Society and UW Madison as they were logging those programs as part of Wisconsin’s history of working with the Hmong Community.

There are many other memories as well as the community changed, new agencies expanded services and there were emerging needs that we saw in our county needs assessment. Many will remember the annual “Joy” Conference that was offered before I started in the county but continued from 1975-2020. A community in Illinois had people attend the Joy Conference and was so impressed with what it offered and how it instilled hope for families. They started their own Joy Symposium in Zion Illinois that was launched in 2025 and just had their 2026 conference.

I retired from Extension in July of 2023. I value lifelong learning and the base to the University of research based educational outreach. We brought that uniqueness to the table when working with a variety of community agencies, families, and individuals.

I realize Extension has changed greatly since I have left. It has been an evolution. 

The Extension I worked in had strong roots. We were known to be trustworthy, dependable, and based educational programs rooted in research. It is important to develop relationships with the agencies, county departments, but also the people you serve. Understand the needs of the communities where you serve, include them in decisions that are made. Keep your websites up to date and current with information.

Never forget the unique role that Extension plays in the community and the educational role that it represents. Work with the decision makers if you can, if not them, then collaborate with the people that the decision makers listen to. It is more critical than ever that the decision makers need to understand the unique role that Extension brings to the families and individuals that live in the communities you serve. When I co-taught Extension colleagues on adult education techniques with Chris Kniep we always said, “you have one mouth and two ears…listen!”  

COVID provided a major transition time for me. I got accustomed to being at home more and I liked it! As I aged and got closer to the magic age, a variety of people asked why I had not retired yet. I had projects I was working! I learned how to do my own technology updates and became more proficient at some of the things support staff used to do for me. And I think knowing a network of people in Extension that I could reach out to was important to me. There are things that I do not miss-- but that is for another time.

In retirement I connect with a variety of my Extension network weekly. Some retirees, some currently working in Extension. Sometimes it is a listening mode, sometimes they listen to me.  Phone conferences, texts, Facebook, and Zooms are great! 

This past year I put to practice what I had been sharing with others, it was my “Planning for the Future” time. I moved sixty miles away from Appleton and Outagamie County. I moved closer to my family and my home roots; I call it the “Back 40!”  That meant implementing tools I had taught others “Who Gets Grandma’s Pie Plate?” and dealing with change. I updated my Will and Trust; I got rid of many items collected over the years. The transition and physical movement were good for the soul!!  I travelled to three different “Shred Fests” last fall to get rid of documents that needed to be disposed of –a total of nine bags of “stuff.”

I am now learning and adjusting to living in a smaller community without stop lights or fast food. There are many interesting activities and a new culture to learn like “Cars and Coffee” on Saturday mornings! I plan my grocery shopping trips and other errands.

I volunteer with the Family Court program with curriculum revisions for parenting programs. I have done some “Badger Talks” for community groups, “Lessons Learned in Joy.”  I served as a consultant to the Joy Summit planning team in Zion Illinois as they planted the seeds to implement and execute a successful conference. I am also a member of the WAFCS Foundation. All of these activities tap the skills I developed in my Extension work. I have also learned to say, “no thank you.”  (I really did not have the skills to be the seamstress for the local music department and their Madrigal Choir event.)

As for finding my passion my current thought is, “I’m not Lost, I’m Exploring!” – borrowed from Jana Stanfield, a Joy Conference Speaker many years ago!   With the move to Elkhart Lake, the selling of my Appleton home, and reestablishing my roots, it may take a little longer for me to have a clearer vision of the future and all that brings me joy.

If you are thinking of retiring, gather your data – even if you are five years or more away from your golden date. Take advantage of Zooms that ETF offers. I must admit I had to devote time to my calendar to get answers and work through the plan of what would work best for my situation. I started using a contact journal book that was my “go to” for recording the information and updates. One phone call is often not enough…keep track of who you talk to, when you talk to them and when to expect the follow up to your requests. Each person is unique with your family situation, time in the system and resources you have available to you.  Beyond retirement there is Medicare and Social Security…another day!!!

Retirement has opened many new doors, and it is good. Welcome to my Back 40…and if I am not home, I am just exploring!

Karen Dickrell, CFCS, Professor Emeritus

Department of Extension Education, Family Development

The Awards Committee has been very busy the past few months encouraging and supporting award nominations, reviewing nominations and determining chapter awards and submissions for Regional and National competition, and planning for our awards presentations at the WI JCEP Conference, April 9-10 at the Lismore Hotel in Eau Claire. We will be recognizing eight ESP members, two ESP retirees, one ESP team, two supporters of Extension, and one Friend of Extension.

ESP Grant Report - Katie G. 

I had the opportunity to attend the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) National Conference in Grand Rapids, MI, in October.  The conference was filled with networking and learning.  I took in many valuable resources that I am currently looking to use in my HDR work in Outagamie County.  I attended many great concurrent sessions including Transferring Cherished Possessions: Estate Planning for Non-Titled Property; Manage Your Spark to Ignite Your Passion and Power Your Potential; Awards: Updates You Need to Know; College Students, Student Loans, and Budgeting; and Partnering with Employers to Address Family Financial Security.  I also had the opportunity to attend the annual business meeting as the WEAFCS President-Elect and Wisconsin delegate, and I attended the President/President-Elect update meeting as well.  I also received a 2nd place Central Region award for Communications for the financial calendar I helped to create. The closing session speaker was very interesting.  He shared 5 ways to improve your digital well-being:

1. No digital gadgets at meal time.
2. Sleep device free, get a real alarm clock!
3. Take a digital fast at least 1 hour a day.
4. Make eye contact when talking.
5. End your digital day 1 hour before bed.

It was a great conference and I am grateful for the ability to use ESP grant funds to attend - thank you!

ESP Grant Report - Cassi W. 

I had the honor of receiving the First-Time Attendee Grant for the 2025 National ESP Conference in Fort Worth, TX, held October 6–9. This opportunity was a pivotal experience in deepening my appreciation for the Extension organization. I connected with colleagues from across the country and expanded my knowledge of Extension’s work and impact.

I also took great pride in supporting and celebrating the Wisconsin award recipients. As a marketing specialist, it is essential for me to understand and value the work we do, and this conference strengthened my awareness of the importance of our programming and the communities we serve. The experience reinforced my commitment to sharing the stories and successes of Extension.

By attending the conference, I had the opportunity to sit in on the concurrent session Serving the Early Childhood Workforce: Focus Groups to Inform a Statewide Response. This session was hosted by my Wisconsin colleagues—Carol Bralich, Hannah Zellmer, and Patricia Carol. It provided valuable insight into the foundation of their programming and the research that drives it. I learned that Extension programs are developed from research, data collection, and community needs assessments. I left with a deeper understanding that our educators build their programming on extensive, thoughtful efforts to meet the needs of those we serve.

I was also able to take home a well-organized and professionally presented copy of the report Continuing Education for an Essential Workforce: Perspectives from Early Care and Education Professionals in Wisconsin. Reviewing this extensive report strengthened my knowledge of the work behind the research and programming. It helped me understand the current landscape of early childhood professional development, Extension’s response to those needs, and the key findings from the focus groups.

In my role, I typically gain a general understanding of the work Extension educators do. By attending this conference, I was able to develop a much deeper appreciation for the time, care, and expertise that go into program development—and the impact educators have on issues within our local communities. I look forward to continued opportunities like this to further understand Extension programming. With a stronger understanding and appreciation, I am better equipped to share the impact of our work and promote our programming with passion and purpose.

I would like to thank the grants committee in providing me this valuable opportunity.

ESP Grant Report -Cindy Sarkady

Marvel-Us Extension Superheroes session at the National ESP conference in Ft Worth TX.

The session was interactive and focused on the strengths Extension professionally bring to their roles and to focus on what we can control vs what we cannot. 

To start the facilitators walked the group through how to determine our superpower, identify your natural talents and strengths by looking at what you do effortlessly, what others consistently compliment you on, and the accomplishments you are most proud of. 

First the participants identified three Superpower that resonated with them from the list below. 

Skill-based superpowers

Rapid Learning: The ability to quickly acquire new skills and knowledge.

Adaptability: The capacity to adjust to changing circumstances and embrace challenges.

Problem-Solving: Identifying and resolving complex issues in an innovative way.

Creativity: Developing new ideas and seeing potential systems in any situation.

Empathy: The ability to understand and sense how others are feeling, fostering a more harmonious environment. 

Communication-based superpowers

Hyper-Active Listening: The skill of understanding and retaining every word of a conversation, even with distractions.

Clarity Communicator: Conveying ideas in a way that leaves no room for miscommunication.

Authentic Communication: Using storytelling to connect and activate others. 

Organization and leadership superpowers

Temporal Taskmaster: Intuitively allocating the perfect amount of time to tasks to ensure they are completed on time without feeling rushed.

The Organiser: Being detail-oriented and thriving on structure, making one an expert in project management and time management.

Leadership: Influencing others by adapting to different perspectives, priorities, and personalities. 

Strategic and mindset-focused superpowers

Decisiveness: Making confident decisions in any situation.

Growth Mindset Mastery: Viewing challenges as opportunities for growth and learning from criticism.

Vision: Thinking outside the box and pushing the team to innovate.

Optimism: Providing hope and purpose to others

Secondly, participants were asked what was their Kryptonite. What work task drains the life out of you? Why? Game plan to move forward.

Lastly, participants were given a template to help individuals hone in on what they can do to find their Utopia. Remembering we can control our own actions, and we cannot control the actions of others.

The template contained the CARE  acronym for Communication, Accountability, Respect, and Empathy, a framework for effective leadership and building strong relationships. It emphasizes that genuine leadership requires a balance of holding people accountable while also showing empathy, fostering open communication, and treating everyone with respect. 

C - Communication

Go beyond superficial greetings to have meaningful conversations.

Take time to truly talk with your team members to understand their needs and concerns. 

A - Accountability

Own your own actions, attitudes, and how they impact the team.

Ensure that commitments are followed through by yourself and others.

In leadership, accountability can be balanced with empathy to achieve goals without damaging relationships. 

R - Respect

Treat all individuals with dignity and equality, regardless of their position.

Respect is earned and should be owed to every employee. 

E - Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.

Involves active listening, showing sincere interest, and acknowledging others' experiences and suffering.

Practice empathy to build trust and stronger, more positive relationships

ESP Grant Report -Carol Bralich

I am grateful to have received an ESP grant to attend the annual ESP National Conference for the first time as an ESP member from October 6 - 9th. I participated in the first time ESP attendee session where I learned more about the history of ESP, the purpose of the national committees and the current ESP national and regional officers.It was wonderful to travel with my Wisconsin Extension Colleagues, support our Wisconsin award winners in person and meet new Extension colleagues from across the country from a variety of program areas.

My colleagues Patricia Carroll and Hannah Zellmer and I co-presented a concurrent session at the ESP National Conference in Fort Worth, TX entitled Serving the Early Childhood Workforce: Focus Groups to Inform a Statewide Response. This presentation adds to the shared knowledge of scholarly work regarding the process Human Development & Relationships Educators in Wisconsin used to determine what type of continuing education early childhood educators need to provide a thriving environment for the children and families they serve. This conference provided a national platform to receive feedback from Extension Educators from across the country and therefore help move the team to the next phase of developing the regional continuing education offerings across Wisconsin in 2026.

In addition, the keynote speakers and concurrent session topics provided the opportunity to learn new approaches in program development and leadership in other states.

Thank you again for making this ESP experience possible!

Implementation Team Peggy Damann, Kandi O'Neil, Hannah Zellmer

Supported by chapter funds, our third Book Read and Discussion will wrap up later this month. Todd Wenzel and Abi Quinlan have been facilitating Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.  Bev Doll and Jenny Abel have been facilitating: Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport. More than 40 ESP members and non-members received complimentary copies of the book and participated in discussion sessions held during January, Feb and early March. The 2026 Book Read and Discussion sessions continues the success of the first sessions that were supported through a National Rita T. Wood chapter professional development grant.  Many thanks to our facilitators and participants for their leadership and engagement and enriching our ESP members’ experiences. 

Distinguished Service Ruby Award Reception Held to Honor Jerry Apps: 

On Tuesday, October 21, 2025, family, friends and ESP members gathered in Madison to honor Jerry Apps who earlier that month had received the National ESP Distinguished Service Ruby Award, our association’s highest honor. Chapter President, Peggy Damann, provided a welcome, Extension Dean Karl Martin provided remarks, and Chapter member and ESP National Board Member, Paul Roback presented the award plaque and Ruby Pin. We were then treated with reflections by the great storyteller himself, Jerry Apps. Award honors had been bestowed earlier during the National ESP Conference in Texas where Jerry’s recorded Ruby Lecture had informed and inspired ESP members from across the US. 

At the Ruby Award Reception held on October 21, 2025, Paul Roback, Peggy Damann, and Extension Dean, Karl Martin with Jerry Apps. Photos by Steve Apps

President: Peggy Damann
President-Elect: Jordan Blue
Past-President: Hannah Zellmer
Secretary: Mary Ann Schilling
Treasurer: Melissa Kono

At-Large Director: Mandi Dornfeld
At-Large Director: Rachel Hart-Brinson 
At-Large Director: Donna Peterson
At-Large Director: Christa VanTreeck
At-Large Director: Kandi O’Neil
At-Large Director: Neil Klemme

Awards: Peggy Damann and Aerica Bjurstrom
Benefits Review: Brian Holmes and Rick Klemme
Global Relations Committee: Vacant
Grants: Katie Gellings

Membership: co-chair, Paul Roback
co-chair, Mary Ann Schilling 
Resource Development: Patrick Nehring
Retiree Committee: Paul Roback
Newsletter Editor: Cassi Worster

Mission of Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP)

Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) is dedicated to fostering standards of excellence in the Extension System and developing the Extension profession and professional.
Vision of Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP)

Epsilon Sigma Phi (ESP) leads the Extension System in providing and
facilitating professional development that focuses on the Extension organization and the Extension professional.

https://wiesp.org/