Lakeland University has expanded its advancement team with the addition of three new directors of development: Anne Lapinski, Rhonda Plotkin, and Liesl Testwuide.
Greg Rutzen, vice president for advancement & university relations at Lakeland, commented on the new hires. “The array of talent, experience and connections that Rhonda, Liesl and Anne bring with them is extraordinary,” Rutzen said. “Lakeland is fortunate to have them join forces with Shelby Lang and Sydney Pingitore on the advancement team. Together we're working to support the university's continued success and to serve our students.”
Anne Lapinski brings more than ten years of experience in event planning, management, marketing, and operations. She previously worked at The Christopher Farm and Gardens as director of museum operations and events. In that role, she led both departments for a 60-acre botanical garden and private museum, managing over 50 events including community fundraisers such as June-a-Palooza and Gather in the Gardens. Her background also includes positions at Kara Marie Boutique in Grafton, Wisconsin, where she managed daily operations and an online sales community, as well as serving as education programs coordinator at the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay.
Lapinski holds a master’s degree in early modern history from Swansea University in Wales and a bachelor’s degree in history from St. Norbert College.
Rhonda Plotkin joins Lakeland with more than two decades of fundraising experience for Milwaukee organizations like Alverno College, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Medical College of Wisconsin, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, and WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio. Her skills include capital campaigns, major gift fundraising, planned giving strategies, corporate solicitations, volunteer management, special events coordination, contract negotiations, board development initiatives, endowed funds oversight, strategic fundraising planning and training.
Plotkin earned her master’s degree in mass communication from Marquette University along with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Liesl Testwuide comes to Lakeland after nearly twenty years leading relationship-based fundraising efforts. Most recently she was senior manager of art preservation at the Kohler Foundation where she led a team responsible for securing multi-million-dollar in-kind donations. Her previous roles include work with the University of Virginia; College Planning Source; Girl Scouts of Manitou Council; teaching English at Menomonee Falls and Whitefish Bay high schools; and work as an educational consultant.
Testwuide is active locally as well—she has served on boards including Girl Scouts of Manitou Council and Weill Center; was president of Sheboygan Service Club; founding phase board member for Lake Country Academy; and has long been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters as a mentor.
She received her bachelor’s degree in English literature from UW-Madison along with a teaching certificate and graduate coursework credits from Marquette University.
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