UWM celebrating Alumni Awards Evening 2025 at Pfister Hotel
Ticket deadline approaching for Feb. 21 ceremony that honors award winners
MILWAUKEE_UWM will celebrate a dynamic group of accomplished alumni at its annual Alumni Awards Evening, set for Friday, Feb. 21, at the Pfister Hotel.
Join the UWM Alumni Association to honor the work and achievements of these extraordinary people, including Clayborn Benson, the founder and executive director of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum, who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Alumni Association is also proud to present its University Partner award to UW Credit Union for its longtime, steadfast support of UWM.
Joining Benson among the evening’s honorees are a group of exceptional alumni spread across generations and career fields. Here is the complete list of winners:
Lifetime Achievement Award
Clayborn Benson ’87, ’24
Clayborn Benson, founder and executive director of the Wisconsin Black Historical Society/Museum, earned a bachelor’s degree in film from the Peck School of the Arts and a master’s degree in public history from the College of Letters & Science. During his 39-year journalism career with Milwaukee’s WTMJ-TV, he began telling the story of the Black legacy in Wisconsin through award-winning documentaries. His many awards include the city of Milwaukee’s Living Legacy Award, Milwaukee Press Club’s Hall of Fame Award, and Emmy-Silver Circle Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences regional chapter.
University Partner Award
UW Credit Union
The UW Credit Union has built a partnership with UWM over more than 40 years as the university’s exclusive on-campus financial institution, an active participant in campus programs and a generous supporter. The UW Credit Union Scholarship, an endowment established in 2008, ensures that undergraduate students with financial need can achieve their academic goals. The credit union has also supported UWM in many other areas, including the renovation of the UWM Student Union, the Community Engagement and Experiential Learning Center, the First Generation + Resource Center and the Forward Scholars Student Emergency Fund.
Exemplary Alumni Service Award
Richard Schreiner holds a master’s degree in computer science from the College of Engineering & Applied Science and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University. He retired as product development engineer for Johnson Controls, where he began working as a UWM graduate student. A member of the College of Engineering & Applied Science alumni board and the UWM Alumni Association board, he established, along with his wife, the Richard S. Schreiner and Alison Graf Scholarship Fund to benefit first-generation college students.
Jill Lintonen ’96
Jill Lintonen, communications director and public information officer for the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services, holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication/public relations from the College of Letters & Science. Jill has guided the communications strategy for Employ Milwaukee and the American Heart Association of Milwaukee, in addition to heading her own communications consultancy, where she has helped many organizations build brand awareness and meet community needs.
Molly Poppie ‘04, ’07
Molly Poppie, head of analytics for Experian’s North America Financial Services and Data division, launched her career as a statistical analyst with Nielsen and advanced to global head of data and strategy, becoming the most prolific woman inventor in the company’s history with 51 patents, and more pending. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology from the College of Letters & Science and received the 2023 Top Women in Media and Ad Tech Changemaker Award for her impact on media and advertising technology.
Impact Award
Mark Briggs ’98
Mark Briggs, hospital responder supervisor for 414 Life, a gun violence response unit, earned his bachelor’s degree in English from the College of Letters & Science and was a member of the Panthers men’s basketball team. In a career dedicated to youth mentoring, he has coached high school basketball and served as a recreation supervisor for Milwaukee Public Schools and a manager for Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, in addition to volunteering as league director for Milwaukee’s largest summer youth basketball league.
Felice Green ’89
Felice Green, director of programming for Milwaukee Water Commons, earned her bachelor’s degree in mass communication/journalism from the College of Letters & Science. In a career dedicated to community and environmental advocacy, she has served as communications director for Wisconsin Voices and School Choice Wisconsin, marketing manager for the former AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, civic engagement coordinator for Milwaukee Riverkeeper, and director of marketing and public relations for Interfaith Older Adult Programs.
Ali Kopyt, ’08
Ali Kopyt, managing architect for KORB Architecture, holds master’s degrees in architecture and urban planning from the School of Architecture and Urban Planning, in addition to a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Northeastern University in Boston. She is co-founder of Women in Design-Milwaukee, a founding partner in Mobile Design Box, and received AIA Wisconsin’s Young Architect Award in 2021 for her leadership in historic preservation, adaptive reuse and affordable housing solutions.
Laurie Parsons, market and strategy director for Ramboll Water Americas, holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental sciences from UW-Green Bay and a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering from UW-Madison. A longtime supporter of UWM’s freshwater sciences programs, she previously served as CEO and principal partner with Natural Resources Technology, where she was instrumental in establishing the company’s endowed scholarship in UWM’s School of Freshwater Sciences. She is now transitioning to her retirement.
GOLD (Graduate of the Last Decade) Awards
Alisha Gray ’17
Alisha Gray, purchasing manager for Tennessee-based Orgill, earned her bachelor’s degree in communication from the College of Letters & Science. She joined Orgill in 2007 in the credit department and now oversees forecasting, fulfillment, inventory and vendor relationships for the world’s largest independently owned hardware distributor. She holds an MBA from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, and is working toward her doctorate in business administration.
Victoria (Tori) Isaac ’21, ’23
Victoria (Tori) Isaac holds three degrees from UWM – a bachelor’s degree in dance from the Peck School of the Arts, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sociology from the College of Letters & Science. She was a performer, teaching artist and choreographer in the Milwaukee area for many years. She’s now with Turning Point Dance Studio in Chicago and is a doctoral student and research assistant at the University of Illinois Chicago’s Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy.
Daniel Spiewak ’12
Daniel Spiewak, distinguished engineer for NVIDIA, earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from the College of Engineering & Applied Science. He has worked as a senior software engineer for Rich Relevance and Verizon Labs, chief technical officer for SlamData and principal engineer for Walt Disney Co. He now helps drive AI infrastructure design for NVIDIA’s autonomous vehicles program.
Bryce Stevenson, chef and owner of Miijim – an indigenous restaurant on Madeline Island in La Pointe, Wisconsin – has earned a national reputation for integrating Native American foods with modern culinary techniques. A member of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa who holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the College of Letters & Science, he was a 2024 James Beard Awards emerging chef semifinalist and was featured as a guest judge on Bravo’s Top Chef: Wisconsin.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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