i.c.stars announces Milwaukee leadership team and immediate engagement opportunities for local businesses

MILWAUKEE /March 28, 2018/ — As i.c.stars prepares to open its doors in Milwaukee next month, the technology workforce training and placement program today announced its leadership team and immediate opportunities for local businesses to engage the next generation of technology leaders.

The Dohmen Company has sponsored startup and operating costs to launch i.c.stars in Milwaukee as part of a $1.6 million commitment to help scale the organization nationally. This initial funding will allow i.c.stars to put down roots in Milwaukee, opening new career paths for Milwaukee’s promising young adults while cultivating a trained technology workforce for Milwaukee companies.

Key to the organization’s impact is engagement with additional Milwaukee businesses through client, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities. Immediate opportunities to engage include:

• Project Sponsorships to provide i.c.stars interns a design or development challenge that shapes their training
• Workshop Sponsorships to develop i.c.stars interns’ leadership and technical skills
• Mentor Sponsorships to foster diversity and inclusion in the tech sector
• Volunteer Opportunities to provide inspiration, coaching and motivation to the next generation of tech talent
• For more information, visit http://milwaukee.icstars.org/engage

William Caraher. Photo courtesy of i.c.stars.

William Caraher named i.c.stars Milwaukee Advisory Board Chairman

i.c.stars has named William Caraher, CIO and Director of Operations for the Milwaukee-based law firm von Briesen & Roper, s.c., as chairman of the i.c.stars Milwaukee Advisory Board. Caraher was named “CIO of the Year” by the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2016.

In his role, Caraher will work to deepen relationships between i.c.stars and the Milwaukee business community. He and von Briesen attorneys led by Carmen Anderson and Dale Egan have championed the program since 2015 when Caraher first met i.c.stars founder Sandee Kastrul and was inspired by her goal to bring the program to Milwaukee.

“We have the chance to ignite an untapped local workforce, cultivate diverse leaders, and advance Milwaukee’s reputation as a hub of innovation. i.c.stars offers a life-changing opportunity for its interns and builds a bridge from the inner city to Milwaukee’s great companies,” Caraher says.

“From small to large area employers, Milwaukee companies have hundreds of unfilled tech jobs. Companies want to tap local talent, and i.c.stars gives them the pathway to do so,” he adds. “In the end, Milwaukee wins.”

Sarah Dollhausen. Photo courtesy of i.c.stars.

i.c.stars Announces Milwaukee Leadership Team 

i.c.stars has also announced Sarah Dollhausen as general manager for its Milwaukee program. Dollhausen’s leadership experience spans more than 20 years developing and growing startups, including 13 years as founding manager of a Milwaukee nonprofit. She has more than 10 years of experience in the tech industry, including work for Fortune 500 companies, running her own tech consulting company, building computer labs, and developing and teaching curriculum.

“I’m excited to be part of bringing such a vibrant and successful model to Milwaukee. Launching i.c.stars is the perfect match for my skills and my belief that disrupting systems from a place of purpose can have incredible impact. Milwaukee’s technology community is ready to come together as a group of change agents focused on powering positive social change,” Dollhausen says. “I am excited to be a part of the talented team that will help develop the next generation of tech industry super stars.”

As general manager, Dollhausen will lead a dynamic staff of technology and community leaders:

• Benjamin Juarez, Technology Training Manager
• William Deck, Client Success Manager
• Leia Ferrari, Talent Placement Manager
• Rosalinda Fowlkes, Talent Development Manager
• Amelia Sanders, Office Manager

Learn more about the i.c.stars team at http://milwaukee.icstars.org/about-us/meet-the-team/.

About i.c.stars

Formed in 1999, Inner-City Computer Stars Foundation (i.c.stars) is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization and social enterprise that prepares young adults for technology careers and community leadership. Using project-based learning and full-immersion teaching, i.c.stars has trained more than 400 individuals and places 90 percent of qualified graduates in jobs. Participants see their annual earnings increase by an average of 400 percent as a result of the program. In 2016, i.c.stars opened an affiliate in Columbus, Ohio, and in 2018, i.c.stars opened in Milwaukee. More at http://www.icstars.org

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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