Board of Directors

Richard Birrenkott,
President
WPS Health Insurance
www.wpsic.com

Rich Birrenkott is the Vice President of Regional Sales for WPS Health Insurance in Madison, WI. A professional in the insurance industry for 31 years, Rich Birrenkott directs the WPS sales force efforts in the 18-county area of WI for our Southwest Regional office in Madison. He is in his seventh year with WPS and leads his staff in promoting employee benefits to major and national clients in Wisconsin Prior to joining WPS, Rich served in many capacities over his 19-year sales career with Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Rich has earned the Certified Health Consultant (CHC) designation from the University of Purdue and Life Underwriters Training Council (LUTC) designation. Prior to his insurance career Rich served in the U S military and is a graduate of the Wisconsin School of Electronics.

He is a member of several professional organizations including Sales & Marketing Executives International and is a past president of the local Madison SME chapter. Rich is a Director on the Business Education Partnership Board, a Director on the Literacy Network (formerly the Madison Area Literacy Council) Board and is active in the Wisconsin Association of Health Underwriters and the National Association of Health Underwriters.

He and his wife Sheri reside in Cross Plains, WI. They have two grown children, a son Nicholas living in Portland, Oregon and a daughter, Lynsee attending school in Miami, Florida. In his spare time he enjoys traveling with his family and being outside enjoying activities such as golfing, hunting or fishing.

Deb Jafolla-Ponzio,
Vice President
Business Development Manager
Restaino & Associates
www.restainohomes.com


Deb Jafolla-Ponzio is the Business Development Manager of the Relocation Division of Restaino & Associates. She moved to the Madison area in 1991 from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and comes with many years of sales experience.

Deb’s primary responsibility is acquiring new business and servicing existing corporate accounts. In addition to their corporate accounts, the Relocation Division is the preferred vendor for Relocation and Real Estate Services for the Wisconsin Biotech & medical Device Association which has over 200 members. In addition to her business development duties, Deb is also responsible for marketing the division and spear heads their public relations and philanthropic endeavors. She will also manage the Restaino & Associates Youth Scholarship in Biotechnology. Deb is also in charge of all the division’s exhibit efforts, creating the tone and theme for each event. Deb is a member of:

• The Downtown Madison Inc. (CMI)
• The Greater Madison Convention and Visitor Bureau (GMCVB)
• The Madison Chamber of Commerce
• The Wisconsin Biotech & Medical Devise Association (WBMA)
• The Wisconsin Technology Council (WTN)
• The Society or Human Resource Management (SHRM)

Deb sits on the advisory committee for BIO and on the Education Committee for the Wisconsin Biotech and Medical Devise Association. She is also a member of the Wisconsin Employee Relocation Council (WERC), the national Employee Relocation Council (ERC). Deb is also involved with Sales and Marketing Executives of Madison (SME-Madison), serving on their board of directors as well as their Treasurer.

Deb is also a member and Officer at the Madison Elks serving as their Lecturing Knight and a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She is a Past President of the Promotional Production Association of Wisconsin (PPAW) and while served on their board for 9 years, she ran the traveling Promotional Showcases held in Madison, Green Bay and Milwaukee. Deb is the current President of Cultural Italian American Organization (CIAO), Past 3 term President of Business Networking International (BNI) and Founder of Connections (Madison Area Networking Group of Professionals). “No one has ever expected more from me then I do, therefore my clients and those I work with get 100% all the time…any job be large or small, do it right or not at all!”

Christin Mlsna,
Chairwoman of the Board
Findorff
www.findorff.com
608-257-5321

Christin's primary responsibilities for Findorff include client relations and new business development. She is also involved with marketing initiatives for both the Madison and Milwaukee offices.

Christin joined SMEI Madison's Board of Directors in 2001. Before serving as President of the organization, she chaired the marketing committee and Distinguished Sales & Marketing and Executive of the Year awards program. Christin is actively involved with Society for Marketing Professional Services and Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and formerly served on the Board of Directors for Accelerate Madison.

Kristi Thering-Tuschen,
Past President & Sponsorship
KTT & Associates and
Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau
www.visitmadison.com
608-441-3942

Ms. Kristi Thering-Tuschen is a creative problem solver, with the proven ability to drive revenue growth, resolve conflict, improve morale and consistently meet goals. Ms. Thering-Tuschen has personally raised millions of dollars for cultural, historical and educational missions.

Ms. Thering-Tuschen launched KTT & Associates in 2003 and continues to build clients in public relations, marketing, fundraising and new business development. She most recently serves as the Director of Sales for the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau. Prior to that posting she was Director of Campaign Finance for the Friends of Tom Hebl State Senate Campaign. Ms. Thering-Tuschen served as Director of Development for Circus World Museum Foundation, Inc. from December 1999 through August 2003. During her tenure she established fundraising protocols and implemented all aspects of the development program that included an award winning newsletter and successful sponsorship program.

Ms. Thering-Tuschen also served as Director of Development at Edgewood High School in Madison, WI from February 1998 through December 1999. While serving at Edgewood, she orchestrated a development program that included both annual gifts and capital campaign funds for this Catholic high school. She was leader of the development program, including grant writing, database management, special events, publications, donor acknowledgments and multiple volunteer committees.

Ms. Thering-Tuschen holds a Master of Arts in Philanthropy and Development from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona, MN, and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and is a Wisconsin licensed real estate salesperson. She is currently the President of the Board of Directors for the Sales & Marketing Executives of Madison and a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and serves on the Sun Prairie Economic Development & Marketing Council.

Mollie Dougherty Chritton,
Director of Membership
Econoprint
www.epdigital.com
608-845-2861

Mollie Dougherty Chritton is a 25-year sales veteran with Econoprint, Inc. Mollie embraced her first position with the company as the manager of Econoprint's State Street location. A real self-starter, her successful management of this store was soon recognized when she earned a Store of the Year Achievement of Excellence Award. Then in 1988, Mollie kicked off her sales career as a Corporate Sales Consultant, earning countless awards for her superior sales performance. Mollie excels at guiding corporate clients through the wide variety of services Econoprint offers. She is known for her active involvement of her clients' projects throughout the entire print process to ensure time-sensitive deadlines are met.

Prior to joining Econoprint, she worked for eight years with a trade association and was responsible for meeting and convention planning as well as magazine sales. A graduate of Mt. Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mollie majored in both Spanish and psychology.

An avid golfer, Mollie is a member of the Executive Women's Golf League and has volunteered for a variety of league committees. She is also an ambassador for the Fitchburg Chamber of Commerce. Mollie shares her personal life with her husband Jim and their two dogs, Bucky and Barry. Mollie and Jim enjoy a variety of Wisconsin sports.

Mollie has been a member of SMEI since 2005 and will be assisting with Membership.

Tammy Jelinek,
Director of Programs

As a Business Development Manager of Wipfli LLP, Tammy Jelinek has served as an expert resource to nonprofit organizations for over fifteen years. She listens to organization leaders as they identify their mission and vision for the future, including the issues that are hindering achievement of that vision. Using her expertise working both in, and with nonprofits, she designs solutions that help organizations better achieve their mission.

Her goal is to assist every organization close the gaps. She knows that balancing the needs of people, processes, technology and finances within an organization are what clients must juggle every day. She'll listen, she'll ask probing questions and she'll work to combine your team experts with Wipfli's team of experts.

Whether you need a human resource training session, a process review, a technology plan, Sage MIP Fund Accounting software or a financial audit she'll introduce you to the right Wipfli consultant for the job.

Tammy believes that to serve a nonprofit, you need to understand a nonprofit. This why she has a passion for training nonprofits, and has previous work experience in a home-based Head Start program, under a Community Action umbrella.

Tammy has served on the Board of Directors for a child care organization and literacy focused nonprofit, and was a "Big" to a 14 year old boy through Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Tammy holds a degree from Upper Iowa University-Madison campus in business, with a minor in psychology and an emphasis in management and accounting. She just completed her M.B.A. with an Organizational Development emphasis.

Kari-Ellen Radl,
Secretary
CPM Marketing Group
www.cpm.com

As an Account Development Manager for CPM Marketing Group, Kari-Ellen brings 30 years of customer service, sales and marketing experience from the Advertising, Design and Printing industries to the business of healthcare marketing.

She joined SMEI Madison in 2004 and quickly became involved with the Distinguished Sales & Marketing and Executive of the Year award program. The following year chairing the committee and becoming a member of the SMEI Board of Directors. Kari-Ellen has also been an active member of the Craftsman Club of Madison, involved with the Superb Gallery Awards and Scholarship Committees. She is co-author of “How to Buy Printing like a Pro, 101 Expert Tips You Need to Know”, and a guest speaker for the Wisconsin Alliance of Artists and Craftspeople annual conferences.

Rahda Sijapati,
Treasurer
American Family Insurance Company
Emerging Market Development Specialist
www.amfam.com

Rahda has been the resident of Madison and area for over 29 years and currently works as the Community Relations Specialist with American Family Insurance Company. Radha has a B. A. degree with double major in Accounting and Business Administration, and an MBA with concentration in Marketing from Edgewood College. Radha serves on the board of SMEI-Madison, and also on the advisory board of Wisconsin Women's Business Initiative Corporation.

Adrianne Tritt,
Marketing Director
Econoprint, Inc.
Corporate Sales Consultant
www.epdigital.com
608-664-3421

As a Corporate Sales Consultant for Econoprint, Adrianne oversees and manages over 100 corporate accounts. Her role consist of consulting with print buyers, marketing departments & purchasing agents on the world of print & media communication efforts, facilitating print projects to ensure accuracy & outstanding quality and educating customers on the print process.

Adrianne joined SMEI Madison in 2004. She received a Distinguished Sales & Marketing award in 2001 for her sales efforts at Econoprint. Adrianne is also very actively involved with her family business Patio Pleasures coordinating marketing and advertising efforts.