Each brings a unique combination of professional expertise, community leadership and personal passion for helping girls recognize their strengths and confidently pursue their goals. From education and nonprofit leadership to marketing, banking, supply chain and community advocacy, their experiences will help strengthen our work and expand the impact of Girls on the Run throughout southeastern Wisconsin.
Most importantly, each of our newest board members shares a deep belief in the potential of every girl.
Matthew Ayala
Matthew Ayala is an assistant principal with more than 17 years of experience in education as both a classroom teacher and school leader. Throughout his career, he has focused on creating supportive and inclusive environments where young people can grow academically, socially and emotionally.
His work centers on student voice, mentorship, relationship-building and helping children develop the confidence to see themselves as capable leaders.
For Matt, joining the Girls on the Run Board of Directors is an opportunity to continue advocating for young people beyond the classroom.
“I believe every girl deserves to grow up knowing that her voice matters, her ideas have value, and she is capable of accomplishing difficult things.”
Matt is especially inspired by the way Girls on the Run combines confidence-building with healthy relationships, resilience and belonging. Through his board service, he hopes to help more girls recognize their strengths, trust themselves and become confident leaders in their schools and communities.
Stasha Wuest
Stasha Wuest is a Group Account Manager at Boelter+Lincoln, bringing more than 18 years of integrated marketing and advertising experience across financial services, nonprofit organizations and tourism destinations.
While she is new to the Board of Directors, Stasha is certainly not new to Girls on the Run.
Since 2011, she has supported the organization in numerous roles, including assistant coach, marketing partner, volunteer and SoleMate. Most personally, she has also had the opportunity to coach her daughter’s Girls on the Run team.
Through each experience, Stasha has witnessed the impact the program can have not only on participants, but also on their families and communities.
She is excited to begin the next chapter of her Girls on the Run journey by bringing her years of experience, passion for the mission and longtime connection to the organization to the board.
Katie Brown
Katie Brown is a Senior Director of Supply Chain at Regal Rexnord with more than 15 years of experience in the manufacturing industry.
Throughout her career, Katie has led global supply chains, strengthened inventory management practices, improved planning processes and helped teams deliver strong customer service performance. She is especially passionate about building workplace cultures rooted in trust, collaboration and continuous improvement.
As the mother of two young daughters, Katie feels a personal connection to the Girls on the Run mission and its focus on helping girls build confidence, practice goal-setting and develop a positive relationship with movement.
Katie believes strongly in empowering young girls to recognize and reach their fullest potential.
She is grateful for the opportunity to support that mission as a member of the Girls on the Run of Southeastern Wisconsin Board of Directors.
Dr. Shakkiah Curtis
Dr. Shakkiah M. Curtis is the CEO of Maydm, a Madison-based STEM equity nonprofit dedicated to expanding opportunities for girls and youth of color in grades 6–12. She is also the Founder and CEO of The Pink Hustle Firm, an economic infrastructure and leadership development consulting firm serving communities in Madison, Milwaukee and Atlanta.
A first-generation entrepreneur, published author and doctoral-level strategist, Dr. Curtis has spent more than a decade developing systems designed to close opportunity gaps for underrepresented communities.
Her commitment to Girls on the Run is deeply connected to both her professional work and her experience as a mother.
“GOTR doesn’t just build runners — it builds girls who know their own strength.”
As the mother of her 16-year-old daughter, Ashlynne, Dr. Curtis has seen how mentorship, movement and supportive communities can shape a young person’s confidence and sense of possibility.
She joins the board committed to investing in the next generation of girls and helping ensure they know they belong—in every room, on every track and in every dream they choose to pursue.
Anilla Alexander
Anilla Alexander is a Vice President at BMO Bank, where she manages a portfolio of clients within the automotive dealership network. Her experience includes merger and acquisition financing, dealer floorplan financing, commercial real estate and commercial and industrial lending.
Beyond her professional expertise, Anilla is passionate about creating communities where every child feels a sense of belonging and knows that opportunity is not determined by their upbringing.
As a first-generation professional, she understands firsthand the impact that encouragement and access to opportunity can have on a young person’s future.
Running has also played an important role in her own life, helping her develop confidence and resilience.
“Every goal we achieve helps us build self-belief, and there is no better feeling than reaching a level you thought was out of reach.”
That experience makes the Girls on the Run mission especially meaningful to Anilla. She is excited to serve on the board and help ensure more girls have access to the encouragement, confidence and opportunities that movement can inspire.
Jennifer Sheehy
Jennifer Sheehy brings more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry to the Girls on the Run Board of Directors.
After beginning her career in Milwaukee and taking on opportunities in Chicago and Minneapolis, Jennifer ultimately returned to her hometown, where she has spent the past 20 years. Today, she serves as Senior Vice President of Commercial Banking for UMB Bank, leading commercial banking growth and expansion efforts in the Milwaukee market.
Jennifer’s connection to Girls on the Run began with curiosity.
A conversation over coffee led her to become a community coach during the spring season, where she experienced the impact of the program firsthand.
As a coach, Jennifer saw girls develop greater confidence, knowledge and strength throughout the season—and the experience proved transformative for her as well.
Jennifer firmly believes that every girl reached by the Girls on the Run mission is a girl changed forever.
Now, she is eager to continue supporting girls throughout our community as a member of the Board of Directors.
Building the Future Together
Our Board of Directors plays an important role in advancing the Girls on the Run mission and helping ensure that more girls throughout southeastern Wisconsin have access to programming that nurtures their confidence, strengthens their connections and reminds them of what they are capable of accomplishing.
Matt, Stasha, Katie, Shakkiah, Anilla and Jennifer each bring valuable perspectives, expertise and lived experiences to this work. We are excited to have their leadership as we continue creating spaces where girls can discover their strengths, build meaningful relationships and confidently move forward in their lives.
Please join us in welcoming our newest board members to Girls on the Run of Southeastern Wisconsin!