The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association has appointed a new face to the position of chief alumni officer and executive director of the foundation’s branch organization, the Wisconsin Alumni Association.
Sarah Schutt—the former vice president of the WFAA with experience in higher education at UW-Madison—will begin her leadership role at an organization aiming to provide opportunities that link alumni for fundraising purposes July 1. She will take over for current WFAA chief alumni officer and WAA president Paula Bonner.
Bonner announced earlier this spring that she is stepping down from the position, but will temporarily remain with the association to concentrate on the opening of Alumni Park this October.
“Paula has had a fabulous career,” Mike Knetter, president and CEO of the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association said. “We are delighted that she is going to stay on [the staff] in a part time capacity through the end of October to see us through the opening of the park.”
Knetter said Schutt is the right person to lead the Wisconsin Alumni Association because of her experience in alumni relations at UW-Madison, as well as her positive attitude.
“Sarah Schutt has worked in or with the association very closely since about 2001, and has had about 25 years of experience in higher education,” Knetter said. “She is a great strategic thinker, she’s great at project management, she’s great at leading teams and we are really excited to have her energy and vision.”
