Transforming Women and VGM
CLASS OF 2025-26
VGM’s Women in Leadership (WIL) is a strategic program with the purpose to support, motivate, and empower women. Our mission is to foster a strong network in support of professional women.
LEADERSHIP
BROOKE KRAFT
VP of Talent Management │ Human Capital
Lead Facilitator
ANN THOMAS
Learning & Development Manager │ Human Capital
Incoming Facilitator
KELSI GERHOLDT
Director of Safety │ VGM Fulfillment
WIL Chair
EMILY MCCORMACK
VP – Operations │ VGM Insurance
WIL Incoming Chair
AMANDA
NUGENT
Associate Scrum Master │ VGM Fulfillment
Champion of Membership Engagement
MACKENZIE
EPPING
Operations Manager │ HOMELINK
Champion of Communication
MEGAN
JOACHIM
Director of Customer Experience │ VGM Fulfillment
Champion of Outreach
MEMBERS
JENN ALPERS
Key Account Manager │ VGM Fulfillment
Formerly: HOMELINK, VGM & Associates, OPGA, and Management Services
Family: My family includes my husband Kurt, son Koby and new daughter-in-law Abby, and daughter Emma and hopefully soon-to-be son-in-law Kaleb.
Hobbies: I enjoy boating, bonfires, and simply spending time with friends and family.
Inspiration: What inspires me is people. I believe in treating others how you want to be treated. Give them a smile, make them laugh, and help them feel wanted.
JESSICA BARBER
Administrative Specialist │ VGM Forbin
Formerly: HOMELINK, VGM & Associates, and VGM Live At Home
Family: I’ve been married to my husband Mike for 15 years. We have two children, Ellie (12) and Max (6)—along with our mini Aussiedoodle, Ozzy, and the newest addition to our family, a cat named Apollo.
Hobbies: I love spending time with my family and being at home. My hobbies include experimenting with new recipes in search of the next family favorite, keeping things tidy and organized, going for walks, and occasionally diving into a good book. I also enjoy the occasional binge-watch of a great show.
Inspiration: My inspiration stems from over 18 years of experience and a genuine desire to make things better—and more fun. I’m driven by doing what’s best for my family, staying focused on my career growth, and continuously improving. I also find creative sparks and fresh ideas from platforms like Pinterest.
JOSIE BITTER
Account
Specialist
│ VGM & Associates
Family: I have been married to my husband for a year and a half. We have two dogs and live in Waterloo. We are also foster parents.
Hobbies: I am naturally a homebody. At home, I really enjoy trying out new recipes through cooking and baking. I also really enjoy doing anything outside, and it’s a bonus if I can bring our pups!
Inspiration: What keeps me inspired and motivated is the desire to be able to provide for my family. Growing up, my family always held multiple odd jobs, working multiple at a time, still living paycheck to paycheck and not having enough for necessities. Growing up that way has been a huge inspiration for me to do what I can to provide for my family.
HADIE DOBSON
Project Manager │ VGM & Associates
Formerly: HOMELINK
Family: My family includes my husband and one son (my dog Archie).
Hobbies: I like to spend time with family and friends, watch Netflix, travel, craft, and go boating or spend time on the water.
Inspiration: I draw my inspiration from a mix of collaboration, creativity, and purpose. I’m inspired by the impact the work that I do has on people and our communities.
MEMBERS
CARA
HINTZ
Wellness Partner │ Human Capital
Family: I have two sons: Carter (10), Beckett (7), and our family dog Max.
Hobbies: I love being outdoors, boating, fishing, and hiking. And I enjoy a shopping trip to TJ Maxx.
Inspiration: Belief is in my Top 5 Strengths. I believe each of us is uniquely made to make an impact. I also love surrounding myself with like-minded people. Strength does come in numbers.
LAURA HOLUB
Operations
Manager
│ HOMELINK
Family: I am married (12 years), and I have three children (13, 12, and 9). I also have two dogs: a Bernedoodle and a miniature Bernedoodle.
Hobbies: I love board/card games, thrifting, watching my kids play sports. I also love all aspects of soccer: playing, coaching, reffing, watching, etc. And I love being with my family and friends and just enjoying life with the ones I love.
Inspiration: I draw inspiration from learning about myself, others, and developing my mind and being the best person that I can be.
SARAH JOHNS
Operations Manager │ HOMELINK
Family: I’m a mom of three kids with too much energy (them, not me). We love to be outdoors and keep busy.
Hobbies: I like to stay active and feed my competitive side by playing rec sports. I enjoy learning new skills or information, and I’m always working on myself (being a better human, mom, and all around just better). Fall is my favorite season.
Inspiration: I’m not sure there is one specific area, but anytime something comes to mind I try to jot it down somewhere to at least revisit when time allows. I also think best when things around me are organized and/or cleaned up. For example, if my house is messy, I will get overstimulated very quickly (no, my house is not spotless either). And the same goes for at work. If I feel disorganized or out of sorts, then I cannot think straight. So step one is taking a step back to get reorganized.
MEMBERS SHANNON KOFTA
Sr Director - Strategic Marketing Initiatives │ VGM & Associates
Formerly: HOMELINK and Forbin
Family: Meet the Kofta Crew! My husband Michael is the calm captain of our ship, keeping us all grounded (and occasionally fixing what we break).
Cohen (14) is our resident athlete with a heart of gold. He’s juggling baseballs, basketballs, footballs—and somehow still sweet through it all. Kolly (Kollyns, almost 4) is a sparkly sports sister and snack connoisseur. She climbs like a ninja, sparkles like a unicorn, and brings the spice to our lives. And there’s Flint and Ruby, our two Brittany pups. They specialize in hunting, stealth food theft, and snuggle ambushes. Basically, furry chaos with charm. Life’s loud, fun, and full of snacks and sports.
Hobbies: When I’m off the clock, you’ll find me snow skiing down mountains like I’m auditioning for a winter sports movie, golfing (mostly for the outfits and occasional good shot), capturing life through the lens—photography is my creative escape, channeling my inner artisan with homemade sourdough that occasionally behaves, watching reality TV—because nothing says “relaxation” like other people’s drama, snacking on chips and queso like it’s a competitive sport, and sipping spicy margaritas that pack more punch than my 4-year-old on a sugar rush.
Inspiration: TikTok scholar (PowerPoint and Excel hacks FTW), a Pinterest junkie, and a ChatGPT enthusiast—because who doesn’t love a good shortcut to brilliance?
KAYLEE MICU
Customer Service Representative │ Strategic Imaging
Family: I live at home with my husband, three cats, and our blue tongue skink.
Hobbies: I love reading, creating mini terrariums and canvas paintings out of recycled materials, and hiking.
Inspiration: I draw my inspiration from nature and my coworkers. All of the art I create is made with recycled materials, like preserved moss and old jam jars. Every piece I create contains a theme based on nature such as a bear in the woods or a dolphin swimming in the ocean. My coworkers inspire me to use my creative side to problem solve and bring a different perspective to our work environment. They work hard and all have their own talents and strengths, and I am in awe every day at what we all achieve together.
MEMBERS BRANDI MILLER
Risk Placement Lead │ VGM Insurance
Family: My immediate family is my mom Julie and my younger brother Bryce who is 24. Bryce and I have been roommates for over two years, and he is truly one of the best friends. I also have a boyfriend, Luke.
Hobbies: I enjoy pickleball, volleyball, golf, reading, hot girl walks, patio drinks with friends, and live music.
Inspiration: Seeing the real-world impact of my work and our company’s work. Personal development is a major source of inspiration for me as well. Seeing how others have advanced in their roles helps me envision my own path forward. I’m also driven by the thought of building a strong foundation for my future family— both professionally and personally.
JILL MURRAY
VP, Corporate IT Delivery │ Corporate IT
Family: I have three adult children who all still live in Iowa and have three grandchildren. I am still very close to my siblings who both live in Chicago, and my parents who live in Arizona and Florida—all great places to visit!
Hobbies: I enjoy outside activities, such as walking, hiking, biking, golfing, and playing volleyball. I also enjoy my family and friend time, whether it be by a fire, playing games, or watching sports.
Inspiration: I thrive on helping others and watching others grow. I am inspired by deep conversations and seeing how others build their relationships in life.
REAGAN SCHNEIDERMAN
HR Generalist │ Human Capital
Family: I am engaged and will be getting married in May of 2026. My fiancé and I have a Goldendoodle puppy named Charlie!
Hobbies: I like taking Charlie on walks, boating, shopping, and going out to eat at fun new places. I also love to paint and spend time with family!
Inspiration: I draw my inspiration from art (music), nature, and everyday experiences.
MEMBERS SHANNON STEFFEN
Customer Service Manager │VGM Fulfillment
Family: I’m married to my best friend for 24 years. We have two daughters, Maria (25) and Bethany (27). Our youngest daughter is married and has two children. Our grandson Lorenzo just turned 1, and our granddaughter Mariella is 4.
Hobbies: I love spending time with our family. We have a permanent spot in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, that we love to spend summers at, fishing or boating with family and friends. We enjoy going to Hawkeye Football games, traveling, and in the winter months, I enjoy putting together puzzles and crocheting.
Inspiration: I’m mostly inspired by life experiences, as well as some social media pages and blogs that I follow.
BROOKE WEBER
Events Lead | Corporate Communications
Formerly: Moxie
Family: I am married to my high school sweetheart Cole, and we live with our two dogs, Calvin and Oakley.
Hobbies: I love to go to movies and line dance whenever possible in my free time. I also love visiting friends and family—valuing experience-based opportunities are always a favorite priority.
Inspiration: My inspiration comes from personal experiences. Finding innovative ideas that can make process more efficient or diving into how to create better experiences are the biggest triggers for what helps inspire me.
SUE WULF
Accounts Receivable and Billing Manager │Corporate Accounting
Formerly: VGM Insurance and VGM Fulfillment
Family: I’ve been married to my husband Trevor for 31 years. I have a daughter, Taylor, and sons, Tannor and Trey. I also have a daughter-in-law, Taylor, and two grandchildren, Tatum and Tate.
Hobbies: I love spending time with family, reading, and watching NFL, as well as college football and basketball.
Inspiration: I draw inspiration from the people I am with, as well as my faith.
WIL ALUMNI
Alexis Nielsen
Inbound Supervisor
VGM Fulfillment
Amanda Morris Senior Account Manager VGM Forbin
Amanda Weber Office Administrator
Corporate IT
Amanda Bovy Director of Operations HOMELINK
Amanda Nugent Associate Scrum Master
VGM Fulfillment
Amber Brauner Compensation and Retirement Director Corporate Accounting
Ann Thomas Learning & Development Manager Human Capital
Anna Kilburg CPAP Program Manager VGM Fulfillment
Arienne Martinez HL Director of Organizational Development HOMELINK
Bailey Ronnebaum Business Development Manager VGM Forbin
Barbara Anderson CFO VGM Group
Brenda Pimentel Inbound Supervisor VGM Fulfillment
Brooke Kraft VP of Talent Management Human Capital
Brynn Prier Analytics Team Lead VGM & Associates
Casee Boose Human Resource Generalist Human Capital
Casey Feller Director of Operations VGM Forbin
Cassi Price President - VGM Forbin VGM Forbin
Charlotte Hampe Operations Manager HOMELINK
Christa Miehe
President, Corporate Communications Corporate Communications
Christina Watson Business Manager United Publications
Christy Pospisil Customer Service Representative Strategic Imaging
Danielle Weber Operations Manager HOMELINK
Darian Schmit Director of Operations HOMELINK
Denise Doyle
Customer Success Specialist VGM & Associates
Desiree Trimble Director, Corporate Communications Corporate Communications
Emily Kettman Business Operations Manager
VGM & Associates
Emily Southall Sleep Services Manager
VGM & Associates
Emily McCormack VP - Operations VGM Insurance
Francis Castro Iriarte
Bilingual Customer Contact Specialist HOMELINK
Grace Opperman VP of Finance
Corporate Accounting
Haley Dahl
Customer Experience Lead VGM Insurance
Heather Seevell Director of Sales and Business Development VGM Forbin
Heather Johnson Training and Compliance Manager VGM Education
Heather Trumm Partner Account Manager VGM & Associates
Heidi Evans
Customer Experience Manager
VGM Education
Hillary Ferry 2RM Exec. Dir, Digital Marketing Solutions
Two Rivers Marketing
WIL ALUMNI
Irina Hageman
Program Underwriter
VGM Insurance
Jackie Wagner
Key Account Manager
VGM Insurance
Jamie Schmitz Director of Claims Operations VGM Insurance
Jamie Fisher
2RM Sr. Account Director Two Rivers Marketing
Janean Craig VP - Compliance
VGM Insurance
Jen Gilbert
2RM Senior Copywriter
Two Rivers Marketing
Jennifer McDonald Estimator
Strategic Imaging
Jenny Hughes
Marketing and Communications Director HOMELINK
Jessica Veren Director of Project Management
VGM Forbin
Jill Westrum
IT Experience Specialist Corporate IT
Jill Waddle Sr National Account Manager HOMELINK
Jill Blaser
Senior Director of Operations
VGM Education
Jillian Dobbins
Marketing Project Coordinator
Corporate Communications
Kara Harris Human Resource Generalist Human Capital
Kathy Moore Assistant Controller Corporate Accounting
Katie Maynes
2RM People, Talent & Culture Generalist Two Rivers Marketing
Katie Morris Senior Benefits Partner Human Capital
Kayla Mahler
Senior Director of Marketing
VGM & Associates
Kelly Grahovac
General Manager
VGM & Associates
Kelsey Burke VP of Human Resources
Human Capital
Kelsey Wedemeier Vice President, Process Management HOMELINK
Kelsi Gerholdt Director of Safety VGM Fulfillment
Kim Bemus
Facilities Manager
Facilities
Krista McNurlen
Senior VP Business Operations VGM & Associates
Lauren Crawford Director of Operations HOMELINK
Leah Homeister
Senior Director of Project Management Office
Corporate IT
Lindy Tentinger President - VGM & Associates
VGM & Associates
Liz Beaulieu
Editorial Director
United Publications
Lizzie Kelly VP - Carrier Relations & Program
Development
VGM Insurance
Mackenzie Epping
Operations Manager HOMELINK
Madee Boss Talent Partner
Human Capital
Madison Buzynski Human Resource Business Partner
Human Capital
Mandi Rodgers Vice President of Marketing
VGM & Associates
Mary Gutierrez Martinez
Site Manager VGM Fulfillment
Megan Joachim Director of Customer Experience VGM Fulfillment
Melanie Tournier
Senior Account Executive
Strategic Imaging
WIL ALUMNI
Michele Hanlon Jensen
2RM Senior Account Director Two Rivers Marketing
Misty Kelly
Regional Sales Producer VGM Insurance
Molly Chicchelly Director of Customer Experience & Employee Development VGM Insurance
Molly Wilson Controller Corporate Accounting
Molly Schmehl Compliance and Accounting Manager Corporate Accounting
Monica Rogan Chief Operating Officer- Homelink HOMELINK
Nicole Jensen VP of Wellness VGM & Associates
Noelle Lomas Director of Operations HOMELINK
Paige Ribble Claims Associate VGM Insurance
Raquel Ita Director - Operations Excellence VGM Fulfillment
Renee Steffen Compliance Analyst Corporate IT
Sara Lewis Director of Transportation VGM Fulfillment
Sara Laures Chief People Officer VGM Group
Sarah Scharnhorst Operations Manager HOMELINK
Sarah Conger VP of Business Operations VGM Fulfillment
Shalini Douglas Key Accounts Manager VGM Fulfillment
Shanon Eckhardt VP of Corporate Projects VGM Group
Shelby Birkenholz
Senior Director of Customer Success VGM & Associates
Taylor Pinero
Senior Executive Business Partner
VGM Group
Wendy Frost Membership Account Manager
VGM & Associates
Wendy Harris
SVP-Claims
VGM Insurance
Whitney Horras
Project Manager
VGM Forbin