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Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation’s
2012 Champion in Women’s Health Award Recipients
Barbara Beckert
Milwaukee Office Director, Disability Rights Wisconsin, Milwaukee
It was the premature birth of her son and his struggle with significant health issues that
ignited Barbara Beckert's passion to confront the injustices faced by people with
disabilities. She left her career at Johnson Controls to embark on a mission to improve
access and quality of health care and long term care. As Director of the Milwaukee office of
Disability Rights Wisconsin (DRW) since 2008, Barbara has been a leader in advocating for
the legal and human rights of people with disabilities. Prior to her work at DRW, Barbara
advanced her quest for system change at several community agencies. As Assistant
Director at the Milwaukee Jewish Council for Community Relations, she became deeply
engaged in the rights of people with mental illness after community members shared the
discrimination they had experienced and the barriers to accessing services. She worked
collaboratively to establish the Jewish Community Mental Education Project, with a goal of
decreasing stigma, increasing awareness, and improving access to mental health services.
Barbara also co-founded and continues to chair Make It Work Milwaukee, a cross disability
and aging coalition of over 40 agencies which takes an active role in county and state
budget and policy advocacy, and she coordinates the Milwaukee Mental Health Task Force,
which was established in response to a crisis in inpatient psychiatric services that exposed
gaps in our mental health system. Barbara has taken a leadership role in working to reform
the mental health system in Milwaukee, including improving services and safety for women
at the Milwaukee Mental Health Complex. Barbara’s vision is an inclusive community
where people with disabilities are valued partners, empowered to exercise the full extent of
their rights, and to take a leadership role in system change: “Nothing about us without us”.
Karen Brewer, BSN, RN
Public Health Nurse, Wood County Department of Human Services, Wisconsin Rapids
As a nurse with the Wood County Health Department for more than 20 years, Karen Brewer
witnessed first-hand how mental health issues impact women and their families. Karen
recognized that untreated mental health issues cause long range impact and trauma.
Believing that education and early interventions would be the best way to have a positive
impact, she agreed to not only participate in, but then became the chairperson of the
Healthy People Wood County Mental Health Implementation Team. Karen’s outstanding
leadership and communication skills have resulted in bringing together diverse
professionals and consumers, allowing their creative ideas to flow, culminating in new
programs and educational opportunities. For example the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR)
Teams are now going into community organizations, schools, and churches to educate the
public on the signs of suicidal behavior and how to get people the help they need. Karen
has worked with coalitions to promote early pregnancy detection, access to early prenatal
care, and improve immunization outreach to Amish families. She led a multi-county
coalition to improve Hispanic/Latino immigrant health in Central Wisconsin which won the
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2004 Wisconsin Minority Health Award from the American Cancer Society. In 2010, Karen
transferred to Wood County Human Services where she has led a coalition improving
mental health services and professional education in the mental health delivery system.
This coalition has representatives from 30 agencies, about 50 professionals and consumers
actively involved in quality improvement projects. The enthusiasm and energy of this team
is inspiring. Karen Brewer graduated from the University Of Minnesota School Of Nursing in
1974.
Rene’ Firari Will
Domestic Violence Program Coordinator, St. Agnes Hospital Domestic Violence Program,
Fond du Lac
Rene’ Firari Will has worked with victims of domestic violence for 32 years. She is the
coordinator of St. Agnes Hospital’s Domestic Violence Program in Fond du Lac, having
started with this hospital-based domestic violence program since its inception in 1994.
Rene’ educates healthcare providers how to screen, identify and respond to victims of
domestic violence, as well as the documentation and reporting requirements. She has
become a trusted community resource by law enforcement, judges, probation, parole and
other community agencies. In addition, she is one of three advocates providing services 24
hours a day to victims of abuse who access the healthcare system. Her role involves
conducting all of the court ordered domestic abuse assessments, and co-leading an
abusers’ educational program for domestic abuse offenders. Before coming to St. Agnes
Hospital Rene’ helped create the P.A.V.E. domestic abuse program and shelter in Beaver
Dam, serving as their director for 14 years. She later served as the director of the Hope
House domestic abuse shelter. Since 1999, Rene’ has been certified by the Wisconsin
Batterers Provider Treatment Association to provide an educational program to domestic
abuse offenders through the Fast Track Program. In addition to serving on many
committees and organizations dealing with domestic and sexual abuse, children at risk, and
alcohol and drug abuse, she is a member of the Fond du Lac County Elder Abuse
Interdisciplinary Team, and WCADV’s healthcare and domestic violence committee. In
1994, Rene’ received the Governor’s Award for significant achievements in Domestic Abuse.
Her tireless work provides not only safe communities for women to live in, but also a
sanctuary of understanding and empathy.
Ellen Hartenbach, MD
Vice Chair of Education & Faculty Development, University of Wisconsin School of
Medicine, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Gyn Oncology,
Madison
Early in her medical career, Dr. Ellen Hartenbach decided that she would have the
greatest long-term impact on the health of women by shaping the professional careers
of young physicians, ensuring that they would go on to provide excellent care for
women across Wisconsin and the nation. Dr. Hartenbach embodies the spirit of
mentoring. Daily, she contributes to the next generation of academic physicians by
stimulating their interest in teaching and research, and by inspiring clinical excellence.
She lives her belief that mentoring is critical to teaching effectiveness, research
productivity, clinical performance, and interactions with colleagues. Her zest for
learning and self-improvement is infectious, and she serves as a wonderful role model
to all she encounters. Dr. Hartenbach is involved in a number of community education
activities directed at highlighting women’s health. For example, she initiated and leads
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the “Innovations in Women’s Health” conference which brings together nearly 200
diverse providers each year. She works with the Paul Carbone Cancer Center to
present the annual “Sparkle of Hope” to raise awareness and funds for gynecological
cancer research. These events and others like them bring greater awareness to
gynecological cancer and the more than 80 million women affected by the disease
each year.
Julie Luks, MD, CPE
Medical Director, Aspirus Women’s Health & Aspirus Senior Health, Aspirus Wausau
Hospital, Wausau
A passionate patient advocate, Dr. Julie Luks’ vision of offering a comprehensive, patientcentered program for women came to fruition when Aspirus Women’s Health was launched
in 2007. Their mission is to empower women with education, care navigation, and high
quality, affordable health care across the care continuum. In 2008, she started the annual
event, Healthy Women; Healthy Lives – a day of interactive health sessions, education, fun
and fellowship. Dr. Luks was instrumental in launching the Nurse Navigator position where
registered nurses interact with women to help them navigate the challenges of the
healthcare system. She was instrumental in writing a grant for free screening
mammography for uninsured and underinsured women, now in its fourth year; and has
established Medication Mondays, a free program for both men and women to review their
medications with a registered pharmacist. Dr. Luks also launched an Aspirus system wide
process improvement team to examine and establish best practices for physician and
nursing practices for birthing care. She has created a diverse of means that reach women
of all socio-economic classes to enhance their knowledge of and access to health care and
ensure that services of the highest quality are available to all.
Pamela Propeck, MD, FACR
Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin Medical Foundation, Madison
Dr. Pamela Propeck grew up in Woodstock, IL in a medical family with a general surgeon
father and nurse mother who both modeled the importance of patient care. In 2004, she
joined the UW Radiology Community Division and continued her family’s philosophy by
dedicating herself to breast imaging and breast interventional procedures. Dr. Propeck
transformed the UWMF Breast Imaging Department into an American College of Radiology
recognized Breast Imaging Center of Excellence. She masterminded the technical
improvements and clinician and technologist training requirements ensuring that all staff
exceed proficiency in each area of breast imaging. Her work guarantees that all physicians
reading mammograms are board certified and have necessary expertise. Dr. Propeck leads
by example with her patient care practices. She ensures that there is high quality of care
given to women as they go through the process of breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and
follow up. She works with patients who are fragile and emotional, and provides care that is
focused and compassionate. She personally calls patients with malignant pathology results
whether she is working or on a day off. She bridges the gap between diagnosis of breast
cancer and treatment. In 1986, Dr. Propeck completed the Honors Medical Program at
Boston University (BA/MD combined degree in 6 years). She has 3 wonderful daughters
and a fiancée.
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Georgiana Wilton, PhD
Scientist, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health,
Department of Family Medicine
Georgiana Wilton, PhD is a Scientist in the University of Wisconsin Department of Family
Medicine, and the principal investigator of several research and outreach projects
addressing the prevention, identification, and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Disorders (FASD). Dr. Wilton has amassed a strong record of accomplishment and
excellence in educating the health care community and improving the quality of care to
women and children in Wisconsin, and she’s done so in a field that is tremendously
challenging in a state which unfortunately has the highest rates of alcohol consumption
nationally in nearly every imaginable category of drinking behavior. Georgiana is part of a
team that provides clinical outreach services for FASD in Wisconsin. She continues to train
other professionals in the prevention of FASD and evidence-based intervention for affected
children and their families. She trains substance abuse counselors throughout Wisconsin to
recognize and assess women who might be at high risk for having an alcohol exposed
pregnancy. She coordinates with behavioral health agencies to conduct a FASD Clinic in
which women and their children can undergo diagnostic assessments and be connected
with local and national resources, many of which she has had a hand in developing. She
currently provides extensive training and consultation to clinicians and service providers
nationally through the Great Lakes FASD Regional Training Center. Dr. Wilton’s efforts have
directly improved the quality of life for women and families in Wisconsin.
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