2026 Women in Leadership

Description

Join us as four local, influential women take the stage to talk about their experiences, challenges, rewards and surprises they've encountered as women in leadership positions. Men and women alike are invited to join and learn from each other during a morning of learning, growing and inspiration!

A local women-owned business, the wandering table, will be serving up a delicious spread of breakfast favorites to kick off the day!

Jenni Eickelberg is a Corporate Responsibility Manager at Thrivent, where she has worked in a variety of roles for more than 25 years. Based in the Fox Cities, Jenni helps develop, manage, and execute Thrivent’s local Corporate Responsibility strategy, providing strategic oversight to ensure the company’s community investments are leveraged effectively in alignment with its mission, vision, and values. In her spare time, she is the food editor for Appleton Monthly Magazine and the founder of the popular Facebook group Food for Thought Fox Valley, where she brings people together around food, community, and conversation.

A longtime advocate for community impact and nonprofit leadership, Jenni has served on numerous local nonprofit boards and advisory committees, including the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley (now Pillars), the Outagamie County Housing Authority, Nonprofit Leadership Initiative (NPLI), Basic Needs Giving Partnership, NEW Voices, Volunteer Fox Cities, and others. She also currently serves on the Community Impact Volunteer Committee for United Way Fox Cities, helping guide strategic investments that strengthen the community. Volunteering is Jenni’s love language, and she actively supports numerous nonprofits as her way of giving back to the Fox Cities. Jenni’s leadership and service have been recognized through multiple awards, including Thrivent’s Volunteer of the Year and volunteer of the year honors from organizations such as Make-A-Wish and the Fox Valley Humane Association.

She holds an M.B.A. from the University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh and a B.S. in Biology/Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point. Jenni lives in Combined Locks with her husband, Jeff, their two sons, Joren (20) and Edison (18), and two very energetic cats, Tuna and KitKat.

Nikki Gerhard has built a career rooted in public service, with professional experience serving the communities of Green Bay and Appleton. Through her work in local government, she developed a strong commitment to community-centered solutions and a deep understanding of the challenges individuals and families face during times of crisis.

Now in her third year as Executive Director of LEAVEN, Nikki leads with a collaborative and compassionate approach, working alongside community partners to provide meaningful support to those navigating financial and housing instability. Under her leadership, LEAVEN continues to strengthen its role as a trusted resource, connecting people to critical services while fostering dignity, stability, and hope.

Outside of her professional work, Nikki enjoys spending time with her husband and their two sons, ages 12 and 9, who keep her busy and grounded. Whether cheering from the stands or shuttling between games and practices, you can often find her at a hockey rink somewhere in the Midwest.

With over 15 years of experience in the restaurant industry, Yee Lee Vue, a prominent local entrepreneur, currently owns and operates two successful restaurants in the Fox Cities alongside her husband, in addition to managing properties. Yee began her restaurant career in Appleton, where she helped her mother operate Mai’s Deli. Equipped with the invaluable skills and values she learned from her mother, Yee took on a new beginning to create her own restaurants. While taking on post-secondary education, she launched her first business in 2015. Yee first dreamed of an original restaurant that would amp up the city’s fine cuisine. That dream turned into Bowl Ninety-One, named in honor of her family's arrival in the United States as refugees in 1991, symbolizing resilience and ambition. Bowl 91 is more than a restaurant—it’s a testament to resilience, ambition, and the transformative power of food.

Appleton native Millaine Wells is the co-host of Local 5 LIVE on WFRV-TV and the producer and host of Midwest Farm Weekly, which airs in five television markets across the region. She is passionate about sharing the stories of the people and businesses who make Northeast Wisconsin special.

She joined Local 5 News after graduating from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point with a degree in communications and a minor in political science. During college, Millaine spent two summers interning at WFRV, an experience that led to her first role at the station as a producer.

Today, Millaine lives on a fifth-generation dairy farm in Kewaunee County, where she and husband Greg are raising their two sons, Abraham and Theodore, along with their dog, Mater. Deeply committed to her community, Millaine volunteers with Blood Cancer United, Kewaunee County Dairy Promotion, the American Cancer Society, and Kewaunee County 4-H. She also emcees numerous fundraisers throughout the year. In her free time, Millaine enjoys exploring local wineries, attending live music events, and perfecting her newly acquired tap dancing skills.