Last fall, we launched our very first Forward 48 Gives Back initiative—a simple idea with a big impact: mobilize our network to serve Wisconsin.
Our inaugural partner was Hunger Task Force, and together, Forward 48 alumni stepped up in a way that set the tone for everything that came next.
During our first Forward 48 Gives Back campaign, our alumni:
- Partnered with Hunger Task Force on our first-ever community food drive to contribute both in-person and online
- Raised over $1,500 in donations through alumni giving and organizational matches
- Enjoyed coffee and a behind-the-scenes tour at Hunger Task Force to learn more about how they could support families across our state
- Worked alongside Forward 48 alum and HTF team member Zachary Staszewski, who reminded us that every person deserves access to healthy food, dignity, and compassion
In 2024, Forward 48 Gives Back proved something important: Forward 48 alumni don’t just talk about civic leadership: they live it.
That success sparked an important question heading into 2025: How else can Forward 48 work to connect rising leaders with the people, knowledge, and resources needed to move our companies and communities forward?
The answer started with Forward 48’s Spring 2025 Cohort.
This past spring, we introduced a new feature into our cohort experience: the Forward 48 Nonprofit Spotlight. Forward 48 gave Faculty Speakers the opportunity to highlight a local organization that is making a difference, giving cohort participants a closer look at the leaders creating change in our communities real time.
The big win?
Three out of the four organizations our faculty chose to spotlight were being led by Forward 48 alumni.
This wasn’t planned or coordinated. It was simply a reflection of reality we already knew to be true: Forward 48 alumni are driving some of the most impactful work across our state.
But the Nonprofit Spotlight didn’t just inspire our cohort—it helped shape the next chapter of Forward 48 Gives Back.
ENTER: FORWARD 48 GIVES BACK — 2025 EDITION
As we approach the start to the holiday season, we’re building on both the foundation from Forward 48 Gives Back 2024 and the momentum of the Spring 2025 Nonprofit Spotlight.
The heart of Forward 48 Gives Back 2025 is simple: Elevate the alumni-led organizations that are shaping Wisconsin’s future.
We’re shining a light on the nonprofits our faculty highlighted this spring—and sharing tangible ways that you can support their work.
These are the organizations that helped inspire our most recent cohort, and the alumni that are driving real change in their companies and communities.
We are excited to honor, support, and celebrate them with you all for Forward 48 Gives Back 2025.
FORWARD 48 GIVES BACK: MEET THE NONPROFITS & THE ALUMNI LEADING THE WAY
Here are the alumni-led organizations we’re uplifting through Forward 48 Gives Back 2025:
1. All-In Milwaukee
Led by Forward 48 Alumni: Allison Wagner (Executive Director); Chris Alexander (Lead Scholar Advisor & External Partnerships Manager); Shane Arnold (Board Member)
What do you get when you combine 200+ All-In Milwaukee scholars with 40+ employers, graduate schools, and nonprofits?
Opportunity. Connection. And a vital piece of Wisconsin’s talent pipeline.
All-In Milwaukee supports high-potential students from low-income backgrounds with scholarships, advising, and career development—ensuring that they not only get to college, but also graduate and launch meaningful careers.
We joined Allison at the All-In Milwaukee Career Fair this August, where we saw their impact firsthand. As of 2025, 91% of All-In Milwaukee graduates employed or attending graduate school stay right here in Wisconsin, strengthening our workforce and our communities.
2. Girls on the Run of Southeastern Wisconsin
Led by Forward 48 Alumni: Tenia Smith (Board Chair); Betsy Radue (Past Chair); Alicia Lantz (Board Member); Camille Ffrench (Board Member); Karli Tatum (Board Member); Carlie Zielinski (Young Professionals Board Member)
As we approach Giving Tuesday, Forward 48 is ready to run it up with Girls on the Run SEWI as they help girls uncover their confidence, build connections, and cross the finish line strong through movement and evidence-based curriculum.
Another Nonprofit highlighted by our Faculty in Spring 2025, Girls on the Run is about so much more than running. It’s about equipping girls in 3rd-8th grade with life skills, emotional resilience, and goal-setting through their evidence-based curriculum.
Each season ends with a celebratory 5K that’s more than a race—crossing the finish line instills confidence through completion and a joyful memory.
When we connected with our alumni at GOTR during the Spring 2025 Cohort, they shared just how impactful this program has been. GOTR has served over 22,000 girls since starting in Southeastern WI in 2007. 95% of participants reported feeling more confident after the program, 94% of parents reported it was a valuable experience and 97% of participants learned critical life skills. Together, these leaders at GOTR are helping thousands of girls in Southeastern Wisconsin find their strength, their voice, and their stride.
Over 50% of GOTR participants receive financial assistance, ensuring that all girls, regardless of financial background, can participate in the program.
Want to go the distance?
A FINAL WORD: THIS IS WHAT LEADERSHIP LOOKS LIKE
Giving Tuesday is more than a day of giving—it’s an invitation to step up. To support those doing the work. To invest in the future we want for Wisconsin.
Forward 48 Gives Back is how our alumni answer that invitation.
We’re proud to support these organizations and the alumni leading them.
And we’re proud of the network that continues to show up—again and again—for our communities and our state.
Our Forward 48 Gives Back campaign will run through December 11, 2025, coming to a close following Forward 48’s A Very Merry Holiday Party, where 50% of all ticket sales will go back towards the beneficiaries of this campaign.
We hope you will join us for this season of giving.
This is what giving back looks like, Forward 48 style.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Regan Andersen is a Milwaukee-based communications and engagement professional with over six years of professional experience spanning from grassroots organizing to local government to corporate partnerships.
As the Director of Communications & Engagement for Forward 48 and the Hoan Group, Regan spearheads communications, community partnerships, and digital direction for one of the region’s most influential civic leadership development networks.
A proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Regan is passionate about storytelling, community-building, and fostering meaningful connections. Outside of work, she enjoys creative projects, spending time outdoors, and sharing a good meal with her loved ones.