Our Staff
Dena Wortzel
Executive Director
608.265.5593
Dena Wortzel, Executive Director, came to WH in 1994 to direct the grant program. She became Executive Director in 2008. Dena loves the public humanities because they allow her to marry her commitment to equity and justice with her passion for the endlessly rich culture and fascinating lives of her fellow Wisconsinites. A former urban dweller and self-described world citizen, Dena’s love of Wisconsin’s rural communities and landscapes began over two decades ago when she set down roots on a former dairy farm in Iowa county. Today, when she isn’t working with her WH colleagues and statewide partners to use the humanities to tackle our state’s challenges, you can find her at home, riding a horse or fermenting pickles. Dena has a BA in English from Wesleyan University and MS in Sociology from UW-Madison.
Michael Kean
Associate Director
608.262.9979
Michael Kean, Associate Director, has been working for the Wisconsin Humanities since the year 2000. Michael is responsible for oversight of all administrative, accounting, and fiscal functions of the organization, as well as grant administration, review and reporting.
Meghan Dudle
Director of Grants and Outreach
608.265.5595
Meghan Dudle, Director of Grants and Outreach, is energized by connecting Wisconsinites to each other through the public humanities and strengthening our civic bonds through creative and curious conversations. Before the hibernation, she managed our responsive grants program, assisting applicants and awardees through the stages of their projects while coordinating outreach to underserved communities. During the hibernation, she is assisting with administrative and outreach-related tasks. Meghan has an MA in Park, Recreation and Leisure Studies from the UMN and a BA in History from Macalester College. Prior to joining WI Humanities in 2022, Meghan spent twenty years working with youth in experiential learning environments and developing traditional folk arts programming. She learns Midwestern fiddle tunes and dance steps in her spare time and lives in the Driftless region with her family.
Chrissy Widmayer
Advisor and Consultant, Community Powered
Chrissy was a co-founder and the full-time Director of Community Powered for five years who developed the Community Powered curriculum and approach, teaching workshops to local leaders around the state on how to use history, culture, and storytelling for community projects and development. Today she brings her vision and expertise to the initiative by consulting on the Community Powered Tribal Health Initiative, the Wisconsin Humanities Fellows Program, and other Community Powered training.
Chrissy has a PhD in Folklore Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University. She spent over ten years teaching folklore, writing, oral history, and other humanities courses at the college level in both Wisconsin and Virginia. Her research explores how communities create connections and relationships using foodways and storytelling and has appeared in Narrative Culture, Digest: A Journal of Foodways and Culture, New Directions in Folklore, and Cultural Analysis. Chrissy is also a co-founder of WiseFolk Productions and content creator for Folkwise.
Chrissy has a PhD in Folklore Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University. She spent over ten years teaching folklore, writing, oral history, and other humanities courses at the college level in both Wisconsin and Virginia. Her research explores how communities create connections and relationships using foodways and storytelling and has appeared in Narrative Culture, Digest: A Journal of Foodways and Culture, New Directions in Folklore, and Cultural Analysis. Chrissy is also a co-founder of WiseFolk Productions and content creator for Folkwise.
Averie Anderson
Director of Community Powered Tribal Health Initiative
608.890.4798
Averie Anderson, Director of Community Powered Tribal Health Initiative, is a dynamic Indigenous leader who is committed to uplifting communities. Averie is an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin; her mother is an enrolled member of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. Raised in the city of Milwaukee, she is a true advocate for equity and justice, driving meaningful change through representation, partnership development, and community organizing.
Averie has a strong commitment to Wisconsin’s Native communities and a passion for bringing people together through education, community building, and opportunities that promote wellness.
She is a proud mother of two adult children who enjoys coaching and playing sports, experiencing new places and foods, and finding opportunities to challenge herself personally and professionally. She earned her bachelor's degree in Community Education and Engagement from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with a focus on Native American Studies.
Averie has a strong commitment to Wisconsin’s Native communities and a passion for bringing people together through education, community building, and opportunities that promote wellness.
She is a proud mother of two adult children who enjoys coaching and playing sports, experiencing new places and foods, and finding opportunities to challenge herself personally and professionally. She earned her bachelor's degree in Community Education and Engagement from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, with a focus on Native American Studies.
