Reclaiming Feminism With The Women’s Fund Of Greater Milwaukee

Marilka Vélez  – As senior vice president & senior director of marketing, Marilka Vélez is responsible for leading company-wide marketing and branding efforts at Associated Bank. Marilka has nearly 20 years of e-commerce, branding and design experience. In the community, Marilka is the Board Chair of the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee. Her work with the fund aligns her passion for equity, education and opportunity for women with an organization that finds and creates those opportunities in Milwaukee. Marilka has been recognized as 2021 Milwaukee Business Journal 40 Under 40 for her commitment to inclusive leadership both in the workplace and community. She holds a bachelor’s degree in graphic design and Spanish from Mount Mary University and is pursuing an MBA through the Marquette Graduate School of Management with an anticipated graduation of December 2023. Marilka started as Chair of the Board of Directors in January 2021. It was a time of uncertainty though Marilka lead with confidence. She consistently helps Board Directors strategize and navigate to advance the organizational mission. She remains committed to enhancing the brand, expanding the number of supporters, and encouraging more people to get engaged on their own journey of advancing equity for women.

Lisa Attonito started as Executive Director of the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee on November 1, 2016. Lisa has extensive experience in organizational management, board governance, staff development, budget creation and oversight, along with brand development and engagement. Her career includes senior positions with several well-known, best in class nonprofit organizations. She has a growth mindset and believes strongly in building brand experiences that reflect the culture and mission of the entity, while supporting the strategic goals. Her track record of sales includes consistent success and a dynamic network that is fueled by sound project management and good communication. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. She is married to Ercan Ornek and together they have two sons, Anthony, and Michael.

Always hosted by Marina Franklin – One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS’s The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O’Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO’s Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf.