2023 IMPRINT AWARD WINNERS
We are proud to announce the 2023 Imprint Award Winners are JoAnne Sabir and Dr. Kristina Ropella!
The selection committee noted that the two winners are shown to be great representation of the Imprint Award for their overall commitment to the community.
Both deserving recipients were selected for their ability to leave a lasting imprint in their professional and community roles. These highly successful women are making the community better and mentoring and inspiring the next generation of leaders!
| JoAnne Sabir is a community development leader in Milwaukee and a serial founder/ co-founder including ventures such as Sherman Phoenix, Shindig LLC juice company, and Freedom Endeavors Business Coaching and Real Estate. JoAnne is a champion for the community through various initiatives and businesses that support the underserved and create safe spaces, entrepreneurial prospects, and employment for members of diverse districts. Beyond her entrepreneurial endeavors, Sabir also serves as a Community & Social Impact Manager for American Family Insurance where she continues to impact lives. JoAnne received her Bachelor degree from Clark Atlanta University and went on to earn her Masters of Social Work degree at UW-Milwaukee. |
| Dr. Kristina Ropella is a higher education leader, dedicated educator, biomedical engineering researcher, board member and currently serves as the Opus Dean of Marquette’s Opus College of Engineering. As a trailblazer in the engineering and higher education spaces, Ropella was the first female engineering Dean at Marquette University. Her personal mission is to change the face of engineering which she is striving for by opening doors for diverse representation and promoting servant leadership. Her initiatives such as the Excellence in Leadership (E-Lead) program, a leadership development program, and her research and publications have already left a meaningful impact on the engineering industry and community. She received her Master’s degree and Ph.D. from Northwestern University but has a history with the Milwaukee area having received her Bachelor’s degree from Marquette. |
2023 IMPRINT AWARD ARTIST
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Lynda Sommers-Herzog is a professional artist, an associate professor of art and the director/curator of the Art & Cultures Gallery, Kellogg Photography Gallery and the IMPRINT Gallery and Public Spaces Artcurator at Alverno College. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture with an emphasis in Foundry and a Bachelor of Arts Ceramics and currently teaches numerous art courses. She is a trailblazer in the sculpture field by providing opportunity for more women to learn non-traditional mechanical skills such as casting and welding, areas traditionally dominated by men. Sommers-Herzog gains inspiration for her art from nature, with pieces such as her Heritage Tree, a 14 x 20 ft wall sculpture created for Aurora-Mt Sinai, among the beautiful artwork that can be seen throughout our Milwaukee community.
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