Ursa Anderson is the Exhibitions and Outreach Coordinator for the Academy's James Watrous Gallery. A Wisconsin native, she has a passion for local artists and finding ways to showcase the strength and diversity of small community creative scenes. Before joining the Academy team, Ursa received her B.A. in Art History from Lawrence University which rooted her in the interdisciplinary approach to the arts and sciences that then sparked her interest at the gallery.
Christopher Chambers is editor of Wisconsin People & Ideas, the Academy’s quarterly magazine of Wisconsin thought and culture. He is the past editor of Black Warrior Review, New Orleans Review, and founding editor of Midwest Review. He has taught writing, editing, and publishing courses for 30 years, at the University of Alabama, Xavier University, Loyola University New Orleans, UW-Madison, in community centers, and in prisons.
Jody Clowes is the director of the Academy's James Watrous Gallery and arts editor for Wisconsin People & Ideas magazine. Jody's favorite exhibition projects emphasize connections between contemporary art and other disciplines and issues, from environmental concerns to social and economic history, technological change, and the history of craft.
Lizzie is the Environmental Initiatives Director at the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, & Letters. Lizzie grew up in the Chicago suburbs and received her degree in biology from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She then completed her master’s degree at University of Minnesota. She has a strong background in ornithological field studies and her master’s project focused on diversity and abundance of Neotropical migrant songbirds at urban stopover sites.
Jessica James is the Academy’s Climate Initiatives Coordinator. In her studies at the University of Minnesota, Jessica worked in a number of event coordination roles including as a Communication and Event Assistant at the Institute on the Environment in Minneapolis.
After graduating from the University of Minnesota with a BS in Environmental Sciences, Jessica joined the Wisconsin Academy in the Climate and Energy Program.
Joe Lyons is the Donor Relations Coordinator for the Wisconsin Academy. His “Jack of Many Trades” career has taken him from working for a Major League Baseball team to a dinner theatre, an optical retail center, a telecommunications firm, and an agronomy lab before joining the Academy.
Erika Monroe-Kane is the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters. In a range of professional settings, Monroe-Kane has distinguished herself as an innovator, collaborator, and strategic-thinker. She has previously held leadership positions at national, state, and local organizations such as the National Center on Media Engagement, Wisconsin Department of Justice, United Way of Dane County, and the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art.
Matt Rezin is the Operations Manager for Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. Matt uses his varied experience in nonprofit administration to provide technical and logistics support across the organization.
Zack is the Director Development at the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters and brings 30-years of development, corporate relations and networking experience to the role. While Zack was born in Washington, DC and met his wife, Laila there, he grew up in New England and received his bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Bates College and Master’s degree in Management from the University of Maryland.
Sallie Anna Steiner is the Events and Communications Manager at the Wisconsin Academy. She holds a PhD in Folklore from the University of Wisconsin—Madison, where her research focused on community engagement through and with craft, particularly in the context of migration and resettlement in immigrant and refugee communities.
Lidia Villazaez is the Administrative Coordinator for the Wisconsin Academy. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Urban & Regional Planning at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. Before moving to Madison she lived and worked in the Southside of Milwaukee for four years, which further fueled her passion for language accessibility and working with community. She has strong experience with project management, donor data, community outreach, and event management.
Yong Cheng Yang (Yong Cha) is the primary Visitor Services Associate for the James Watrous Gallery. She is currently attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Kinesiology. She is fluent in Hmong and English. You can find her at the gallery desk on most Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Phone: (608) 773-6633 x 25
Wisconsin Academy Offices
1922 University Avenue
Madison, Wisconsin 53726
Phone: 608.733.6633
James Watrous Gallery
3rd Floor, Overture Center for the Arts
201 State Street
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: 608.733.6633 x25
