Luminary Award
The Luminary Award, in its inaugural year, recognizes alumni who serve as aspirational examples for others through their accomplishments in the areas of leadership, discovery, progress, and service. Alumni who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in their professions or in the areas of service and philanthropy at least 15 years from graduation are eligible for this award. These alumni truly light the way for those looking to extend the benefit of the university beyond the borders of campus.
Luminary Award 2023 Recipients
Zachary Ellis Jr. MS’13
UW Majors: Biotechnology Program
CEO and Managing Director, South Loop Ventures
Alexander Gee ’85
UW Majors: African American Studies, Economics
Founder and CEO, The Center for Black Excellence and Culture
Founder and President, Nehemiah Center for Urban Leadership Development
Lead Pastor, Fountain of Life Church
Host, Black Like Me
Jessi Kendall ’14
UW Major: Nursing
Registered Nurse, UW Health
Founder, Nursing Needs You, LLC
Jay Laabs ’98
UW Majors: Finance, Investment and Banking
Founder and CEO, Spaulding Ridge
Nicolaas Mink ’02, PhD’10
UW Major: History
Chief Restoration Officer, Seven Acre Dairy Company
Cofounder, Sitka Salmon Shares
Instructor of Environmental Studies, Knox College
Patricia Marroquin Norby MA’01, MFA’02
UW Major: Art
Associate Curator of Indigenous Arts, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dana M. Peterson MS’02
UW Major: Economics
Chief Economist and EVP Center Leader of Economy, Strategy and Finance, The Conference Board
WAA Stories
As a global economist, Dana M. Peterson analyzes and explains how macro trends affect financial markets and the world economy.
Jessi Kendall had mixed emotions as she embarked on her nursing degree at UW–Madison in fall 2009.