SJMC Welcomes Seven New Board of Visitors Members

The School of Journalism and Mass Communication is excited to welcome seven new members to its Board of Visitors: Herman Baumann (BA’75), Laura Brenner (BA’87), Angela Dallman (BA’89), David Grossman (BA’87), Patty Loew (MA’92, PhD’98), Sandy Newman (BA’98) and Courtney Quaye (BA’99). These new members have distinguished themselves in their respective fields and will provide insights from a variety of industries, including strategic communication, law, indigenous affairs, academia and broadcast news.

“We are so grateful that these outstanding professionals are generous with their time and talents in service of our students,” said Kathleen Bartzen Culver, director of the school. “Their advice is critical as we keep moving the school forward. I love seeing our students engage with our BOV members, knowing that they aspire to reach these same heights of professional and public service.”

The SJMC established its Board of Visitors in 1996 to help the School engage with supporters and alumni and retain a professional and relevant competitive edge in journalism and mass communication education. The board meets twice a year to consult with faculty and staff and offer insights into our curriculum and service based on their industry experience. Get to know our new members and see the full list of Board of Visitors current and emeritus members.

Herman Baumann (BA’75) – Retired; Founder, Green Line Strategies

Herman Baumann is a 1975 graduate of the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He is the former editor and managing editor of Chicago Suburban Times Newspapers. He subsequently worked in the health field and held senior executive positions in the areas of marketing, business development, new product development, and strategic planning with Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago (now Lurie Children’s Hospital), Vizient Inc., Health Research and Educational Trust, and the American Hospital Association. Baumann retired from Green Line Strategies, a business development and strategic planning firm that he founded and operated.

Baumann is active in fostering the future of journalism. He serves on the boards of Wisconsin Watch and the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation. An alumnus of The Daily Cardinal, he served as that organization’s board chair for eight years. He also serves on the UW-Madison College of Letters and Science Board of Visitors.

Among his honors, Baumann was presented with a SJMC Distinguished Service Award in 2007.

Laura Brenner (BS’87) – Attorney, Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren s.c.

Laura Brenner is a shareholder in Reinhart’s Litigation Practice and Chair of the firm’s Commercial and Competition Law Group. Brenner earned her J.D., magna cum laude, from the University of California College of the Law, and her B.S. with a major in journalism from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Her practice spans many types of business litigation, including antitrust and competition law, dealership and franchise law, eCommerce, supply chain matters, advertising, pricing, unfair trade practice law and other complex commercial matters.

Recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and Chambers USA, Laura frequently gives presentations and provides training on antitrust compliance, commercial contracting, and resolving business disputes. She is active in several professional organizations and is currently the President of the Thomas E. Fairchild Inn of Court and the Chair of Wisconsin’s Commercial Court Pilot Program Steering Committee.

Angela Dallman (BA’89) – Producer & Assignment Editor, NBC News

Angie Dallman is an award-winning freelance journalist with almost 40 years experience in news and entertainment. Her work can currently be seen on NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, MSNBC as well as other NBC platforms and partners. As a news producer, she’s covered some of the biggest breaking news stories across the county, from the devastating wildfires in California, to the very first COVID-19 cases in Washington. Her job has taken her to South Africa to cover the election of Nelson Mandela, as well as Vietnam, where she produced a documentary on the fall of Saigon. As an investigative producer, her series on racism in retail was recognized with both a Peabody and a DuPont award.

On the entertainment side, Angie executive-produced and wrote long-running series for Food Network, HGTV and DIY Network. She also wrote and directed an Emmy award-winning documentary for local PBS stations.

Angie grew up near Minneapolis and is a University of Wisconsin graduate, with a BA in journalism. She got her start in Austin, Minnesota as an anchor and reporter. Her husband, Bill, is a broadcast executive, a rabid Packers fan and also a UW journalism graduate. They met in J201, at Vilas Hall, their freshman year.

David Grossman (BA’87) – Founder & CEO, The Grossman Group

David Grossman, ABC, APR, Fellow PRSA, CSP, helps leaders drive productivity and get the results they want through authentic and courageous leadership and communication. He’s a sought-after speaker and advisor to Fortune 500 leaders, a member of the Forbes Communication Council, and an award-winning five-time author.

David is the Founder and CEO of The Grossman Group, an award-winning Chicago-based strategic leadership development and internal communications consultancy.

He counsels leaders at top organizations to unleash the power of strategic internal communication and drive performance. Clients include Abbott Laboratories, Amazon, Amsted Industries, Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, McDonald’s, Microsoft, and Stanley Black & Decker, among others.

A media source for his expert commentary and analysis on employee and leadership issues, David has been featured on “NBC Nightly News,” the Chicago Tribune, Directors & Boards, Forbes, Newsweek, and the World Economic Forum. His leadercommunicator Blog has been named the #1 Blog on Communication by Feedspot eight years in a row.

He recently launched a new edition of his popular book, “Heart First” which is tailored to emerging leaders seeking the secret behind exceptional leadership in an extraordinary time.

David is giving away copies of “Heart First for Emerging Leaders” – for free – to students, young professionals, and educators through his Great Giveback Giveaway. This is all part of David’s desire to pay it forward. His vision is to empower every communications student and young professional with insights on leadership so they “Lead with Heart.” To date, he’s given away more than 15,000 copies of his “Heart First” books.

David is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Board of Advisors for The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations, and a long-time supporter of rising professionals and students in the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA).

David is a partner to educators, donating copies of “Heart First for Emerging Leaders” to students at dozens of universities across the United States. He’s also an educator himself, most recently teaching The Authentic Leader Course at Columbia University in NYC.

Patty Loew (MA’92, PhD’98) – Professor Emerita, Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University

Patty Loew, Ph.D., is professor emerita in the Medill School of Journalism and inaugural director of the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research at Northwestern University (retired). A citizen of Mashkiiziibiig – the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe – Dr. Loew is the author of four books, including Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal, now in its second edition; Native People of Wisconsin, which is used by 20,000 Wisconsin school children as a social studies text; and Teachers Guide to Native People of Wisconsin. Her book, Seventh Generation Earth Ethics, won the 2014 Midwest Book Award for Culture. Loew has produced many documentaries for public and commercial television, including the award-winning Way of the Warrior, which aired nationally on PBS in 2007 and 2011. For 20 years, she hosted news and public affairs programs, including WeekEnd and In Wisconsin, for PBS Wisconsin.

Loew has written extensively about Ojibwe treaty rights, sovereignty, and the role of Native media in communicating Indigenous world views. In 2024, Loew was inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcaster’s Hall of Fame and received the 2024 Distinguished Service Award from the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. In 2019, she was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received Wisconsin’s 2019 Martin Luther King Jr. Heritage Award She holds honorary doctorates from Northland College and Edgewood College.

Sandy Newman (BA’98) – Founder, Content Muse

Sandy is a 28-year veteran of commercial film production and the founder of Content Muse. Working her way up from intern to head of production at several top tier production companies in New York City, Sandy learned first-hand the process of how film production supports the advertising industry. Serving more than a decade as head of production for a bi-coastal industry leader, Sandy strategized and created complex live-action and postproduction estimates and, alongside accomplished feature and television directors, oversaw treatments and production for thousands of commercial spots. Throughout her time on staff, Sandy saw the rise in the importance and sophistication of the “treatment” or pitch, used to showcase and sell a director’s vision. Content Muse fills this niche for the global production industry with their roster of highly sought after and recognized writers, visual researchers, and designers that present a director’s approach in a visually engaging way.

Sandy received her Bachelor of Arts from UW–Madison in Journalism and Mass Communication (’98). Her well-respected industry skills earned her the opportunity to lead the film budgeting section of the AICP commercial production-training seminar, guest lecture at New York University’s film department, and most recently speak in front of students in the classrooms where she spent her time in Vilas Hall at the UW School of Journalism.

Courtney Quaye (BA’99) – Senior Vice President and Senior Partner, General Manager, FleishmanHillard – Chicago

Courtney Quaye is the General Manager of FleishmanHillard – Chicago, a global, full-service communications consultancy.

Courtney’s career has been within sports & lifestyle communications, with formative experiences through his work on accounts like got milk?, Shell Motorsports, Axe Personal Care, Unilever, and leading agency efforts for Gatorade and the Jordan Brand. Prior to becoming GM, he served as Fleishman’s PepsiCo Global Client Lead, overseeing the agency’s multi-brand relationships.

Courtney is a believer in the power of curiosity, its important connection to creativity and the necessity of teamwork – which he has relied on throughout his career journey.