Q&A with 2025 Distinguished Service Award Winner Renee Moe

Renee Moe is the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Way of Dane County, an organization that unites a diverse coalition of local nonprofits, businesses, cross-sector community leaders, families, volunteers and donors to tackle societal challenges that no single entity can solve alone. Beginning her career with United Way in 1998, Moe has risen from an intern to the Vice President and now, CEO. She has dedicated over 25 years to listening, learning and leading, forging innovative solutions to address the root causes of the community’s most pressing people issues.

Moe’s journey began as a military kid, experiencing life across three continents and a Wisconsin farm and later earning undergraduate degrees in Journalism and Mandarin Chinese, and an MBA from UW-Madison. Still residing in the area, Moe shares life with husband, Jason Salus, children, Nick and Nora, and their little dog, Pickles.

What does this award mean to you?

It is an honor to be recognized by the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. I found my place at the J-School as an undergraduate, and the skills I learned and the relationships I made continue to have a profound impact on my life to this day. To know that these skills are being recognized for career service is a full circle moment. I am humbled to be thought of and included with such an amazing list of honorees.

What has been keeping you busy since your time in the SJMC?

I have been working at United Way of Dane County, mobilizing the community’s caring power to help individuals and families achieve their self-defined goals. With strong networks of nonprofits and private businesses, and deep partnerships with education, health care, law enforcement, government and grassroots organizations, we are fostering multi-generational supports to decrease poverty and low birth weights, and increase literacy, graduation rates, life expectancy and civic participation. Our focus areas are Youth Opportunity, Financial Security, Healthy Community and Community Resilience.

What are you focused on right now?

United Way is a nonpartisan organization that serves as a cornerstone in our community, bringing people and resources together to create lasting change. Our ability to transcend political and social divisions and unite individuals for the common good is not only our mandate, but our superpower. In the current political environment, we are working harder and smarter than ever to achieve our mission: Unite the community to achieve measurable results that change lives.

What is the most valuable lesson you learned in the SJMC?

The most valuable lesson I learned was to consume local media every day. One instructor, Vincent Filak, tested us on the day’s newspaper coverage at the start of every class!

What is your favorite memory from the SJMC?

I remember completing the JUT then stepping into the Vilas Hall elevator with three classmates. They were lamenting the difficulty, and I was surprised because I thought it was easy. That experience made me appreciate my elementary, middle and high school English teachers very much!

What was your favorite study spot on campus?

The Memorial Library cages. They were secluded, quiet and there was no natural light to indicate how much time had passed, so productive hours would fly by! Perhaps not the healthiest environment, but so helpful when I wanted to limit distractions and make real progress.

Who is the SJMC professor who had the most profound impact on your career, why?

It must be Jim Hoyt! His intro classes were so large and so iconic. Those early lectures fired up my brain and enthusiasm for the major. Wonderfully, our paths have intersected over the years, and we are even Facebook friends! I thank Jim and all the faculty and staff past and present for their scholarship, commitment to students and advancement of ethical journalism and mass communication.