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Equity and Inclusion Committee

The Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee is an employee-led committee that was instrumental in developing the Department’s Equity and Inclusion Plan. The Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee (EIAC) helps the Department to meet its goals of which include attracting a more diverse applicant pool; retaining qualified employees with a focus on maintaining a diverse population; and promoting an agency culture that is respectful, understands implicit and explicit bias, values diversity, promotes equity, and actively engages in inclusion. In addition, the EIAC is tasked with showing appreciation for employees’ accomplishments, big and small, and recognizing and celebrating the diversity that we have at WDVA. The EIAC works to help employees to feel comfortable and safe sharing input about the workplace.


Committee Members

To contact the Equity​ and Inclusion Committee, please e-mail DVAMBCOEquityAndInclusion@dva.wisconsin.gov


​Title​Name​Division​​E&I Sub-Committee​Term Ending Date
​Leslie Busby-Amegashie​Veterans Benefits/Veterans Benefits and Resource Center​Culture​06/17/2027
Jennifer FaheyVeterans Benefits/ 
Health Services
Retention11/30/2027
Patricia GrantVeterans Home/KingCulture06/16/2028

Secretary
​Kristy Hartke
​Veterans Benefits/ 
Northern Cemetery
Retention; Recruitment​10/0​6/2026
​Chair​Dawn LaFond​Office of the Secretary​Partners in Giving (Co-Chair); Retention​07/23/2028
​Christopher Leslie​Veterans Home/King​Retention​​02/05/2027
James ListugOffice of Public AffairsRetention05/31/2028

​Andrew Martin​Veterans Benefits/SAA​Retention​05/11/2028
Cortney MihulkaVeterans MuseumRecruitment 11/19/2027

​Jamie Petersen-Johnson​Veterans Homes/King​​Culture (Co-Chair)​05/31/2027
Gina StrobuschEnterprise Services/Union Grove FinanceRecruitment07/07/2027
​Co-Chair​Jennifer Van Haaften​Veterans MuseumRetention (Chair)12/31/2027
​Kris Ward​Enterprise Services/Finance​​Culture (Co-Chair); Partners In Giving (Chair)01/13/2027

Non-Voting Committee Members

​Title​Name​Division​​E&I Sub-Committee​Term Ending Date
Jen​nifer Ginter-LyghtHuman Resources
​Racheal Harris​Human Resources

Chris McElgunnOffice of the Secretary
​Victoria Simonson​Human Resources​

Meeting Agenda and Minutes

2026 Meetings
January 27, 2026AgendaMinutes
February 24, 2026AgendaMinutes
April 28, 2026AgendaMinutes
May 26, 2026AgendaMinutes
June 23, 2026AgendaMinutes
July 28, 2026Agenda
September 15, 2026Agenda

2027-2029 E&I Plan Subcommittee Agenda and Minutes

2026 Meetings
March 2, 2026AgendaMinutes
March 23, 2026AgendaMinutes
April 13, 2026AgendaMinutes
May 4, 2026AgendaMinutes
May 27, 2026AgendaMinutes

Culture Subcommittee Agenda and Minutes

2026 Meetings
April 21, 2026AgendaMinutes
May 20, 2026AgendaMinutes
June 17, 2026Agenda
September 10, 2026Agenda

Recruitment Subcommittee Agenda and Minutes

2026 Meetings
April 22, 2026Agenda
June 3, 2026Agenda
June 24, 2026Agenda

Retention Subcommittee Agenda and Minutes

2026 Meetings
March 17, 2026AgendaMinutes
April 21, 2026AgendaMinutes
June 24, 2026AgendaMinutes
July 21, 2026AgendaMinutes
September 3, 2026Agenda

2025 Meetings
November 13, 2025 Agenda
September 24, 2025 Agenda Minutes
August 27, 2025 Agenda Minutes
June 25, 2025 Agenda Minutes
May 28, 2025 Agenda Minutes
April 23, 2025 Agenda Minutes
March 26, 2025 Agenda Minutes
February 26, 2025 Agenda Minutes
January 22, 2025 Agenda Minutes

2024 Meetings
December 4, 2024 Agenda Minutes
​October 23, 2024 Agenda Minutes
September 25, 2024 Agenda Minutes
August 28, 2024 Agenda Minutes