Serving Women and Girls in
Waukesha County since 2004!
Young Women of Tomorrow, Today
In celebration of the 35 th annual of the Women of Distinction Luncheon, we caught up with some of our past Young Woman of Tomorrow honorees to see what they were up to. We were delighted, but not surprised, to learn where their life journeys have taken them.
Sharon Koller
1995 Young Woman of Tomorrow

Sharon was a student at Waukesha Area Technical College when sh e received the YWOT honor.

WGF: What is your current position?

Koller: I am the reliability standards compliance strategist and assurance manager, and critical infrastructure protection senior manager for American Transmission Company (ATC). I am responsible for governance, assurance, and accountability for reliability standards compliance with North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Standards.

WGF: Tell us about your college studies.

Koller: I earned an Associates of Arts degree in Electronics Technology and Telecommunications at Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC).

WGF: Tell us about some of your previous positions.

Koller: Prior to joining ATC, I held several positions at Alliant Energy spanning 16 years, including the role of senior cyber security risk analyst, and as a first responder and exercise coordinator for incident response, reporting and recovery. Prior to joining the utility industry, I worked my way through college holding technician-level positions at computing companies performing component-level repair. I also served as a tutor for advanced math courses at WCTC.

WGF : Tell us about some of the professional or community organizations you have been involved with.

I am currently an advisory council member for the Midwest Reliability Organization Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement Program, as well as a member of the NERC Standards Drafting Team for modifications to the cyber security incident reporting and response planning standards. I am also a member of the North American Transmission Forum. I actively participate in, and often present at, industry events and forums focused on accomplishing CIP objectives through sounds security practices.

WGF: How did the YWOT honor impact your life?

Koller: The Young Woman of Tomorrow honor came to me at a formative time, giving me the confidence I needed to get my life on a positive trajectory. In my late teens, I became a victim of domestic violence, dropped out of high school as a junior with a 4.0 GPA, and became a single mother at 19 to my beautiful daughter, Melissa. I sought and received the support of my family, enrolled at WCTC, and regained my confidence through programs and organizations like the Women’s Development Center and Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County. Today I am a survivor, and the Young Woman of Tomorrow honor was a significant contributing factor in moving the needle toward a successful future.
Lisa Talbot
1996 Young Woman of Tomorrow

Lisa was a senior at Brookfield Central High School when she received the YWOT honor. She now lives in Palo Alto, California, with her husband and two young daughters.

WGF: What is your current position?

Talbot: I work in private practice as a clinical psychologist. I am also an adjunct clinical assistant professor at Stanford University School of Medicine.

WGF: Tell us about your college studies.

Talbot: I received a Bachelor of Arts at Stanford University and a Ph.D. at the University of California-Berkeley.

WGF: Tell us about some of your previous positions.

Talbot: I worked at a start-up after college. Then I returned to Stanford as a research assistant for two years before beginning work on a graduate degree in psychology. I then did post-doctoral work for several years at the University of California-San Francisco and the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

WGF: What are some of the highlights of your career?

Talbot: In my work as a psychologist, I treat depression and anxiety in adults and also support families of children with autism. I also volunteer as a judge for the United States Figure Skating Association.

WGF: How did the YWOT honor impact your life?

Talbot: It inspired me and gave me confidence. It made me think about what I could perhaps accomplish in the future, more than I previously had. The luncheon felt like the first professional event I ever attended, and I remember the excitement of meeting so many accomplished young women.
Kaitlyn Reichl
2012 Young Woman of Tomorrow

Kaitlyn was a senior at Arrowhead High School when she received the YWOT honor. 

WGF: What is your current position?

Reichl: I am currently in my second year of medical school at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

WGF: Tell us about your undergraduate studies.

Reichl: I attended the University of Wisconsin – Madison where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering and a certificate in International Engineering.

WGF: Tell us what you have been up to in recent years.

Reichl: Prior to starting medical school, I gained work experience through engineering internships at biomedical device companies Boston Scientific in Minneapolis and Zimmer Biomet in Warsaw, Indiana. I also worked as a research assistant throughout my undergrad, focusing on spinal cord injuries.

WGF: What are some of the highlights of your journey so far?

Reichl: Throughout medical school, I have been the president of CARITAS, a nonprofit organization that provides shelter for homeless individuals and families in the Greater Richmond Area. We work with students from the Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry to offer health screenings to men and women receiving shelter at the organization.

WGF: How did the YWOT honor impact your life?

Reichl : It was an honor to be recognized for my community engagement and it fostered my desire to continue to serve others. I enjoyed connecting with other influential women and learning how they have used their positions, talents and knowledge to help others and make an impact on the community.
The Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County, established in 2004, seeks to aid and enrich the lives of women and girls so they become thriving residents of their communities. Since 2005, the Women and Girls Fund has awarded more than $1,000,000 to nearly 60 non-profit organizations that promote the welfare, independence and self-sufficiency of women and girls of all ages.