GWAAR Board of Directors

Selected for their experience with aging issues and commitment to social activism, the following people sit on the GWAAR Board of Directors:

Rob Wilkinson, Chairperson, Janesville: Rob lives in Janesville. He is a veteran, US Army Security Agency. Rob is a retired Janesville police officer and was the Rock County Part D specialist for the first five years of the plan. Rob has been volunteering with various organizations, including GWAAR, AARP, First Call, etc., for many years. 2nd term ends 12/2028

Cookie (Cornelia) Lough, Vice Chair, Sayner: Cookie helped establish the Big Brother/Big Sister Program in Vilas and Oneida Counties after which she held a position with the Northwoods Restorative Justice Council, serving as Executive Director. Prior to moving to Vilas County, Cookie served in a position as Therapist at the Minnesota State Sexual Offender Program, was the administrator of three crisis homes for the state of Minnesota, and was the Director of Social Services at a medical facility. Cookie previously served on the Board of Directors for Day Break, a respite care center for seniors in Vilas County that is now closed. She currently serves on the board for the St. Germain Housing Authority, is an officer and board member for Prime Timers, serves on the Board of Directors for the St. Germain Women’s Service Organization, and serves on the Board of Directors for the ADRC-Vilas County. She volunteers at Howard Young and is in charge of the food court for Dragon Boat. She also serves as the Chair of the Independence Celebration for St. Germain. 2nd term ends 12/2028

David Hoberg, Treasurer, Shiocton: Dave and his wife, Debbie, reside in rural Navarino Township within Shawano County. He is the retired Manager of Treasury and Finance for the North American subsidiaries of a Germany based international company. Dave graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a degree in accounting. Besides participating on the GWAAR board he is also on the Shawano County Commission on Aging and the Shawano County 4-H Horse Project key committee. In the past, Dave was on the Bonduel School Board for nine years and was a founding member of the Navarino First Responders. Dave and Debbie enjoy visits from their two children, reading, traveling, and sitting on the deck watching the sun set over the farm fields. 2nd term ends 12/2026

Stephen (Steve) Ahlgren, Lake Geneva: Steve is a retired administrative law judge who currently serves on the Walworth County ADRC Board and previously on the Lake Geneva Library Foundation. He has significant experience in management and government agencies. Prior to his retirement, Steve served as Regional Chief Administrative Law Judge in Chicago, managing 22 hearing offices and about 1,000 employees in six states. He received his BA in Government from the University of Notre Dame and his JD from the University of Wisconsin school of law. Early in his career he worked in a private practice in West Virginia primarily representing aged and disabled coal miners and their families. He’s been a resident of Lake Geneva for more than 35 years and lives there with his wife, Julie. 1st term ends 12/2028

Sabrina Cyrus, Buffalo City: Bio coming soon! 1st term ends 12/2028

John Helling, Luck: John S. Helling and his wife, Rosmarie, have been married more than 60 years and live in the Town of Bone Lake, Wisconsin. John is a retired real estate executive and has actively volunteered for over 40 years. He has served as Chair of the Edina Local Board of Appeal and Equalization (Minnesota), as Treasurer of Community Action Partnership for Suburban Hennepin (a MN CAP agency), as Treasurer of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Foundation, as a citizen member of the Hennepin County Capital Budgeting Task Force, as a volunteer income tax preparer for VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) and TCE (Tax Counseling for the Elderly). He is a past President of the Ice Age Trail Alliance and currently volunteers for its Indianhead Chapter. John also currently serves as Chair of the Aging and Disability Resource Center of Northwest Wisconsin, and he is a member of the Polk & Burnett County Dementia Coalition. 2nd term ends 12/2028

Cathy Jones-Ferk, Stevens Point: Cathy is a retired teacher with experience in team teaching, building relationships across numerous learning environments, and fostering community involvement. She currently serves as the Chair on the Aging and Disability Resource Center Board for Portage County and has been a member for four years. She previously served as the president of the Stevens Point Area Education Association and is a member of the Stevens Point Women's Club and the Stevens Point Area Retired Teachers Association. Cathy received her Master of Science in Early Childhood Special Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She has been a resident of Stevens Point for nearly 40 years and lives there with James, her spouse. 1st term ends 10/2027

Wes Martin, Oneida: Wesley Martin, Jr., presently resides on the Oneida Indian Reservation. Wes attended the University of New Mexico Law School and received of Certification of in American Indian Law. He owns a Law Office in Keshena Wisconsin and licenses to practice Law on all the reservations in the U.S. Wes served as a Judge, Prosecutor and presently a reserve judge on several reservations. Wes previously served on the GWAAR Board for seven years and several years as Chair. He was re-appointed in 2022. 2nd term ends 12/2028

Rowena Nelson, Black River Falls:  Rowena currently works in the Jackson County Department of Health and Human Services and worked at Jackson County ADRC as an options counselor and a Long-Term Functional Screener Liaison. She also served as a member of the WI LTC FS Consult team. She currently serves as the Vice President on the Board of Directors for Inform Wisconsin. She has an extensive background in education, accounting, data management, and mental health assessment. She received her BA from Leyte Normal University in the Philippines, and is currently pursuing her master’s in business administration with an emphasis in general management and data analytics. Rowena has been a resident of Black River Falls for 12 years. 1st term ends 2/2027

Committees

Executive Committee (2026-2027):
Rob Wilkinson, Chairperson
Cookie Lough, Vice Chair
David Hoberg, Treasurer
John Schnabl, GWAAR Executive Director

Finance Committee:
Dave Hoberg, Treasurer
John Helling
Rowena Nelson
John Schnabl, GWAAR Executive Director

Agendas & Minutes