LeadingAge Wisconsin members were well represented at the 2026 CHAASE Spring Banquet. This annual celebration, hosted by the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Center for Health Care Administration and Aging Services Excellence (CHAASE), honors outstanding achievements by students through awards and scholarships.

Natalie Miller was awarded a $1,000 scholarship funded by LeadingAge Wisconsin's charitable foundation, recognizing her academic accomplishments and commitment to the field of aging services.

Emma Sullivan earned multiple honors for her work during her administrative internship at Skaalen Retirement Services. She received both the Distinguished Student of the Year award and Poster of the Year award in the Innovation category, recognizing her exceptional dedication, compassion, and impact. Her preceptor, Maggie Schellhorn, administrator at Skaalen Retirement Services, shared that Emma is widely known for her passion for caring for older adults. Maggie noted that Emma has built meaningful relationships with residents and staff alike, bringing warmth, humor, and genuine connection to her work each day. Her positive attitude and drive for improvement have led to meaningful changes within Skaalen, and she will continue on staff following graduation as Assistant Director of  the Heritage Center and Magnolia Gardens.

In addition to her daily contributions, Emma demonstrated a strong commitment to learning and innovation through her involvement in research. Her work was further recognized at the CHAASE banquet when her project earned Poster of the Year in the Innovation category. The poster detailed Emma's work to successfully enhance resident autonomy and engagement by transforming underutilized spaces into recreational rooms for self-directed activities, resulting in increased participation and satisfaction with weekend leisure.

“It was such a great opportunity to be able to do one of my leadership projects on resident self-directed engagement,” said Emma. “Finding the root cause of what makes residents feel independent and how I can better their autonomy was so rewarding, and I was happy to see positive outcomes. I feel honored to have won an award for my poster, as well as earn Distinguished Student of the Year. I am beyond excited to start my professional career at Skaalen and continue to make a difference in the lives of older adults."

Emma’s work ethic, kindness, and ability to go above and beyond make her a valued member of the community. Her contributions have left a lasting impression, and her future in the field looks incredibly bright.

LeadingAge Wisconsin was also represented at the banquet by Vice President of Development and Outreach Marissa Janke. The following day, Marissa addressed current students in the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Health Care Administration (HCAD) program, sharing insights from her experience as a licensed nursing home administrator and multi-site operator. She also highlighted how LeadingAge Wisconsin can support students upon graduation through education, advocacy, networking opportunities, and access to valuable resources.