Association to honor ‘Distinguished Alumni’ Blackwell, Meeuwsen, Van Straten
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Alumni Association is inviting campus and community to the annual alumni awards evening on Saturday, May 4. Just announced are this year’s recipients of the prestigious Distinguished Alumni Award:
• Dr. Jerry Blackwell, Class of 1978, president and executive director of the Wellmont CVA Heart Institute in Kingsport, Tenn. — A standout guard for the Phoenix NCAA Division II teams of the 1970s, Blackwell went on to achieve prominence as a cardiology researcher and practitioner who served on the faculty of the University of Alabama Birmingham and continues to find success in clinical practice as a leader in the advancement of MRI and new diagnostic imaging technologies. He received his UW-Green Bay bachelor’s in Population Dynamics.
• Kate Meeuwsen, Class of 1976, civic leader, retired educator and member of the UW-Green Bay Foundation Board and Council of Trustees — Meeuwsen has a far-ranging and distinguished record of advocacy on behalf of educational initiatives at her alma mater and communitywide. She and her family have been important supporters of Phoenix Athletics, the Weidner Center, development of the Kress Events Center, and academic enhancements. Her community involvement includes leadership of the Adolescent Parenting Coalition, Inc., and formation of the nature-based 4K program at the Green Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. She received her UW-Green Bay bachelor’s in Communication-Action (music).
• Julie Van Straten, Class of 1991, attorney, civic leader and general counsel for UnitedHealthOne — Over 20 years with UnitedHealthcare, Van Straten has risen to an executive position with significant responsibility in corporate and regulatory matters, risk management and business development support. In the community, she has been honored (2010 Chamber of Commerce Athena Award) for her service as current president of the Women’s Fund of Greater Green Bay, as a member of the Chamber’s board of directors, and as a past board member for organizations including the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, United Way of Brown County, and the American Foundation of Counseling Services. She received her UW-Green Bay bachelor’s in English.
