Taking the lead: Cole earns Leadership Green Bay’s highest honor

Juliet Cole was the recipient of the 2009 Leo Frigo Leadership Award, given to a program volunteer or alumni of the Leadership Green Bay organization who has made a significant, continual contribution to LGB and leadership in the community.

The award, presented Feb. 19 in the Johnny Blood Room in the Lambeau Field Atrium, is the program’s highest honor and recognizes Cole as a model of community leadership. She is a 2002 graduate of LGB. (And an award-winning 1975 bachelor’s and 1980 master’s graduate of UW-Green Bay.)

Cole is the associate director of the Institute for Learning Partnership at UW-Green Bay, where she also teaches multicultural education and leads diversity efforts throughout the region. Her role, and that of the Institute is to provide improved learning through improved teaching and awareness.

The award recognized Cole for her decades of commitment to the community, particularly her work with diversity efforts. Cole is the co-founder, trainer and facilitator for the Brown County Diversity Circles. She formed the Nia African and African-American Dance/Drumming Group in 2001 and uses dance to share the customs and culture of African-Americans. The group educates and performs in community festivals and schools.

Leadership Green Bay provides a formalized training program for up to 40 area participants who meet one day per month, September through May, to discuss pertinent local issues, including the economy, heritage, cultural awareness, human services, government, environment and history. Participants organize into small groups to work on projects designed to enhance and engage the community.

A large delegation from UW-Green Bay attended in support of Cole. Among those were incoming Chancellor Thomas Harden and is wife, Cathy (seated in front with Cole and Institute Director Richard Schaal), who made their first visit to campus since candidate interviews last December.

— Story by student Rachel Rivard, editorial intern, Marketing and University Communication Office, UW-Green Bay