Brandi Grayson is a transformative leader and the founder of Urban Triage, a beacon of support for individuals impacted by state violence, including mass incarceration and housing shortages. Since its establishment in 2019, Urban Triage has mobilized significant resources to uplift vulnerable communities in Madison and the greater Dane County area, growing to a team of over 23 dedicated employees.

In 2020, Brandi secured the second-largest contract in Dane County to provide essential rental support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Urban Triage has emerged as a vital community institution, delivering emergency assistance, empowering personal and leadership development programs, advocating, providing food access through agriculture initiatives, and providing housing support to hundreds of people annually.

Brandi’s remarkable contributions have garnered her numerous accolades, including recognition as one of Wisconsin's most influential African Americans in 2015 and the Community Leader of the Year award in 2022. In 2023, the Madison Black Chamber of Commerce honored Urban Triage as the People’s Choice Business and Nonprofit. The 365 Leadership Community Choice Non-Profit of the Year Award in 2024, the Impact Award from Community Shares of Wisconsin in 2024, and the Human Rights Award by Church Women United. 2025.

Her collaborative leadership style embodies community, integrity, and gratitude. Brandi bridges political divides, partnering with organizations like UW Health, MATC, MMSD, and the Madison Police Department to serve those is a co-founder of the Young Gifted & Black Coalition, Brandi has passionately led grassroots campaigns and Black Lives Matter protests, amplifying vital voices within the community. She currently hosts the Black Convergence radio show on 92.7 FM, continuing her impactful work. Outside of her professional endeavors, Brandi is a devoted mother and a nature enthusiast, finding joy in life’s simple pleasures. Her unwavering commitment to confronting systemic challenges positions her as a powerful advocate for vulnerable people.

Alex Lindenmeyer is the co-owner of Short Stack Eatery, a community-focused breakfast spot located in the heart of Downtown Madison. Alex and her Short Stack team focus on supporting Black-led organizations and anti-racist work in this community. If Alex is not in the kitchen slinging hot cakes, you can find her fixing bikes as a volunteer bike mechanic at Wheels for Winners or chilling with her dog Murphy.

Alex Catherine Orr is recently retired from a 20-year career as a professor in Beloit College's Critical Identity Studies Department. She is also co-founder/CEO of Reflective Justice LLC, a DEI consulting firm for higher education. When she's not facilitating conversations about what it looks like to decolonize the curriculum/pedagogy/culture/operations at colleges and universities, she is most likely getting paint, glue, and paper everywhere as she follows her passion for mixed-media art. No matter who she's hanging with, she tries to create opportunities for people to see themselves as equity-driven leaders and regularly talks up the benefits of Black women's leadership to address that ails all of us. She's runner, a cat guardian, a life partner, and a mom to a 14-year-old who attends Lafollette High School.

Charlene Smith-Clay is currently serving as the Business Community Manager at Madison Gas and Electric, where she is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections between the company and the local community. Her passion for employee engagement and community empowerment has been evident throughout her career. Previously, Charlene worked as the Director of Employee Engagement and Business Services at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, where she played a pivotal role in developing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as implementing administrative policies that have had a lasting impact.

Charlene's academic journey reflects her commitment to leadership and public service. She earned her MBA in Public Administration from Concordia University-Wisconsin, building upon her Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and Corrections. Her diverse professional background includes roles such as Administrative Policy Advisor for the State of Wisconsin and Executive Staff Assistant at the Public Service Commission, where she contributed to strategic policy initiatives and employee development programs. 

Charlene's leadership extends beyond her professional roles—she is known for her compassion, approachability, and dedication to uplifting others. Colleagues and community members alike recognize her as a collaborative and inspiring leader, always striving to create inclusive spaces and support those around her. Her work aligns seamlessly with Urban Triage's mission to empower and transform communities, making her a true force for positive change.

Dana Pellebon is a longtime advocate for social justice and community activism in Dane Count. As the Executive Director of the RCC Sexual Violence Resource Center, she oversees client services, education, outreach, and operations, making history as the first woman of color to lead the organization. Her leadership extends beyond RCC, as she also serves as a Dane County Board Supervisor for District 33, working to advance policies that support marginalized communities.

With over 30 years of experience, Dana has held key roles in housing advocacy and nonprofit leadership, including Director of Housing and Operations at Porchlight, Inc. She has also worked in property management and co-owned The Frequency, a Madison music Venue. Her dedication to community service is further reflected in her involvement with organizations such as Freedom, Inc., Urban Triage, and WorldBuilders. 

A passionate supporter of the arts, Dana is the principal of the Madison Theatre Collective and co-founder of the Loud N Unchained Black Theater Festival, which amplifies minority voices in theater. Her impact has been recognized with the 2023 ATHENA Award and the 2022 Liesi Blcokstein Award, honoring her advocacy for survivors, the unhoused, and social justice.

Elise Lawson is an Associate Professor of Surgery in the Division of Colorectal Surgery at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She is the Executive Director of the Surgical Collaborative of Wisconsin, leading efforts to ensure access to high-quality surgical care across the state. As the Vice-Chair for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Department of Surgery, she is deeply committed to fostering an anti-racist, inclusive culture at UW. 

In 2020, she joined Urban Triage's inaugural Co-Conspirators Workgroup, a transformative experience that deepened her dedication to social justice. Since then, she has been a steadfast supporter of Urban Triage, actively promoting and amplifying their work in the Madison community and beyond.

Kayla Conklin is currently serving as the Talent Management Officer at Park Bank, but her passion for seeking out talent and helping people find their purpose has been prevalent throughout her career. She began as a first-generation college student at UW-Madison in 2014, and immediately was eager to be a part of something on campus. Within one semester, Kayla made the cheerleading team and became a student athlete cheering on the Badgers at every football and basketball game of the season. Outside of school and cheerleading, Kayla supported herself throughout college by working part time at a local non-profit supervising a post incarceration re-entry home.

In 2018, Kayla graduated from UW-Madison on the Dean’s List with a B.A. in Legal Studies and a certificate in Criminal Justice. Kayla joined RISE Wisconsin working with at-risk youth and families to provide sustainability in the community and deter youth from institutions. In addition, she worked part-time at Briarpatch Youth Services serving homeless youth in the local shelter.

It is by no accident that Kayla transitioned to Park Bank, the bank that helps community members find their purpose and lead them to their achievements. Kayla was promoted to join the Human Resources team where she is responsible for recruitment, retention, and development of top talent with a diversity, equity, inclusion lens. With the skills obtained from her M.S., Kayla intends to continue bringing corporate activism and creating inclusive spaces at Park Bank to serve the Madison community more equitably.

Juan José Fonseca Angel is an attorney. He grew up in Bogota, Colombia, but has lived in Madison for over a decade. Juan obtained her law degree from the University of Wisconsin Law School - Madison. He is passionate about immigration justice and pro bono work.

Jessica is a graduate of Rochester Community and Technical College with an Associate Degree in Health Information Technology and of Madison College with an Associate Degree in Veterinary Technology. Jesscia Snyder has been with UW Health since 2010. After a brief career as a Certified Veterinary Technician, she started in the Volunteer Services Department at UW Health coordinating volunteers. After graduating with her HIT degree, she started as a Medical Coding Specialist and three years later promoted to Coding Supervisor, a role she has held for more than seven years now, managing 25+ staff. Jessica is passionate about being a leader who places humanity first and models her management style on Servant Leadership.

Jessica has been an active volunteer for a number of organizations in the Madison are and has been with Urban Triage since its inception, with her main focus being co-facilitating the Urban Triage Co-Conspirators Workgroup and doing whatever she can to help that program and Urban Triage flourish and grow. In her spare time, she enjoys kayaking, gardening (but not weeding), reading, and spending time with her cats, dog, family, and friends.

Olivia Barrow is a writer, a runner, and a creative problem-solver. She graduated from the University of North Carolina and began her career as a newspaper reporter. In 2016, she pivoted into marketing and moved to Madison to launch her own business. As the founder of Olivia Barrow Communications, she helps her clients develop and execute effective content marketing strategies. She is passionate about racial justice and collective liberation and healing. She loves being outside, chasing big athletic goals, and reading novels that expand her understanding of what it means to be human.

Sage Weil is a technologist and entrepreneur focused on voting rights and strengthening democratic institutions. He is the founder and CEO of Civic Media, a new media company that operates a statewide network of 20 radio stations across Wisconsin. Under his leadership, Civic Media is dedicated to countering misinformation and addressing news deserts in rural communities by delivering quality local news, sports, music, and conversations that matter by acquiring and modernizing local radio stations to reach a broad audience through both traditional broadcast and digital channels.

In a previous life, Sage focused on building free and open-source systems and communities. He was the co-creator and former project lead for Ceph, an open-source distributed storage system based on his PhD research at the University of California, Santa Cruz. He co-founded Inktank in 2012 to productize Ceph for the enterprise and sold the company to Red Hat in 2014, where he worked in the Office of the CTO to shape Red Hat's overall storage technology strategy.