Meet the Wisconsin PATCH Staff!
Chelsea Aeschbach (she/her) - PATCH Director of Impact and Evaluation
Chelsea, here! I am the Director of Impact and Evaluation for PATCH and have been a part of the program since 2016. I grew up in rural southeastern Wisconsin, went off to college, explored various parts of the world (Ireland and Argentina), lived in different parts of the country (New Mexico and Missouri), came back for grad school, and ended up pretty darn close (all things relative) to my hometown in a suburb of Milwaukee.
I started with PATCH when I was completing my Master of Public Health (MPH) degree from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and have never left! Once a PATCHie, always a PATCHie....or so we say ;) I'm also a University of Wisconsin - La Crosse alum, earning my undergraduate degrees in community health education (CHES(R)) and Spanish.
I currently am part-time with PATCH so that I can love on myself and my little fam (partner + 2 kiddos)...although PATCH certainly feels like family at this point, so it's just a win-win all around. I have enjoyed being behind the scenes in all the various aspects of PATCH and being part of its continued growth over the years.
Delanie Johnson (she/her) - PATCH La Crosse Coordinator
Hello everyone! I’m Delanie and I use she/her pronouns. I am currently a senior at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse studying Public Health and Community Health Education. Right now, I currently volunteer at Gundersen Health Systems, working as a community resource connector, where I am able to work with Gundersen patients all throughout the Midwest and get connected to resources within their own communities.
I grew up in Waukesha, WI and moved up to the La Crosse area when I started school. In my free time, I love to cook, play tennis, go on hikes, be crafty and enjoy nature. I recently just got into crocheting, and have been making little succulents, dish scrubbies and blankets.
I feel so lucky to be involved with PATCH. It’s amazing to see the youth empowered to make a change, advocate for their health, and the health of their peers.
Hadiya Johnson (she/they) - PATCH Milwaukee Coordinator
Hello folks! My name is Hadiya and I use she/they pronouns. I'm a Milwaukee native and went to Rufus King High School. After graduation, I double majored at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in Women's and Gender Studies and Communications. During my undergrad, I realized my passion for advocacy while working as a Student Researcher to help co-pilot a community-centered Black Lives Matter Uprising Digital Archive Project called Wisconsin CAN (Community Activism Now).
In junction with school, I worked as an In House Program Coordinator with a local non-profit, PEARLS for Teen Girls before finding my way to PATCH. In that role, I served as a mentor to high school girls where I taught and helped foster leadership skills and sisterhood through activity and education. I joined the PATCH team with anticipation to bridge together my passions of community wellness and youth advocacy.
In my spare time, I love crocheting, playing video games with friends and falling back in love with dance! I am also learning Korean and finding a love for cooking and gardening!
Nailah Johnson (they/them) - PATCH Fellowship Coordinator for Returning Youth
Hi! My name is Nailah, and I use the pronouns they/them. I currently serve as the PATCH Fellowship Coordinator for Sexual and Reproductive Health.
I am a wellness facilitator and creator passionate about guiding people through their own wellness journey and curating transformative healing experiences. I enjoy songwriting and dancing. I also run my own wellness business Creating Aliveness LLC! I have a B.S. in Exercise Physiology and a minor in Psychology.
I am excited to work with PATCH because I strongly value empowering youth to take ownership of their sexual and reproductive wellness.
Erica Koepsel (she/her) - PATCH Director of Youth Engagement
Hi all! I’m Erica and I use she/her pronouns. I started working as a sexual health educator at 19 while I was in college and have been doing work in the adolescent health field ever since! I earned a Master’s Degree in Gender and Women’s Studies from UW-Madison before joining the PATCH team in 2015!
I was born and raised in Kansas, but me, my partner, and our two cats now call Wisconsin home. When I was younger I used to want to be a vet, then a lawyer, then a backup dancer, and eventually a psychologist before I realized I really liked education and youth work (the backup dancer dream still sticks with me though)! I spend a lot of time at home reading, cross-stitching, snuggling cats, and redecorating room after room. But, I also love to be active and you can often find me swimming, doing yoga, in boxing classes, going cross-country skiing, or biking around town on outings with friends.
PATCH has a huge piece of my heart and I feel so lucky to have a job I’m passionate about. It’s incredible to watch youth raise their voices and create change in their own communities. Plus, I love to get to bring my expertise in sexual health (and sex positivity) into this world of health and health care!
Paula Greuel (she/her) - PATCH Wausau Coordinator
I grew up in Gurnee, IL where my first job was at Six Flags Great America. I completed my Master of Public Health through George Washington University in 2017 and moved to Wausau shortly after. I have been part of PATCH since 2019 and also currently work as the Safety Specialist for Country Fresh Meats.
My fiancé and I enjoy travelling and usually target national parks for our adventures. We hope to visit them all and have recently checked off Haleakalā in Hawaii and Olympic and Mount Rainier in Washington. We currently have plans to visit North Cascade, Yellowstone, and Grand Tetons.
I also enjoy baking in my spare time. I try to be an avid runner (but mostly just hope to not be too lazy) and love reading new books. I’m currently working my way through the Reese Witherspoon book club list.
I love working with the teens and supporting them to speak up for themselves, not just in healthcare but whenever something matters to them.
Faith Ogungbe (she/her) - Youth Advocacy Learning Series Lead
My name is Faith and I’m a PhD student at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.
I’m very excited to be working with the PATCH Youth Advocates this year. Learning and speaking up about health issues affecting women and young people is important to me. I’m looking forward to connecting, learning, and having thoughtful conversations with this year’s advocates and beyond.
Outside of school, you can catch me reading (for fun!), spending time with loved ones, and randomly dancing and singing.
Amy Olejniczak (she/her) - PATCH Program Founder & Director
Hey all! I'm Amy. I started the PATCH Program back in 2010 and have been loving it, tending to it, and growing it ever since! As a public health professional and adolescent health advocate, I spend a LOT of time thinking about what youth need to truly be healthy, connected and thriving - and then looking for ways to make that happen. I earned a Masters degree in Family and Consumer Communication in 2005 and a Masters of Public Health degree in May of 2010 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
It's been an honor to grow and tend to PATCH over the years, and in fact, tending to things I love is one of my favorite things to do. I have two amazing human children (tweens) that I absolutely cherish, as well as one dog, two cats, four chickens, and a bazillion plants that I care for on the daily. I also tend to my family & friend relationships and in return, my heart is filled!
If I'm tending to mySELF, you'll likely find me running with my bestie (in ALL kinds of weather), getting sweaty at hot yoga, or relaxing with my hubby in my backyard. In the winter, you can add cross-country or downhill skiing to that list!
If you're reading this, it means you've connected with PATCH in some way and that brings me joy. Feel free to reach out if you'd like to chat more or even grab coffee... or ice cream.
Kayla Sippl (she/her) - PATCH Fellowship Coordinator
Hi! My name is Kayla and my superpowers are love of learning, creativity and curiosity. I am currently learning Spanish (and how to drive a manual car) and I love to read, do puzzles, visit coffee shops, and explore markets!
I studied Biology and Global Health at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. There, my job was to collect ticks and test them for different diseases! After graduating, I worked as a Youth Coordinator for a project that was trying to improve the mental health system for young people and then spent nine months solo traveling through countries in Southeast Asia!
I love how PATCH works directly with young people and am really excited to be a part of a program that puts youth voice at the center of their work and is open to continual improvement! I also think it is super important to have conversations about social and emotional health and am excited to work with the fellows/youth advocates and PATCH team to create change!
James Woods (he/him) - PATCH Madison Coordinator
Hi there my name is James Woods, I also go by Jay, and my pronouns are he/him/his. I’m from Madison, Wisconsin and I went to Sun Prairie High School. After I graduated from high school I attended the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where I received my bachelors degree in social work. I also received two minors, one in Psychology and the other in theater.
Along with my degree I’m also a certified peer specialist with Mental Health of America’s program PRISM. My work with PRISM is how I got started with PATCH. I joined PATCH to support youth in their journey in health care advocacy and the transition from being a teen to being an adult.
In my free time I love to spend time outdoors. I enjoy biking, hiking, and camping. I also enjoy going to all of the different festivals Madison has to offer.