Welcome to SUPAR

SUPAR Team Biographies

Zachary Dienberg, SUPAR Advisor

I am licensed in Broad Field Social Studies, Economics, Geography, History, and Political Science and hold two Bachelor degrees from the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh -- a Bachelors of Science in Education and a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science. I was attracted to SUPAR's educational program because its project-based focus empowers the students and engages them in current issues. Additionally, SUPAR's commitment to the surrounding community closely reflects my own involvement in the community.

My wife Becky and I recently had our first child, a little girl named Gwyneth Madeline Dienberg on March 29th, 2008.As a couple we enjoy traveling with our daughter and hold season tickets with the Milwaukee Brewers. Hopefully, we'll be able to attend some playoff games at Miller Park this fall.

Nancy Frank, SUPAR Board Member and UWM Partner

My paying job is as associate professor and department chair of urban planning at University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee. I was one of the first people to be involved in planning for SUPAR and creating the school. I spend many hours each week at the school, working with both students and advisors, as well as other volunteers. I am so proud of what we have accomplished in these first two years, but I am also mindful of the challenges we have yet to conquer.

At UWM, I work on environmental planning issues, tackling things like contaminated vacant lots, water pollution, and making public parks more inviting and safe. At SUPAR, I have worked with students on a number of environmental projects. This spring, I have been amazed at what the students accomplished in creating an aquaponic system, caring for it, and understanding how to manage it and how it works. Next year, who knows what we will be able to accomplish.

In my free time, I am a pet lover and avid gardener. I also have a guilty pleasure--playing computer games. I start each day watching the "News Hour," recorded the night before, and playing some mindless "match 3" game. Interestingly, I enjoy making up new games as much as playing them, but haven't ever learned how to create computer games. I keep hoping a SUPAR student will learn how and then teach me!

Dr. Kirk E. Harris, UWM Partner

Dr. Kirk E. Harris has been working on issues related to community development and families for over 20 years. Dr. Harris is a national expert on fathers, families and community building and is a national keynote speaker on issues related to fatherhood, family support and community development. As a former Legal Service lawyer and advocate, Dr. Harris has worked on a variety of public policy and social service practice issues related to families and communities.

Dr. Harris served as a consultant to the Paternal Involvement Demonstration Project, which promoted opportunities and removed barriers confronting low-income fathers and their families, and co-founded the Center on Fathers Families and Public Policy. The Center served as the policy arm of the Strengthening Fragile Family Initiative, which was a national demonstration focused on the intersection between welfare reform, family support, and father involvement. Dr. Harris also served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Family Support America. Additionally, Dr. Harris has directed an innovative employment audit program for the Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago and worked as a consultant for South Shore Bank, one of the country's leading community development organizations.

Dr. Harris possesses a master of public administration from the Martin School of Public Administration, University of Kentucky, a J.D. from Thomas Jefferson Law School and a Ph.D. from Cornell University. Dr. Harris is also a member of the U.S. Supreme Court bar, and the bars of Georgia and Washington, DC.

William E. Huxhold, UWM Partner

Professor Huxhold has been teaching courses on geographic information systems at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee since 1988. Prior to his full-time appointment at the University in 1990, he was MIS Project Director at the City of Milwaukee, having responsibility for the development of information systems for the City. In 1975 he established and directed the nation's first computer graphics based geographic information system at the City of Milwaukee.

Professor Huxhold was the 1984-85 national president of the Urban and Regional Information Systems Association and was awarded the Association's Leadership Award in 1987 and its prestigious Horwood Distinguished Service Award in 1999 for significant contributions to URISA and the industry. In 1991, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Land Information Association, serving two terms, and was awarded its President's Award in 2004. He was President of the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) in 2000 and he was also a member of the Board of Directors of the GIS Certification Institute through 2006. He has authored or co-authored five books on geographic information systems and now serves on the Editorial Boards of three GIS journals.

Since 2004, Professor Huxhold has conducted a high school and middle school program for summer and after school activities related to urban planning, architecture, and geographic information systems called "PUPS" (Pre Urban Planners Preparing for Urban Problems). This program has been featured nationally by GeoSpatial21, funded by the President's High Growth Job Training Initiative as implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment & Training Administration (Go to: www.geospatial21.com/videos_geotech.asp and click on the name under "Featured Videos.")

His educational background includes a B.S. degree in Industrial Engineering from Northwestern University in 1968 and an M.S. degree in Engineering Management (with a Public Administration emphasis) from the University of Dayton in 1973.

Mark Jeter, SUPAR Advisor

I am excited about this year and I am expecting this journey to be both challenging and fun. This is my second year of teaching in MPS and my first year at the School for Urban Planning and Architecture. I taught Algebra for
the 2010-2011 school year at Community High School. I have lived here in the Milwaukee school district for 17 years and have always enjoyed mentoring and tutoring young adults. I graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and from the Milwaukee School of Engineering with a Master's in Engineering Management. I started teaching math after 13 years working in manufacturing engineering, process, and tool design. My student teaching experiences have been at Roosevelt Middle School of the Arts and Custer High School.

I like to run and speed skate at the Pettit Center and enjoy fun fields such as renewable energy and electric cars. From time to time I make it out to one of Milwaukee's county golf courses. I try to connect these interests and
the interests of your child into the lessons as much as possible. I believe that real learning starts when there is a question to be answered and a student who uses all of his or her resources to find an answer. I look forward to an exciting quarter and invite you and your child to ask questions and challenge assumptions about math and how it is applied in real life. That is one of the backbones of Project Based Learning. Math is everywhere in our lives, but some creativity must be combined with the mechanics of arithmetic to achieve full mastery of math in the long-term. I
am glad to join this dedicated and highly skilled staff of Advisors! : )

Tess Kenney, Concordia University

Dr. Kenney has been teaching since 1993. She has taught at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and has been teaching at Concordia University since 1998. Dr. Kenney teaches design, graphic design, and art education graduate and undergraduate courses at Concordia University. As creative director for Graphic Outlook, an in house senior level design firm at Concordia University she does substantial service learning working with non profits organizations. Dr. Kenney has published with Prentice Hall the study guides and instructor manuals for Marilyn Stokstad's History of Art. Dr. Kenney has presented extensively at the Wisconsin Art Education Association and the National Art Education Association.

Dr. Kenney has an active presence in the community at large outside of her teaching responsibilities. She is on the board of directors for the Riverwest Neighborhood association. She currently works with the Milwaukee River Group, the Riverwest Co Operative, The Solo Business Association and the Kilbourn Victory Gardens.

Bachelors of Fine Art in Drawing from the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.
Masters of Fine Art Film and Video from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Internship at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Community Media Internship Television Graphics with WMVT & WMVS Milwaukee PBS station. Doctorate in the Philosophy of Urban Education (Art Education) from the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee.

Christine Krzyzewski

I am excited to finish up my first year of teaching high school. I have an M.A. in Philosophy, and previously taught at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I am currently taking courses at Cardinal Stritch University to receive my Master’s Degree in Special Education. I have lived in the area for most of my life and am happy to return after being gone for a few years. In my free time, I like to create things, though I am not the best at it. I like knitting, beading, and painting. I am also an avid reader, especially of mystery stories. I’m always looking for book recommendations.

This year has been a great first year. The students I have had contact with in my advisory and throughout the school are phenomenal. I am amazed every day how students step up and take leadership responsibilities in school. I could not have made it through my first year without the support of my students and the rest of the staff. I could not be at a better school. I am looking forward to all the excitement and challenges of teaching next year.

Cris Parr, SUPAR Advisor

I graduated from Bay View High School (Fritsche Middle School before that). I got my BA in Exceptional Education from UWM and my MA in Multicultural Education from St. Mary's University. My licenses are: Deaf Education ages 3-21, Regular Education 1-6, and a Charter License

I love to travel. I've been to Mexico, Australia, Tahiti, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Wales, and Canada. I've also traveled extensively throughout the United States. I have always had animals. My maniac Golden Retriever, Desta, is now 2 years old. We are working toward her becoming a therapy dog. She's been through puppy kindergarten, basic obedience, and agility. She's received her Canine Good Citizen Award. I've wanted to teach since I worked at Holler Park one summer in middle school. I spent two weeks working with twin brothers who were deaf. From that point on, I knew I wouldn't be happy if I wasn't working with kids. I've taught everything from 3 year olds through GED classes with adults. I've taught for 23 years in the Milwaukee Public School system (Green Bay Ave. School, Irving, Milwaukee Sign Language School, Victory, IDEAL Charter, Professional Learning Institute).