Coming Together As a Team
Chief Executive Officer
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With 25 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Melanie Roach has dedicated her career to improving the lives of others, creating sustainable change, and driving impactful community initiatives. For 16 years, she served at the ALS Association, where she played a pivotal role in advancing the organization’s mission to support individuals and families affected by ALS, raise awareness, and fund cutting-edge research. During this time, Melanie honed expertise in program development, fundraising, and advocacy, contributing to the significant growth and success of the organization’s regional and national efforts.
Today, Melanie is focused on critical home repairs, leading Revitalize Milwaukee to ensure that low-income, elderly, and people living with disabilities can live in safe, healthy homes. Through a deep commitment to social issues and community empowerment, Melanie works tirelessly to address urgent critical housing repair needs, advocate for affordable housing solutions, and improve the quality of life for those in need.
Melanie's unique blend of leadership, experience, and passion for service continues to guide her work, striving to create communities where everyone has access to safe housing and the opportunity to thrive.
Bryan Wenzel
Operations and Reports Manager
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Bryan has worked in the event industry for 30 years, and brings strong organizational, sales and logistics skills to RM. Over this time, he has developed deep relationships with clients all over southeastern Wisconsin, which he plans to draw upon to advance the RM mission.
In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, friends and walking/hiking with his dogs, Shadow and Tali. Additionally he loves to cook and bake for family and friends, and is an avid Cribbage and Scrabble player, and spends many weekends driving all over the state and exploring with his nephew Jacob.
Francine Demler
Director of Development and Marketing
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Francine joined the Revitalize Milwaukee team in the newly created position as the Director of Development and Marketing in 2022. A graduate of Cardinal Stritch University, she has spent over twenty years in the media industry in various management roles. With experience in development, marketing, sales, branding, and design she leverages her expansive skill set and business acumen to enhance Revitalize Milwaukee.
Out of the office, Francine enjoys spending time with her family and friends, art and design, hiking, kayaking, reading, and exploring all that the Greater Milwaukee area has to offer.
T’keyah Bennett
Lead Specialist
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T'Keyah joined the team in August of 2023 as the ARPA Coordinator. She brings a wealth of knowledge in Community Outreach and Healthy Homes/Lead Abatement. T'Keyah is passionate about serving the community and providing necessary resources to families so they have the opportunity to succeed in wealth, health, and mentally.
In her free time T'Keyah enjoys spending time with her loved ones, exploring new places to eat in the city, traveling, and reading. She is a lover of music and all things mindfulness such as yoga and meditation.
Fun fact about T'Keyah, she is a certified Doula in the state of Wisconsin!
Dan Cross
Construction and Lead Specialist
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Dan Cross is a US Veteran and a seasoned project management professional with extensive experience in the construction and rehabilitation industry. In his role at Revitalize Milwaukee, he oversees lead remediation and construction projects, ensuring adherence to safety standards and optimizing project efficiency. Dan’s background includes positions at Home Depot, JCP Construction, and VineBrook Homes, where he specialized in enhancing customer experience, managing project scopes, and delivering projects on time and within budget. His expertise in project estimation, compliance, and resource management is backed by certifications in project management and a strong track record in the field.
Ron Ricco
Construction Specialist
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Ron has started with the organization in October. He's been in the construction business and rehab for over 20 years. He has a vast knowledge of the industry and what it takes to do an outstanding job. He's committed to helping the people in our community.
Verdia m. Hampton
Homeowner and Application Specialist
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Verdia joined the RM team in January 2023, as the Homeowner and Application Specialist. She had volunteered with RM for the past 5 years before joining the RM team. She is passionate about helping others and community involvement. With 10 years of experience in the Hotel/Hospitality industry, Verdia graduated from Milwaukee Area Technical College (M.A.T.C.) with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Hotel/Hospitality Management. Soon after she graduated from Cardinal Stritch University with a Bachelor of Science in Business and Management and transitioned into Corporate America. During that time, she set her sights on real estate residential investing. Experience and education have prepared her to meet deadlines, commit to excellence, and pay attention to details. Verdia utilizes her skills and expertise as part of the RM mission and team. In her role at Revitalize Milwaukee, she manages the day-to-day operations ensuring the office is running smoothly by answering, directing and coordinating phone calls for the team, processing client applications, and overseeing other internal systems. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and attending festivals.
Elizabeth Scheuers
Healthy Homes Coordinator
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Elizabeth joined the Revitalize team as the Healthy Homes Coordinator in July of 2024. She enters this work with a six-year background in project management, education, and customer service, mainly in nonprofit work. Her undergraduate is in Dietetics from UWSP and her masters in Sustainable Peacebuilding from UWM, where she continued to develop a passion to see people thrive and maintainownership in their lives.
In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys shooting archery, adventuring with friends and family, cooking and spending time in nature. She also is committed to lifelong learning and always enjoys doing something new!
Sherry Steward
Fund Development and Events Specialist
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Sherry joined the Revitalize Milwaukee team in August of 2024. She brings with her a background in non-profit and corporate event management, marketing, and graphic design. She possesses a BFA from UW-Milwaukee and certificates in Website Design and Project Management. She is looking forward to building relationships with donors and is excited to create rewarding event experiences that celebrate Milwaukee homeowners!
Sherry lives with her husband Tyler in Wauwatosa. Dogs Poppy and Grizelda and charismatic cat, Jay Gatsby, complete the household. In her free time, Sherry loves dancing, bicycling, live music, and enjoying coffee out with friends.
Christian Ricco
Contractor
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Christian Ricco is a new member of the Revitalize Milwaukee organization, coming aboard in February of 2025. He joins the team of construction specialists, and will also be utilized as a contractor in the field seeing to the needs of our clientele. He comes to the position with several years experience working as a self-employed handyman in the Milwaukee area. He also, holds an MFA in painting and drawing from Bowling Green State University and spent over a decade teaching studio art at both MIAD and UW-Milwaukee.
Jackie Weber
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Jackie joined the Revitalize Milwaukee team in March of 2023. She comes to RM with a background in commercial and residential construction, teaching construction techniques, and graphic arts.
She graduated from UWM with a degree in graphic design and worked as a Graphic Artist for 12 years. She completed a 4-year apprenticeship program through the Southeast Wisconsin Carpentry Training Center, and was a carpenter in the union for 11 years. She also has taught carpentry to at-risk youth with Renewal Unlimited, and was self-employed as a carpenter for 7 years. She is excited to provide construction training and enhance Revitalize Milwaukee’s Workforce Development program.
Jackie lives with her three cats in Cudahy. In her free time, she enjoys time with family and friends, Making shaman style drums and pottery, kayaking, hiking, and biking.
Shonda Perkins
Ambassador and Intake Specialist
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Shonda joined the RM team as the Ambassador/Intake Specialist. She comes with a background in law, education & equipment leasing financing. She has an education in law and has been an Office Manager for the past 15 years. She is looking forward to utilizing her background as part of the Revitalize team. In her spare time, she enjoys volunteering, working with the youth, and spending time with her grandchildren.
Want to get involved?
There are many ways to get involved with Revitalize Milwaukee! Whether you volunteer, sponsor, or support our mission in other ways, you can help create safer, healthier homes. Learn how you can make a difference today.