This program is supported by a grant from the Utely Education Foundation

Sheboygan North High School is pleased to announce a new program called North Talks: Visualizing a Career Pathway. This college and career readiness program invites local professionals to share their job experiences, industry culture, and the importance of retaining talent in Sheboygan. This program aims to highlight how creativity plays an integral part in solving industry challenges, enabling the development of creative solutions within the visual arts, family and consumer sciences, and the trades.

Our 2025-2026 presenters are Mayor Sorenson, City of Sheboygan; Jeff Leismer, CEO and Founder of VibeTech; Agata Augustine, Interior Designer, Kohler Design Center; Rob Hurrie, Owner and Chef of Black Pig; and Ann Brusky, Deputy Director of Programming at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.

“We strive to provide a positive and supportive environment at North High School, to allow creativity to flourish. Within our learning environment, we prioritize collaboration and problem-solving to prepare our students for challenges and life beyond SASD. We are grateful for the knowledge and experiences that will be shared by our presenters and the benefit to our students as they chart their next steps.” – Nic Collins, Principal.

Through the collaborative efforts of teachers Frank Juárez, Visual Arts; Cathy Newport, Family and Consumer Science; and Alan Rekowski, Technical Education, they hope that these stories encourage North High students to start thinking about career possibilities after graduation.

2025-2026 Speakers

Mayor Sorenson, City of Sheboygan

Ryan Sorenson is the 59^th Mayor of the City of Sheboygan. He is the youngest serving mayor in the city’s history, and he is currently serving in his second term. Prior to being elected mayor, Sorenson served on the City Council and was the Council President. Mayor Sorenson was born and raised in Sheboygan. He graduated from South High School.

Sorenson graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with his Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and History. While at UW-Milwaukee, Sorenson served as the student body president, and was in the political science honor society.

The Mayor is the CEO of the City, and is the head of government. The Mayor is also primarily responsible for managing external relations for the city. Some of Mayor Sorenson’s key initiatives center around improving infrastructure, supporting local businesses, and advocating for housing.

Mayor Sorenson is very active with the US Conference of Mayor. The Mayor serves as the Co-Chair for the Great Lakes and St Lawrence Cities Initiative. He is also on the board for The Bay Lakes Regional Planning Commission, and is on the Executive Committee for the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation. He also serves on the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition Wisconsin Advisory Committee. The Mayor additionally serves on the board for the Wisconsin- Hessen Society.

Image courtesy of Mayor Sorenson.

Dr. Jeff Leismer, CEO and Founder of VibeTech

Dr. Jeff Leismer is the founder, president, and CEO of VibeTech Enterprises, LLC, a NASA spinoff MedTech company located in Sheboygan, WI. VibeTech utilizes advanced technology developed by Leismer to enhance strength and mobility in individuals with difficulty standing and walking, with a focus on reducing falls in older adults. As an inventor and product designer, he blends creativity and logic to develop sophisticated technology that minimizes invasiveness and maximizes ease of use while producing optimal clinical outcomes for its users. Creativity is an essential aspect of Dr. Leismer’s daily professional duties.

Leismer received his PhD in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering (’07) from the University of Florida (Gainesville, FL), a Master of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering (Biomechanics) (’02), and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree in Biomedical Engineering (’01) from Michigan Technological University (Houghton, MI). He is named inventor on 13 issued patents and 2 pending patents in the US and abroad. He has designed and run over 20 clinical studies while testing and advancing VibeTech’s technology to commercialization through 3 major robotic design iterations and a variety of prototypes. He serves as Advisory Board Member (Industry Liaison) to the University of Wisconsin-Stout Computer & Electrical Engineering (CEE) Program, where he also has been a sponsor to over 2 dozen capstone projects. He also serves as a Technical Committee Member to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) where he writes and reviews standards governing Human Exposure Limits to Mechanical Vibration. He has reviewed proposals for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Biomedical Engineering Directorate and a Graduate Education program, as well as the University of Wisconsin’s Applied Research Program (ARP).

Image courtesy of Tryg Jacobson.

www.vibetechglobal.com

Agata Augustine, Interior Designer, Kohler Design Center

Agata Augustine was born into an artistic family in Poland, so it’s not so much that she chose to become an artist and a designer, but naturally developed into one.

She was involved with art all her life. At 15 years old, she entered a school that emphasizes the arts and design in Lodz, Poland. This is when her love for fine art started intertwining with her passion for interior design. In 2002, she received her internationally recognized master’s degree in Studio Painting from the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Lodz, Poland.

She also has experience in movie set dressing, including the Oscar-winning “Peter and the Wolf, “where she did detailed set work with other fine artists using many different media.

From sculpting, painting, print making, or space planning and color coordinating, she is happy to help with creating beautiful spaces.

Since 2012, she has been sharing her experiences and talent in a professional setting, while working for one of the most luxurious furniture brands in the USA- owned by KOHLER- Baker Furniture. With the sale of Baker in 2017, she transitioned to the role of an Interior Designer at the Kohler Design Center, where she specializes in bathroom designs. Augustine holds the title of AKBD, CLIPP, and every day she helps guests with product selection, either for one bathroom or all houses. She helps them create beautiful, cohesive designs that have a unique, artistic Kohler flair.