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 and technical education fields.
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, 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 59th 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.
Agata Augustine, Interior Designer, Kohler Design Center
Agata Augustine was born into an artistic family in Poland, so it’s not a surprise that she chose to become an artist and a designer.
She was involved with art all her life. At 15 years old, she was enrolled in a school that emphasized the arts and design in Poland. This is when her love for fine art started to connect 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 has experience in movie set dressing, including the Oscar-winning “Peter and the Wolf, “where she created detailed set work with other fine artists.
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 into 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 she helps customers with product selection, either for a bathroom or the entire house consisting of beautiful, cohesive designs that have a unique, artistic Kohler flair.
Taunaleah Davis and Lisa DiPuma González, John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Taunaleah Davis is a Program Engagement Coordinator at the John Michael Kohler Art Center, where she cultivates meaningful connections between artists and the Sheboygan community. Through facilitating public art-making experiences, she creates inclusive spaces that promote creativity, curiosity, and collaboration. She is especially passionate about programming in the Social Studio, contributing to the Levitt AMP concert series, supporting artist residencies, and expanding opportunities to bring the Art Center into the broader community.
A dedicated public educator, Taunaleah discovered her passion for art engagement while teaching at Longfellow Elementary School, where she saw firsthand the positive impact of the creative process on students’ health and well-being. This experience continues to inform her commitment to making the arts and opportunities for art making accessible to all.
Taunaleah is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, where she earned a degree in Psychology, and is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Human Resources Management at St. Mary’s University of Michigan.
She also serves as a board member for local nonprofits, including Sheboygan Youth Sailing and Noble Community Clinic, where she supports efforts to ensure the resources that make Sheboygan vibrant are accessible to everyone. Outside of her professional work, Taunaleah enjoys sailing, spending time with her children, embracing life with a house full of pets, and exploring the Sheboygan area.
Lisa DiPuma González has been part of the Public Programs team at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center for the past 10 years. She currently administers the on-site arts-integrated preschool, oversees K–12 field trips, coordinates the Arts Center’s summer internship program, manages a team of part-time Museum Educators and volunteer docents, and oversees the Emerging Artist Program.
Before moving to Sheboygan, Lisa lived in northern Illinois and worked at Rock Valley College; there she coordinated a federal- and state-funded ESL program that provided free English classes to thousands of adult immigrants and refugees every year. She has managed frontline operations at a Hispanic resource center, worked in public relations and copywriting at an advertising agency, and taught at colleges and universities. While her job titles and employers have varied over the past 30 years, the throughline for Lisa has always been a passion for working with non-profits and utilizing her communication, organizational, and managerial skills to collaborate, educate, and build teams.
Lisa graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in Advertising and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys travelling, planning and documenting travel, keeping up on current events, and spending time with her family—including her son, a North High School graduate!
Contact
Mr. Frank Juárez
Art Department Chair
fjuarez@sasd.net
nhsartdept.com 