You Have Questions. We Have Experts.
The UW is coming to you! Join fellow UW alumni in Naples to discover how our university is creating a healthier future for all of us. Meet Alisa Robertson ’94, MBA’03, the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association’s (WFAA’s) new president and CEO, who brings to the position more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership. She will share news about campus and how WFAA will be involved with supporting the university’s priorities. Then, you’ll enjoy a presentation and Q & A session with Dr. Barbara Bendlin, a UW professor and member of the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center’s executive committee, who will discuss cutting-edge research on Alzheimer’s disease.
Don’t miss this chance to gather with local Badgers for an afternoon of delicious hors d’oeuvres and exciting discussions about the developments coming out of our university!
Please register by March 7. A limited number of walk-ins will be accepted as capacity allows.
Speakers
Alisa Robertson ’94, MBA’03 is president and CEO of the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association, a role she assumed on January 1, 2025. Previously, she served as the organization’s president and chief advancement officer and has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit leadership, fundraising, and stakeholder engagement. She joined WFAA as chief of staff in 2011 and became president in 2022. During her tenure, Alisa led the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s $4.2 billion All Ways Forward comprehensive campaign and has been instrumental in advancing key initiatives that elevate donor engagement and support for the university. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Alisa has also served as associate dean for external relations at the Wisconsin School of Business, where she led marketing, alumni relations, and annual giving.
Dr. Barbara Bendlin is a professor of geriatrics and gerontology at UW–Madison. She is the leader of the Research Education Component in the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, director of the UW–Madison Neuroscience and Public Policy Program, and associate editor of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. She is also a member of the executive committees of the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Institute and the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. Bendlin is a recipient of a 2019 Distinguished Honors Faculty Award. Her federally funded research program is centered on factors that may impact trajectories of brain aging, including prediabetes, sleep, exercise, diet, gut microbiome, and socioeconomic disadvantage. Her studies use magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography combined with fluid biomarker analysis to identify brain changes that occur in Alzheimer’s disease, particularly at the earliest stages. In addition to studying the hallmark plaque and tangle pathology of Alzheimer’s disease, Bendlin is leading studies to determine how other features of the disease process, including loss of synapses and degeneration of myelinated axons, contribute to the development of dementia.
Schedule of Events
| 2:30 p.m. | Check-in |
| 3 p.m. | Program followed by a Q & A |
| 4 p.m. | Reception |
| 5:30 p.m. | Event concludes |
Additional Information
When you register, please inform us of any dietary needs, accommodations (such as captions or interpreting services), or other needs.
