Primary ballots for the following will be emailed March 5 with a completion date of March 26:

Board of Control- District 2

Advisory Council- Medium Schools

All general election ballots will be emailed April 2 with a completion date of April 16.  Results will be announced April 24 at the WIAA Annual Meeting.  Ballot notification will be emailed to the district administrator, principal, and athletic director. All school administrators will be able to view the submitted ballot, but only Athletic Directors will be able to submit the ballot on behalf of their school.

For complete information regarding powers and duties of the Board of Control and Advisory Council, please refer to Pages 14-20 of the WIAA Senior High Handbook.

All positions are for a 3-year term beginning with the 2023-24 school year, unless otherwise noted.  Positions open are as follows:

In an effort to engage voter participation and based on recent feedback gathered from schools, each candidate was asked to provide a written response to the following question:  “Why do you desire to be a WIAA Board/Advisory Member and how will you serve the membership in this role?” Below are each of the candidate’s responses along with a short career summary. 

 

BOARD OF CONTROL - DISTRICT 2 (1 OPEN POSITION) 

 

Ryan Christianson - District Administrator of Marshfield (BOC District 2)

“Why do you desire to be a WIAA Board/Advisory Member and how will you serve the membership in this role?”
“During my 28 years as a teacher, coach, referee, and administrator, I have developed strong values for competitive sports. As District 2 representative on the WIAA Board of Control, I will serve as a champion for the critical role co-curricular athletics play in the growth and development of our students.”

• Superintendent, School District of Marshfield, 2018-present
• Director of Human Resources, Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools, 2012-2018
• Principal, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School, 2008-2012
• Associate Principal, Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School, 2003-2008
• Teacher, School District of Marshfield, 1996-2003
• Herb Kohl Teacher Fellowship, 2003
• Board of Directors, Marshfield Area YMCA, 2019-present
• Board of Directors, Marshfield Area Community Foundation, 2019-present
• President, Marshfield Area Community Foundation, 2024
• Board of Directors, Marshfield Area Coalition for Youth, 2019-present
• WIAA Advisory Council, 2021-present

 

Mike Klieforth - High School Principal of Amherst (BOC District 2)

“Why do you desire to be a WIAA Board/Advisory Member and how will you serve the membership in this role?”
“Wanting to serve on the WIAA Board of Control is fueled by my desire to create the best opportunities for student-athletes and desirable situations for member schools.  Continuous improvement, forward thinking, and common sense are the major attributes that I would bring to the table at the Board of Control.”

• Masters Degree in Athletic Administration and Coaching
• 2021-2022 WASC Wisconsin High School Administrator of the Year
• Vice President of the Tomorrow River Business Association and a member of the Portage County Business Council
• Collegiate Football Player & Track Athlete
• President of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Minnesota State University, Mankato
• Coached Football, Basketball, Wrestling, Track, Baseball, & Golf 
• Coached in the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Star Game
• 4 Sport Athlete in High School
• Volunteer Firefighter and Emergency Medical Responder
• School Bus Driver

 

Nathan Lehman - District Administrator of Stratford School District (BOC District 2)

“Why do you desire to be a WIAA Board/Advisory Member and how will you serve the membership in this role?”
“My motivation stems from a strong belief in the importance of giving back to organizations that have positively impacted the communities I’ve lived in, as well as my friends and family. If chosen for the board, you can count on my full commitment to actively participate in meetings and other events, collaborating with fellow members to create positive experiences for student-athletes.”

• Superintendent of Schools for the School District of Stratford 2022-present 
• Vice President of the Stratford Chamber of Commerce 2022-present 
• Received Doctorate of Education (EdD) 2021 
• Principal for Mosinee High School 2013-2022 
• Head football coach at Fond du Lac 2008-20011 
• Head football coach at North Fond du Lac 2004-2005 
• Coached as an assistant in football and basketball throughout my 22 years as an educator Technology Education teacher from 2002-2013 
• 3 sport athlete at Edgar High School winning state in basketball, setting a state record in track, and participating in football and basketball senior all-star games 

 

Chris Nelson - District Administrator of Iola-Scandinavia (BOC District 2)

“Why do you desire to be a WIAA Board/Advisory Member and how will you serve the membership in this role?”
“My experiences, including my own days as a multisport student-athlete, have been in a small rural school setting.  This gives me a unique understanding of student-athletes in these schools. The opportunity to continue to serve in the WIAA will allow me to fairly represent the students and schools of Wisconsin.”

• WIAA Advisory Council member since 2019
• 10 years as a Middle/High School administrator in the Central Wisconsin Conference (CWC).
• 19 years as a Middle/High school math teacher
• 19 years as a coach of multiple sports in most of those years (boys and girls from 3rd grade thru high school in basketball, track, baseball, and football)  
• Varsity game supervisor, bookkeeper, announcer, game official
• Mentored teachers and administrators
• Central Wisconsin Conference Vice President 2017-2018, Secretary 2018-2019
• Central Wisconsin Conference Policy committee member 2017 to 2023
• Bachelors of Science Education UW-Whitewater
• Masters of Arts in Educational Leadership Marian College
• Multi-sport student-athlete all four years of high school

 

ADVISORY COUNCIL - MEDIUM SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVE ( 1 OPEN POSITION)

 

Michael Foley - Athletic/Activities Director/ Assistant Principal of Platteville High School (Medium School Representative)

“Why do you desire to be a WIAA Board/Advisory Member and how will you serve the membership in this role?”
“I am passionate about sports and possess a deep understanding of their social and cultural impact. With my diverse background and a commitment to promoting inclusivity and student participation, I'm eager to contribute to the WIAA Sports Advisory Council, offering valuable insights to enhance the overall sporting experience for student-athletes.”

• Currently I am the Assistant Principal/Activities Director at Platteville High School and Activity Director at the Platteville Middle School
• 23 years experience as an Athletic Director
• Worked collaboratively with Center 4All to effectively plan for equity and inclusion within our learning community
• Increased cultural competence with our staff at Platteville School District
• I have been a basketball coach for 25 plus years, a softball coach for 10 years, and a football coach for 4 years
• Tournament Manager to numerous WIAA Events and WIAA Sectional Final Events
• Increased participation in all sports/activities at Platteville High School during my tenure at Platteville High School
• I have been a WIAA registered official over my career
• Instrumental in collaborating and planning a 9.4 million dollar Outdoor Activity Facility
• Mentor to new and other Athletic Directors
• I am present at 100% of Platteville High School Activities (Athletic and Fine Arts

 

Patrick Galligan - District Administrator of Colby (Medium School Representative)

“Why do you desire to be a WIAA Board/Advisory Member and how will you serve the membership in this role?”
“I have served in many coaching, teaching and administrative roles in both large and small Wisconsin schools in the past 27 years. Coaching & Athletic DIrector work will help with sports-specific questions, while roles as a building principal and superintendent give me administrative experience that could prove valuable to future WIAA discussions.”

• Varsity Girls Basketball Head Coach at Columbus Catholic High School and Wausau West High School (12 seasons total)
• Teams won two WISAA Girls Basketball state championships at Columbus Catholic 
• Team at Wausau West played in Girls Basketball state semifinal in 2009-2010
• Assistant high school coaching duties in football, boys basketball, track, boys soccer and girls soccer
• Activities/Athletics Director - Wausau West High School - 2016-2018
• Associate Principal - Wausau West High School - 2018-2020
• Principal - John Muir Middle School - 2020-2023
• Earned Doctorate of Education from Edgewood College in Madison in May of 2022
• Superintendent - Colby School District - 2023-present
• Selected to serve on WIAA  Ad-Hoc committee to study season lengths, game maximums, and coaching contact

 

Phillip Tubbs - District Administrator of Weyauwega-Fremont (Medium School Representative)

“Why do you desire to be a WIAA Board/Advisory Member and how will you serve the membership in this role?”
“My fundamental principles revolve around family/culture, self-improvement, and service. Drawing from my experience as an athlete, coach, and athletic director, I understand the dedication required to cultivate thriving programs and athletes. As a leader, my objective is to empower individuals and teams to reach their full potential.”

• District Administrator 2019 - present
• Middle School Principal, Tomorrow River SD 2011 - 2019
• Assistant Principal, Tomorrow River SD 2009 - 2011
• Athletic Director, Tomorrow River SD 2010 - 2012
• Assistant Principal, South Royalton Schools, VT 2007 - 2009
• Physical Ed./Health Teacher, Windsor MS/HS, VT 2004 - 2007
• Aquatics Director, Phillips SD 1999 - 2002
• Coaching: Varsity Football, HS Track and Field, HS Softball, HS/MS Basketball. 
• Doctorate Completion December 2023 Edgewood College

 

Eric Young - Middle/High School Principal of Osseo-Fairchild (Medium School Representative)

“Why do you desire to be a WIAA Board/Advisory Member and how will you serve the membership in this role?”
“My interest and desire to become a WIAA Advisory Council member stems from my goal of seeing all student-athletes succeed in life in a respectful and positive manner. To effectively serve all Wisconsin schools, I will utilize my experiences as a servant leader in health care, coaching, refereeing, teaching, and administration to help achieve that goal.”

• Bachelor Degree in Science Education (Grades 6-12)
• Masters Degree in Educational Administration/Leadership
• Principal Licensure
• Director of Curriculum and Instruction Licensure
• Currently finishing Superintendent licensure through Viterbo University
• 7 years - Physics/Chemistry Teacher (Turtle Lake, WI and Elk Mound, WI)
• 5 years - Middle/High School Principal (Whitehall, WI and Osseo-Fairchild, WI - Current
• 11 years - High School Football Coach (Bloomer, Turtle Lake, Elk Mound)
• 18 years - WIAA licensed basketball referee
• 16 years - Nationally Registered EMT (Mayo Clinic - Current)
• 11 years - School Bus Driver
• Multi-sport graduate of Bloomer High School