Milwaukee, Wis., Dec. 5, 2025 – The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of its 2025 Greater Together Civic Awards.
Roger and Cindy Schaus – 2025 William C. Frye Award
First bestowed in 1956, this award honors individuals who have contributed their time, efforts or talents to make Milwaukee a better community.
Roger and Cindy Schaus have spent their lives building a legacy of compassion and service. From volunteering as teenagers to championing nonprofits that support individuals with disabilities, the couple has always centered their philanthropy on personal connection. Cindy’s career as a special education teacher and decades of service with Life Navigators, combined with Roger’s leadership on boards like Easter Seals and the Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s Impact Investment Committee, reflect their deep commitment to inclusion and equity. Together, they have provided vital support for education, food security and disability services.
“As soon as you get involved, even at a very minimal level, you understand the impact that you can make on the community, and it encourages you to do more.” – Cindy Schaus
Melody McCurtis and Danell Cross – 2025 Frank Kirkpatrick Award
Since 1988, this award has honored individuals whose efforts helped change Milwaukee’s built environment.
In Milwaukee’s Metcalfe Park, signs of renewal are everywhere—from community gardens and murals to vibrant parks and gathering spaces. Behind much of this progress are Danell Cross and her daughter, Melody McCurtis, leaders of Metcalfe Park Community Bridges. The duo has helped neighbors reclaim their community by centering resident voices and building capacity for lasting change. What began as a simple movie night in 2012 has grown into a grassroots movement, bringing in millions of dollars in investment and driving progress in safety, civic engagement, wellness and cultural vibrancy. From mutual aid efforts during the pandemic to new initiatives in housing and food security, their work ensures that Metcalfe Park’s future is shaped by those who live there.
“We are committed to making sure our community decides what they want to happen in their neighborhood and we’re doing that block by block.” – Melody McCurtis
Dr. Victor Amaya – Doug Jansson Leadership Award
Since 2011, this award has honored passionate and inspirational nonprofit leaders in greater Milwaukee.
Dr. Victor Amaya believes data is the key to unlocking community potential. As president of Data You Can Use since 2021, he has championed the use of neighborhood-level information to drive equity, opportunity and advocacy. It’s his vision to make Milwaukee a place where data sparks change and residents shape a more equitable future. Under his leadership, the nonprofit has grown its staff, revenue and reach, equipping residents and organizations with tools to influence policy and improve lives. Perhaps one of the most ambitious undertakings to date is the development of the Wealth in Milwaukee report, a forward-looking, groundbreaking tool designed to quantify the investments needed to close Milwaukee’s wealth gap within two decades.
“Leadership doesn’t always mean standing in front. Sometimes the most powerful leadership is done from the back. Empowering others to shine.” – Dr. Victor Amaya
Pardeep Kaleka – Ellen Gilligan Leadership in Racial Equity and Social Justice Award
Since 2019, this award recognizes those who have worked tirelessly to overcome the burdens of inequity and injustice to make our region truly welcoming and inclusive for all.
After tragedy struck his family in 2012, when a white supremacist killed his father during the mass shooting at the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin, Pardeep Kaleka chose to dedicate his life to peace. A first-generation immigrant and longtime public servant, Kaleka has worked as an activist, educator and bridge builder, confronting hate and fostering understanding across divides. He has led organizations committed to dialogue, healing and inclusion. Guided by his Sikh faith and his belief
in the power of resilience, Kaleka continues to show how communities can rise from trauma with courage, compassion and an unwavering commitment to peace.
“Love for community cannot just be compassion. It has to be accompanied by courage. Courage to name what harms us. Courage to rebuild systems that were never meant to be designed for all.” – Pardeep Kaleka
Leading with impact
This year’s Greater Together Award recipients were honored at a special Foundation event, A Milwaukee for All: Leading with Impact, held Dec. 2 at Prairie Springs on Park. The program also featured a performance by Ko-Thi Dance Company and included remarks and community insight from:
- Greg Wesley, president and CEO, Greater Milwaukee Foundation
- Mary Ellen Stanek, Board chair, Greater Milwaukee Foundation; president, Baird Funds; chief investment officer emeritus, Baird Advisors
- David Crowley, Milwaukee County Executive
- Cavalier Johnson, City of Milwaukee Mayor
- DeVona Wright Cottrell, Board member, Greater Milwaukee Foundation; chief legal officer and general counsel, GMR Marketing
- Faithe Colas, founder, Von Communications; Greater Milwaukee Foundation donor and committee volunteer
ADDITIONAL EVENT AND HONOREE PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND ON HONOREES available online.
About the Greater Milwaukee Foundation
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is Wisconsin’s largest community foundation and was among the first established in the world. For 110 years, the Foundation has been at the heart of the civic community, helping donors achieve their philanthropic goals, investing in economic and community well-being, and bringing people and organizations together for positive change. The Foundation serves Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties, and its philanthropic impact reaches across the country and globe. Leveraging generations of community knowledge, cross-sector partnerships and more than $1 billion in generosity, the Foundation is committed to reimagining philanthropy, catalyzing systems change, convening and following community voice, and building inclusive culture to transform our region into an equitable, thriving Milwaukee for all.
