Kristina (Anderson) Peters '71

2018 Recipient Distinguished Alumna Award for Community Service

Stevens Point and Portage County would be a different place without the leadership and drive of Tina Peters '71. Peters has served in many key community volunteer leadership roles since moving to Stevens Point in 1982. She has successfully applied her Carroll education to expand and enhance the arts, medical care, healthy living, family development resources, human services agencies, social responsibility, and the development of future community leaders.

She has been recognized for her work and service, yet that has never been her motivation for being involved. Peters brings three important things to the organizations she supports and serves: critical thinking, influence, and financial support.

She has been a board member, officer, founder, co-founder, committee chair, fundraiser, and “worker bee.” Her efforts have stretched over three and a half decades and she continues to inspire others to be involved in making Stevens Point a better place to live, work, play, pray, and raise a family.

Peters has served on the board of directors for the Stevens Point Area YMCA, Portage County Business Council Foundation, Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra, Central Wisconsin Symphony Guild, League of Women Voters of Wisconsin, and St. Michael's Hospital. She has been a council member, Youth Committee chair, and Stewardship Committee chair at Trinity Lutheran Church ELCA. In addition to her various roles on boards, Peters also extended her time and expertise serving as the president of United Way of Portage County, which she has been a part of since 1984.

Her commitment to the local United Way has been particularly remarkable and her leadership and fingerprints are evident throughout the agency’s work. She has been a board member and member of annual campaign leadership group; founder and member of the Burnt Bacon Club advising leadership on annual campaign initiatives; and chair and current co-chair of the Stevens Society of the United Way of Portage County, which manages annual campaign efforts aimed at individual donors who donate $500 to the United Way. With Peters’ leadership, the Stevens Society exceeded $1 million of the $3 million campaign in 2016.

Supporting healthy families has always been a passion for Peters. She has also been a key member in the United Way of Portage County Born Learning Initiative, which ensures all Portage County children will be safe, healthy, and ready for kindergarten. She also served as co- chair of the Family Preservation and Support Initiative for Portage County in collaboration with Portage County Human Services. Peters is also chairperson of Right from the Start Coalition, a coalition of private and public organizations aimed at reducing/preventing child abuse and neglect.

Peters is a skilled community convener bringing together leaders to address existing gaps. She was the founding committee chairperson for the Leadership Portage County program of the Portage County Business Council in 1985. It is a program that continues to this day to identify and develop future leaders. The 10-month curriculum is an intensive, county-oriented leadership development program designed to give potential and emerging leaders the skills, knowledge, and ongoing support they need to succeed. She also served on the Stevens Point Arts Council which was responsible for the creation of a permanent fine art gallery for art exhibits created by Portage County and regional artists. The Annette and Dale Schuh Riverfront Arts Center was the result of that effort.

Other volunteer work involves the Women’s Fund of Portage County for which she is the founding member and board president. The mission of this group is to empower women philanthropists by creating opportunities to fund programs that will address the significant needs of women and children to develop their full potential. Her fundraising savvy helped launched the Women’s Fund, which is a donor-advised fund within the Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin. She is also past PEO president of the local chapter and remains a current member, adding to the vibrant nature of this women’s philanthropic and educational organization.

Peters has been recognized with more than a dozen honors, including:

• The Women’s Fund of Portage County SPARK Philanthropic Award, 2017.
• Co-recipient, Lifetime Achievement Award from United Way of Portage County, 2015.
• Portage County Business Council President’s Award.
• Co-recipient, Gerald O'Brien Leadership award from the Stevens Point YMCA, 2014.
• The annual Tina Peters Dedicated Service Award from the United Way of Portage County, first recipient, 2014. (Subsequent awards have been named for Tina and given each year to a United Way volunteer who has distinguished themselves in service to the United Way).
• Chancellor William C. Hansen Distinguished Service Award from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, 2005.
• St. Michael’s Foundation Quality of Life Leadership Award, 2002.
• A citation from the State of Wisconsin Assembly recognizing her community service through various agencies and organizations, 2002.
• The Theodora Youman's Citizenship Award, 1997.
• Portage County Business Council President’s Award, 1995.

Peters graduated from Carroll in 1971 with a bachelor of science degree in social work with a psychology minor. She is married to Carroll alumnus, Don Peters '71. Together, they were co- chairs of the 2013 National Day of Service and food bank support at Carroll University.