Patrick Fernan is thrilled to be returning for his fifth year hosting this marvelous event. Patrick is the deputy administrator for Wisconsin’s Division of Motor Vehicles and has proudly worked with the organ and tissue donation community for many years promoting this vital work in our state. On behalf of the more than 700 fantastic professionals who work for the DMV, thanks to you for supporting this great event! In just the past year, one of Patrick’s co-workers at DMV was a living donor to her best friend and another co-worker’s husband received a liver transplant! A third co-worker is dancing in the Spotlight on Life in 2020 and you’ll learn more about her story too!
Rollie Cafaro is thrilled to again be co-hosting the National Kidney Foundation of Wisconsin’s Spotlight on Life gala. When not celebrating the amazing feats and accomplishments of tonight’s dancers, transplant teams, and families, Rollie can be found toiling away as an attorney at his own firm here in Milwaukee and on the stage oat ComedySportz Milwaukee where he has performed improvisational comedy for the past 28 years. Despite hi wife Beth’s multiple entreaties, Rollie continues to work on his exhaustive crayon-written manifesto on the theory of everything. If you happen to see Rollie wandering in public, please point toward the light and give him something soft to chew.
Brooke Hauser is excited to make her co-hosting debut at the National Kidney Foundation of Wisconsin’s spectacular gala tonight. New to the role, watch as she tries to keep up with (or outshine) Rollie and Patrick! By day, Brooke is an Associate Principal at Conrad Elvehjem Primary School in McFarland, Wisconsin. By night she can be found working on additional administrative licensing coursework, pondering an upcoming dissertation process, directing high school theater and parenting like the boss! If you don’t want her to embarrass you tonight, it may be helpful to know that she can be bribed with coconut cream pie and is drawn to those of you who want to hide most in a crowd!
Brooke has a special connection to donation, as her dad, Thom Nustad, received a pancreas transplant in 2014 at UW Hospital in Madison. His was the 1500th pancreas transplant done at UW. Brooke says, “I’m forever grateful and so very proud!”
