Meet the Board

Bob Burgermeister, President

Bob Burgermeister has been a member of Mensa since 1978 and is a Life member.  He has served Mensa as an officer on both the Wisconsin and National levels and is one of the founders of the Mensa of Wisconsin Foundation.  He is a retired computer professional, Vietnam veteran, father and grandfather.

Jim Lowell​, Vice President

Jim Lowell has served as Mensa's Area Coordinator and the only certified Mensa Admissions Test proctor for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  He has been a director of MOWF since 2011.  Jim has a BS Electrical Engineering and an MS in Operations Management from Michigan Tech and worked in the IT industry.  He served 6 years as Executive Director of the Calumet Theatre and, though retired, occasionally consults on computer software development projects.

Jamie Lumsden, Secretary

Jamie Lumsden has been a Life Member of Mensa since 2012 and a Director of MOWF since January 2017. She lives in Milwaukee, WI. ​Jamie has her Bachelor's Degree in Architectural Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and her Juris Doctor from Marquette University Law School. She is currently pursuing a career in tax law.

Bonita Koven, Treasurer

Bonny Koven has been a Mensa member since 1980, and has served as a MOWF director for 25 years.  After retiring from a career in telecom data systems, she currently owns a tax preparation business in the Milwaukee area. Bonny has BA degrees in geology and languages from UW-M, and a MS in business.

Magie Brady, Director

Magie joined Mensa in the late 1980s, participated in several Special Interest Groups, and was active in Milwaukee activities, including Regional Gathering hospitality. She has held positions on the Executive Committee as Secretary, Deputy Local Secretary (President), Local Secretary and Past Local Secretary. She serves as a court reporter for officials in five districts throughout the state of Wisconsin..

​Kari Kraus, Director

Kari Kraus joined Mensa in 2008. She has served as the Milwaukee Area Coordinator since 2016 and joined the MOWF Board in 2020. She has a BA in Psychology and works in the Gaming industry. She resides in Pleasant Prairie, WI.

Barbara Nestingen, Director

Barbara Nestingen has been a Mensa member for forty years.  When she served as Vice President, she established the Elizabeth Nestingen Cape Memorial Fund in memory of her sister who died of ALS in 1996.  Barbara has an MS in Counseling from California State University-East Bay and an MSW from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.  She resides in Mequon, WI and is employed in wealth management and finance services.

​Tessa Bartels, Director

F Tessa Bartels joined Mensa in about 1982 and is a lifetime member. She served on the Excom for many years—as Membership Officer, Testing Coordinator, Editor of WiscoM, and Deputy Loc Sec. She's retired from a career in Healthcare Administration. She has served on the boards of a number of nonprofit organizations and currently serves as a member of the board of directors for Skylight Music Theatre and the North Shore Library (Vice President). Tessa lives in Bayside, WI.

Deb Gunther, Director

Deb Gunther has been the Local Secretary of Mensa of Wisconsin/Upper Peninsula since May 2020 and an active member for 45 years. She previously served as Deputy Local Secretary (1978 - 1979) and Recording Secretary (2009 - 2010).  She is a resident of Fitchburg/Madison (formerly from Cudahy, Glendale, Fond du Lac and Pewaukee), has been married over 30 years, is a mother of two and grandmother of two.  A now retired Quality Manager, she has an Executive MBA from Marquette University and enjoys travel, scuba diving, genealogy and chocolate.

Isaac Woods, Director

Biography Coming Soon.

David Koven, Director Emeritus

Dave Koven has been a member of Mensa since 1977, and a member of the Board of Directors of MOWF for 7 years.  Dave earned a B.A. degree and an M.S. in Exceptional Education from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. A Ph.D. Candidacy Certificate in Educational Psychology was earned at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor.  He taught for 34 years. Currently, he is retired and serves as our Gifted and Talented resource person.