5 Key Takeaways from Achieve Brown County’s 10-Year Celebration Event
Achieve Brown County celebrated a significant milestone—ten years of collective impact in Brown County. As we looked back on our movement’s history, we were reminded of the power of collaboration, adaptability and community-driven change. Here are five important takeaways from our anniversary celebration:
1. The key to achieving change is collaboration.
Achieve Brown County was founded on the belief that when community members, organizations, and leaders join forces, the outcomes can transform lives. Founding board chair Tim Weyenberg shared how ABC emerged from visionary collaboration among local organizations like the Greater Green Bay Chamber, United Way, and Community Foundation. This spirit of unity and selflessness remains central to our work today.
“This was accomplished with minimal concern about who gets the credit and maximum collaboration around a common goal. The attitude across the board was, ‘Let’s just get it started … we will work out the details as we go.’”
– Tim Weyenberg, Founding Board Chair
2. Your individual story matters when working toward collective purpose.
We heard impactful stories from individuals who embody the vision of Achieve Brown County. Executive Director, Sarah Beckman, shared her own journey, connecting personal resilience to the importance of creating equitable systems for all young people. Hearing these “I Am Achieve Brown County” narratives from board members, staff, and community members underscored that every person is essential to determining the future of our county.
“The circumstances I was born into don’t define me, but I am a walking, breathing exception to what data said I should be in life. I won’t stop working… until we have interconnected systems that support all our young people.”
– Sarah Beckman, Executive Director
3. We have evolved as our community evolved.
From its founding, Achieve Brown County has continuously adapted to serve the changing needs of Brown County’s youth. In response to COVID-19, for example, the movement shifted its focus to address digital access and support families during the pandemic. Executive Director Sarah Beckman explained how recent strategic planning efforts, involving over 300 community partners, led to new priorities, from clarifying ABC’s purpose to expanding the partnership to ensure diverse representation.
“This is not easy work and requires time and intention… to ask the hard questions as to why certain systems are not working that require redesigning or reframing.”
– Amanda Garcia, Board Member
4. We reinforce using data to promote equitable results.
Since quantifying impact is crucial for ongoing progress, Achieve Brown County has promoted data-informed strategies. Board member and data advocate, Jody Anderson highlighted the importance of tracking cradle-to-career outcomes to understand and address issues facing young people. As we move forward, our goal is to create a centralized data hub for the county, fostering a shared vision for community-driven, data-guided decision-making.
“Our partnership with Achieve Brown County leverages data to inform and transform population health… Early grade reading proficiency is not only a predictor of educational success, but also a strong indicator of long-term health success.”
– Jody Anderson, Director of Population Health Transformation
5. Looking ahead: Our work is only getting started.
This event made clear that this milestone is only the beginning, even as we celebrated our successes. Speakers shared their commitment to the next phase, which includes growing our partnership, advancing our early literacy initiatives, and mobilizing new leaders through an expanded Community Council. Each attendee was encouraged to make an action commitment, reinforcing that the future of Achieve Brown County relies on everyone’s dedication and support.
“Our young people better off, our systems more equitable, our community better supported… Building trust starts in this room and it begins with communication, it begins with clarifying who we are and why we are all committed to this work.”
– Kaelyn Ahola, Communications Manager