DIRECTORS

Nancy Nelson, Program Director

My name is Nancy Nelson. I have lived in Madison, WI, for many years. I taught at Edgewood College, a small private Liberal Arts College in Madison WI, for 27 years and am currently retired. My fields of teaching were Education and Psychology. I enjoy working with students of all ages.  When teaching a course on Adolescent Psychology I co-created a mentoring program for middle school students. During this time I became very interested in Middle School girls and launched the program, Girls’ Stories, Girls’ Voices in 1999. I hope to work with young women for many years as the program has been so successful and has changed many young lives. My hobbies are reading, golf, photography and being in nature.

Liza Hahn, Assistant Program Director

My name is Liza Hahn. I am currently a School Counselor at DeForest Area Middle School, DeForest, WI. I provide academic, career and social-emotional counseling for students in grades 5-8. I have been with the DeForest district for the majority of my career. Initially, I taught at-risk students at the high school. I then took the opportunity to collaborate the high school’s alternative program. It was at the alternative program that I realized I had a passion for counseling.

I attained my Masters in Counseling Psychology from UW-Madison. For my Bachelor’s degree I attended Edgewood College. I majored in Broad Fields Social Studies and minored in Secondary Education. It was while I was at Edgewood that I met Nancy Nelson. Nancy was the professor for some of my classes and I felt a great connection with her. From Nancy, I learned about a summer program called Girls’ Stories, Girls’ Voices and decided to be a volunteer facilitator.

Many years later, I am still working with Girls’ Stories, Girls’ Voices and loving it! The program allows me to meet girls of all ages and share my passion for empowering women. My personal interests include spending time with family and friends, playing with my dog, reading, yoga and traveling.

Michelle Dupuis, Co-Facilitator

I’ve had the privilege of being part of Girls’ Stories, Girls’ Voices for the past few years, co-facilitating the program in both Madison, WI, and Bozeman, MT. It’s been an incredible opportunity for me to help young women find their voices, share their stories, and grow into leadership roles. I’m passionate about empowering girls to embrace their potential, and it’s been truly rewarding to witness their personal growth and confidence.

I also work as a 6th grade social studies teacher with the Madison Metropolitan School District, where I’ve been for 24 years. Throughout my career, I’ve held a variety of roles, always focused on creating a positive and engaging learning environment for students. Education is something I’m deeply committed to, and I believe in its power to help young people build the skills and self-assurance they need to succeed.

When I’m not teaching or co-facilitating, I enjoy gardening, spending time with my family, and exploring new places. I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with such inspiring young women and am excited to continue supporting them as they step into leadership and make their voices heard.