Welcome to a series introducing the women who were nominated by professionals and will be honored at "The Rad Women Celebration: Being Rad for Social Change." The event is hosted by the Women’s Fund of Greater Milwaukee and will take place on Thursday, Oct. 20 at the Italian Conference Center. The idea was inspired by the bestselling book "Rad American Women A to Z," by Kate Schatz, who is the keynote speaker at the event. For more information, go here.
Sandra Botcher has served as the vice president of campus and event experiences at Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance for 15 years. In a nutshell, she oversees all of the facilities, events / field meetings, security and more.
Botcher served or has served on the United Way Audit Committee, the board of COA Youth & Family Centers, United Way Women’s Leadership Council and works with We Got This, an organization that pays young men to clean up and garden in the central city.
Botcher won the Sacajawea Award in 2016 and the 2016 Woman of Influence Award.
"My mission is to help everyone in the company so they can achieve their mission," says Botcher.
Now that’s rad.
OnMilwaukee: What do you enjoy the most about your work?
Sandra Botcher: I really enjoy that the work we do has a huge cultural impact on our organization and allows us to help to shape the culture.
What does success mean to you?
It’s more about whether those around me succeed. As a leader, the most important thing I do is to help those around me become successful at what they do.
Who have you learned from the most?
Ray Manista, who is the senior vice president – general counsel." Ray started as a boss and then became a mentor for me. He has helped me think about my own talents and ways they can be used differently. Ray is someone I have gone to as I’ve progressed with the company to stay focused on opportunities and what I need to do to continue to grow. He always provides truthful and meaningful feedback.
What does a "perfect" day off from work include for you?
I’m not sure I could really fit this all into one day, but I would get up, ride my bike, bake a batch of cookies, go to the garden with We Got This and then watch a hockey game. I’m an avid hockey fan and I will watch any hockey game, any time.
Molly Snyder started writing and publishing her work at the age 10, when her community newspaper printed her poem, "The Unicorn.” Since then, she's expanded beyond the subject of mythical creatures and written in many different mediums but, nearest and dearest to her heart, thousands of articles for OnMilwaukee.
Molly is a regular contributor to FOX6 News and numerous radio stations as well as the co-host of "Dandelions: A Podcast For Women.” She's received five Milwaukee Press Club Awards, served as the Pfister Narrator and is the Wisconsin State Fair’s Celebrity Cream Puff Eating Champion of 2019.
