Our Graduates

Our graduates prove that with an SJA education, anything is possible.

More than nine out of ten SJA graduates go to pursue post-secondary education. With more than 5,000 graduates, SJA women are making a difference in Milwaukee and beyond! With education serving as their foundation, our graduates have gone on to become successful women serving as leaders in a multitude of industries including: healthcare, education, law, government and non-profit leadership just to name a few.

To share your story or to recommend a graduate we should reach out to, please contact us at Alumnae@SaintJoanAntida.org or (414) 274-4728.

Reserve a seat for the alumnae brunch here!

Alumna of the Year award

Each year, the St. Joan Antida High School (SJA) Alumnae Association is proud to recognize one SJA alumna's outstanding contributions to her profession and/or community which support the mission of SJA.

Do you know an SJA alumna who is a distinguished leader in her field? Who serves SJA directly with her time, talent, or treasure? Who empowers girls and women through her professional work and/or community outreach? Nominate them in the form below!

2023 Alumna of the Year

Shavonda Sisson SJA Class of 1998

Black woman, radical change maker, mother, and Black Joy Curator currently works as the Chief of Staff at Ubuntu Research and Evaluation, a consulting firm run by Black women who use liberation and beloved community frameworks to affect education, policy, and advocacy. Shavonda is an alumnus of Public Allies Wisconsin and embodies its mission working in all aspects of her life to create a just and equitable society and the diverse leadership to sustain it.

From 2017 to 2022 Ms. Sisson served as Program Manager and then Director of Ally and Alumni Programs at PA Milwaukee. In addition, recognizing the strength of network and clarity of her voice, Shavonda has leveraged her social media platform to launch Love On Black Women a people-driven fund that disburses 100% of all funds raised directly to Black women and MaGes of Milwaukee who have identified a need for financial support. Since its launch in February 2019, Love on Black Women has helped families secure housing, cover educational expenses, gain access to medication, filled refrigerators and provided support for women escaping intimate partner violence.

2022 Alumna of the Year

2022 Alumna of the Year
Joy (Glomski) Chappell, '89:

Joy (Glomski) Chappell graduated from St. Joan Antida High School (SJA) in 1989. She has been an active volunteer for most of her life and has devoted hundreds if not thousands of hours to various community organizations, primarily focused on youth. At 16, she co-founded East Side Child & Youth Ministry, a safe haven for neighborhood kids to gather. Since then, she has been very dedicated to several Pay it Forward groups, including serving as a longtime volunteer with the Milwaukee Street Angels organization. Joy was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2009 and became a fearless and inspirational advocate for others battling the illness as a volunteer with the Multiple Sclerosis Society. If you have attended a St. Joan’s event in the last 20 years, there’s a good chance Joy’s warm smile was there to greet you and sell you a raffle ticket! Joy has been an active member of the SJA Alumnae Association for several years. From serving as a key volunteer at Spaghetti dinners and Galas to helping serve wine with other SJA alumnae at Festa Italiana, Joy believes in giving back to her alma mater as a way to support the future generations of SJA women. Joy was the featured alumnae speaker at SJA’s 2017 graduation.

Professionally, Joy has dabbled in various industries, mainly in roles that support women-owned businesses, including Jen’s Sweets Treats. She has also worked as an Elections Inspector for over 20 years, serving as a Chief for the past ten years.

Of the many hats she wears, perhaps her most cherished is that of devoted wife and mother to three boys.

2019 Alumna of the Year

2019 Alumna of the Year Deidre "DeeDee" Merritt '88:

The SJA Alumnae Association is excited to recognize Deidre "DeeDee" Merritt, '88 as the 2019 Alumna of the Year!

Merritt currently serves as the acting Director of Leadership Development at the NCAA in Indianapolis, IN. At the national level, Merritt plays a key role in fulfilling the missions of both the organization and her department, and has been instrumental in asserting her group as the prominent national leader of student-athlete development in intercollegiate athletics. Merritt's role at the NCAA allows her to fulfill her passion for serving others and providing them with transformational opportunities.

During her 15-year tenure in Milwaukee, Merritt held many positions, including Coordinator of Women's Services and Advocacy, within UW-Milwaukee's Athletic Department. She also created life-skills programming for college athletes and professional development for administrators and was involved in the local Horizon League - serving as Chair of the Horizon League Life Skills Coordinator Group and was the advisor to the Milwaukee Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, as well as administrative liaison to the Horizon League SAAC.

Many of the programs under both her current and past oversight target the advancement of the careers of women and ethnic minorities in college athletics, a passion which fuels her work. She values the opportunity to have a meaningful impact on the lives of her program attendees while remaining connected to college sports and its many change-makers

2018 Alumna of the Year

2018 Alumna of the Year Ginny Finn '78:

The SJA Alumnae Association is excited to recognize Ginny Finn ‘78 as the 2018 SJA Alumna of the Year. This peer-selected award recognizes the outstanding contributions of an SJA alumna to her profession and community that support the mission of St. Joan Antida High School.

An attorney of more than 20 years, Finn currently serves as the Chief Development Officer for YWCA Southeast Wisconsin. Prior to this, Finn worked as a consultant in strategic planning for nonprofit healthcare, arts and education organizations and spent nearly 10 years as Executive Director of ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis. Finn is one of the most respected and highly-regarded nonprofit leaders in Milwaukee.

Throughout her career Finn has committed to helping women advance and succeed – she has been a mentor, friend and trusted resource for many women in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors throughout Milwaukee.

In her personal time, Finn serves on the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center Advisory Board and the LIFT Field Hockey Board of Directors, and still finds opportunities to help out at SJA, most recently as one of our 2018 Auction Co-chairs.

“Ginny is the perfect representative of what it means to be a graduate of St. Joan’s – humble, talented, generous, faithful, and wise,” said Sue Hickey, SJA Board Member and Finn’s fellow 2018 Auction Co-Chair.

Finn holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theater and Political Science from Coe College, a Master’s degree in Theater Stage Management from Purdue University and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Wisconsin Madison.

Sister Monica Fumo, SCSJA presented Finn with the award at the 2018 Alumnae Brunch and said, “Ginny lives her life as a perfect example of what it means to truly take care of one another."

2017 Alumna of the Year

2017 Alumna of the Year Citlali Mendieta-Ramos '97:

Mendieta-Ramos pic

The SJA Alumnae Association is excited to recognize Citlali Mendieta-Ramos '97 as the 2017 Alumna of the Year Award recipient. The Alumna of the Year Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of an SJA alumna to her profession and/or community which support the mission of SJA.

Citlali Mendieta-Ramos, SJA Class of 1997, along with husband Nicolas Ramos, is the owner of Antigua Latin Inspired Kitchen. Mendieta-Ramos opened Antigua more than 10 years ago and has grown the restaurant to include full service offsite catering and cooking classes.

Her award nominator notes that "as an entrepreneur, Citlali is a shining example of what a Hispanic professional can look like. Her resume conveys her many professional accomplishments, but it does not convey the size of her heart and the depth of her profound commitment to our community."

Nominate an Alumna

The SJA Alumna of the Year Award helps the school and our organization by heightening awareness of:

The individual alumna's accomplishments and service
How the wider community benefits from the contributions of all SJA alumnae
The tangible results of an SJA education

Guidelines for Nomination and Selection of the SJA Alumna of the Year:

All candidates must have graduated five years prior to nomination.
The SJA Alumna of the Year personifies the fulfillment of the SJA School Mission by exhibiting
Leadership and devotion to her family, community, vocation or profession and in so doing is an inspiration to others
Respect for all cultures, religions, and economic experiences as an expression of the Christian values modeled at St. Joan Antida High School
Pride in her alma mater and its mission to young women today.

Please describe how your nominee personifies the following:

How does the nominee show leadership (in family, community, vocation or profession) that inspires others?
How does the nominee show respect for all cultures, religions and economic experiences as an expression of the Christian values taught at SJA?
How does the nominee show pride in her alma mater and its mission to young women today?

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