MEET OUR TEAM
LEAH WOJNOWIAK
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Leah Wojnowiak is a lifelong resident of the Clintonville Community. She comes to The Compassionate Connections Center with nearly 20 years of experience in Education and Human Services work. Her commitment to marginalized families is evident in her passion and experience working with children and families to build strong foundations for future success. She served as a board member for the C.C.C. prior to taking the role of Executive Director and played an integral role in the development and implementation of The Nutrition Mission program for the C.C.C., serving hundreds of children nutritious food backpacks each weekend. Her servant leadership is evident in every role she plays for the C.C.C., from building strong partnerships with local leaders and partnering organizations, designing programming to meet basic needs, rolling up her sleeves and packing backpacks each week. In her free time Leah enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, roadtrips, kayaking, listening to live music, and reading a good book.


AMY MEINHARDT
PRESIDENT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Amy grew up in Clintonville and after traveling some of the worlds, she moved back home and worked at several local Financials as well as 20-plus years as a waitress at Mathew’s Supper Club. Amy spent ten years working for the Federal Government in a program that provided loans and grants for home repair for low and very low-income households. Amy’s one on one interactions with families impacted by significant poverty is why she is passionate about removing the stigma and shame associated with poverty. Our battle is with poverty itself, not the people affected by it.
Hailee Paul
Nutrition Mission Program Coordinator
Community Engagement Specialist
With more than a decade of experience in community engagement, nutrition education, and collaborative program development, Hailee is passionate about advancing food security and supporting children and families in our community.
In her former role as a FoodWIse Nutrition Educator, she worked closely with schools, food pantries, and community coalitions to create lasting changes that make healthy choices more accessible for everyone. Hailee is excited to continue building on these partnerships and is honored to help grow such a meaningful program with deep roots.
She believes that feeding children and people is a profound act of love—one that nourishes body, mind, and spirit, helping each person grow, learn, and thrive.


NEELY GOERLINGER
PROJECT COORDINATOR, DATABASE ENGINEER
Neely is a Clintonville High School Graduate that is now attending The University of Iowa for English and Creative Writing, with a certificate in Non-profit Leadership and Philanthropy. She found her love of Non-profit work by working at the CCC since her graduation from high school in 2021, and is deeply appreciative of the opportunity to learn new things every day. When she is home, you can often find her working at Mathews Supper Club, and hanging out with her friends. She is ecstatic to help provide resources like the CCC for the community she loves so much.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BOARD TREASURER
JENNIFER LEOPOLD
​BOARD SECRETARY
CASSY HOLLENBECK
BOARD MEMBER
CAZ MUSKE
PATRICIA WICHMAN
JAMES NOBLE
DIRK WEBER
KATHY BLOCK
PETER SCHUSTER