Meet Your Board
PRESIDENT
Bridget Hanson, CST, CSFA, FAST
Bridget Hanson is the current President of WI-AST, with previous experience serving one term as Vice President, and two terms on the Board of Directors, including an additional year during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Certified Surgical Technologist since 2005 and Certified Surgical First Assistant since 2017, she resides in Amery with her husband and two teenage daughters. In her free time, she enjoys cheering at sports events, working on home projects, reading, and being on call. Bridget is dedicated to her role on the board and values learning, growth, and connecting with others in the field. She looks forward to engaging with colleagues at the next WIAST event.
VICE PRESIDENT
Ilea Cornelius, CST, FAST
Ilea has been a Certified Surgical Technologist for nearly 24 years and currently specializes as a Cardiac CST in Green Bay. She has been a dedicated member of the WI State Assembly board since 2016. Outside of her professional career, Ilea is a wife and mother of two high schoolers. Her family enjoys hockey during the winter and spending time at the lake in the Northwoods during the summer.
TREASURER
Nicole Van Vonderen, CST, FAST, BS
Nicole has been an active member of the board since 2015, serving four years on the Board of Directors, two years as Vice President. A CST since 2013, she is also a former president of WIAST and former member of the National AST Board of Directors. Nicole teaches Surgical Technology and volunteers as a firefighter and EMR. She enjoys cheering on her 9-year-old-son at wrestling tournaments and is passionate about sharing her love of Surgical Technology.
SECRETARY
Claire Parda, CST, BSHCA
Claire Parda, a CST since 2018 with an Associate of Applied Science degree, also holds a Bachelor’s in Health Care Administration from the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Living in Muskego, WI, with her significant other and teenage daughter, she works as a travel/agency professional, having served at over five hospitals across Wisconsin. Since joining the WI-AST board in 2019, Claire has served as a Board Director and is currently the Secretary. She has been instrumental in advancing state legislation, expanding newsletter readership, and enhancing member connections.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nicole Sexton, CST
Nicole Sexton is serving her first term on the board. She is a current member of the Bylaws Committee and previously served on the Education Committee. Nicole has been a Certified Surgical Technologist for 17 years, specializing primarily in orthopedics and, more recently, labor and delivery. With over seven years of experience as an instructor, she is now the Program Director for the Surgical Technology Program at Marine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jessica Jacobson, CST
Jessica Jacobson has worked at Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital for approximately 7.5 years, where she has gained experience across all specialties, with a particular passion for ENT. She attended Waukesha County Technical College (WCTC) and continues to enjoy precepting students. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Chewbacca and Casper, and indulging in a good book or movie. Her goal for this term is to become more involved and to help amplify the voices of surgical technologists in her area.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Megan Siemek, CST
Megan Siemek, CST, has 14 years of experience as a Certified Surgical Technologist, with a strong passion for orthopedics. She is in her seventh year as the Program Director for the Surgical Technology and Sterile Processing Technician programs at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Megan is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Career and Technical Education, while balancing her professional responsibilities with family life, including supporting her active 16-year-old son and spending time with her fiancé. In her rare free moments, she enjoys baking, board games, kayaking, and running.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rachel Huber, CST, CSFA
Rachel Huber has 17 years of experience as a surgical technologist and 12 years as a certified surgical first assistant. Her diverse background includes working in Level 1 trauma centers, same-day surgery, and rural facilities. She is currently the Program Director and Instructor for the new Surgical Technology program at Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore, WI. Outside of work, she stays busy as a mother of three, managing a small farm, volunteering as an EMT, coaching little league, and substitute teaching at her children’s school.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Maci Stevens, CST
Maci Stevens is the founding WIAST Student Member on the Board of Directors and is now a recent graduate Southwest Wisconsin Technical College in Fennimore, WI. In addition to her budding career as a CST, she stays active with her three-year-old son. Being a student representative of WIAST proved to be an experience that has deepened her passion for the profession and expanded her involvement beyond the operating room. For Maci, becoming a surgical technologist meant more than earning a degree; it means advocating for and educating others about the profession.
STUDENT MEMBER AT LARGE (SECOND YEAR)
Sara Lodzinski
Sara Lodzinski, is a second-year Surgical Technology student at Mid-State Technical College in Stevens Point, WI and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. Sara also actively participates in the Mid-State Technical College Surgical Technology and Sterile Processing Technician Advisory Committee. With a passion for the medical field and hands-on experience, she is dedicated to advancing in her surgical technology career. Family plays a central role in her life, and their support has been instrumental in her journey.
WIAST MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS MEMBER AT LARGE
Bunny Wolover, CST
Bunny has been a Certified Surgical Technologist for nine years, specializing in the fine art of Plastic Surgery at Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. A former Director for the Wisconsin State Assembly from 2021-2022 and 2023-2025, she now wrangles all things Marketing and Public Relations (think less scalpels, more social media). When she’s not scrubbed in, you can find her headbanging at metal concerts with her husband, playing referee and snack supplier for their six-year-old daughter, or buried under a pile of very spoiled rescue kitties and pitbulls.
Get on board!
Want to be a part of the Wisconsin State Assembly? Various positions open up annually! Submit your Consent to Serve and CV by September 1st. Forms can be found HERE.