THE PEOPLE BEHIND Eyes of hope

Laura Roeven - Board President

Laura has been serving on the Eyes of Hope Board since 2008. Deeply committed to the mission of supporting and empowering local youth, she takes great pride in the innovative and compassionate programs Eyes of Hope provides. Laura also serves on the grant writing committee, working to secure the funding that sustains and grows these impactful initiatives.

A passionate community connector, Laura enjoys building relationships and expanding mentorship opportunities through collaboration with local leaders and volunteers. Her years of dedicated service reflect her belief in the power of community, connection, and hope.

Holly Tellander - Hope Tutors Program Director 

Holly has been an educator for more than 20 years and her passion lies in building and supporting infrastructure to ensure that every student who wants a tutor can meet with one, free of charge. She trains and supports potential tutors, and connects them with local families to support student learning and well-being.

Gretta Walhovd - Hope Grows Program Director 

Grettta has been a gardener practically her whole life, and growing food in particular has always been her passion. After graduating with a BS in Genetics at UW-Madison, Gretta moved to Texas and founded a small CSA focused on growing greens and other highly-desirable vegetables. She also earned Master Gardener volunteer hours by starting and maintaining a Food Bank garden as part of a new community garden space. She is excited to bring her experience and enthusiasm to the Children's Garden at Lowell Street Park and to the greater Stoughton community!

In her free time Gretta enjoy making fermented foods, practicing yoga and generally being out in nature for any reason. She lives in Stoughton with her husband, Ben, children Calvin & Aubrey, a cat, dog and chickens.

“Eat food... Mostly plants.” - Michael Pollan 

Katie Huiser - Executive Director

Katie is committed to strengthening the community she has grown to love (since moving to Stoughton in 2013) by investing in its next generation. Her goal is to increase awareness of Eyes of Hope and its programs in the community and to facilitate and support its mission to provide opportunities to local youth.

Previously, Katie volunteered at Pumpkin Patch preschool, MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), and the Stoughton Area Youth Soccer Association. In her free time, she enjoys making updates to her 120 year old home and being outside whenever Wisconsin weather allows; especially to go for long walks or to work in her flower beds. She lives in Stoughton with her husband, Menno, three kids Hugo, Oliver and Julia and two cats, Charlie and Luna. 

Please reach out to Katie at eohstoughtonwi@gmail.com if you'd like to find out more about Eyes of Hope, Stoughton.

Petrecia Shales - Board Member and Hope Tutors Committee

Petrecia is a mother of 7 (3 adopted through foster care), a former classroom and ESL teacher, and currently a Teacher of the Visually Impaired and volunteer tutor for Hope Tutors. Petrecia is passionate about making education accessible and joyful for all children and celebrating diversity in abilities and learning styles. A believer that “joy and learning must coexist, Petrecia has experienced and supports public, private, and homeschooling.

She is also an advocate, coaching families to best navigate the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process so their children thrive.

Jennifer Mohyddin - Board Member

Jennifer is a longtime board member of Eyes of Hope. As a mother of four, with all three of her daughters having participated in the Girl 2 Girl Program from 2014 to 2023, Jennifer has been deeply connected to the mission and impact of the program for nearly a decade. In addition to her work with Eyes of Hope, she has served on several committees and boards throughout Stoughton. Her commitment is rooted in a passion for advocating and creating spaces that foster community and belonging for all children in Stoughton, especially those who too often go unheard or unseen.

Rachel Rogers - Board Member

Rachel is a dedicated board member of Eyes of Hope. A former participant in Girl 2 Girl, she remained engaged through its final years and has since played a vital role in developing programming and offering feedback to ensure the success of students, especially the small group of BIPOC students in Stoughton, a community she herself grew up in. Rachel serves on the board to help foster belonging, inclusivity, and community; the very values that Eyes of Hope provided her when she was a member. She is currently pursuing her Master’s in Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where she focuses on social and environmental justice. Rachel also works as the Professional Development Coordinator for the PEOPLE Program at UW–Madison, supporting students as they navigate their academic and professional journeys.