Board Bios: Meet Karen Wilhelms

25.08.25

Meet Karen Wilhelms, a dedicated leader whose personal and professional life reflects the values of servant leadership.

This year, Karen is celebrating 26 years at Silica For Your Home, where she serves as the Director of Operations and Human Resources. Her leadership extends beyond her workplace, as she actively serves on several boards, including:

Silica For Your Home – Treasurer/Secretary
Frontage Investments Inc. – Treasurer/Secretary
Fond du Lac Area Businesses on Health (FABOH) – President

In addition, she participates in the Fondy 100 Gives program, a local initiative through the Fond du Lac Area Foundation that fuels community impact through collective giving.

Karen began her role on the Sophia Board of Directors in August 2023, and was elected treasurer as of January 2025. But her journey with Sophia began years ago through the servant leadership programs, which resonated deeply with her values.

“I love what Sophia stands for and its vision to help businesses develop their teams to be servants in the workplace as well as in personal life,” she shared. “I truly enjoy being a part of something positive and encouraging that helps others to grow and be better. Sophia is all about that.”

Her involvement allows her to continue spreading the principles of servant leadership while shaping environments where people can thrive.

Karen and her husband, David, have been married for 39 years and live in Fond du Lac. They have one daughter and son-in-law with two amazing grandsons who bring endless joy to their lives. Karen treasures the time spent with her family and looks forward to every moment they share. She and David enjoy time at their property in Northern Wisconsin, where they plan to retire someday.

Meet other Sophia associates + board members.

Small Reminder in Servant Leadership: Sometimes It’s Just a Yellow Tomato

A short seasonal reflection on the small things that help great cultures thrive

As summer is in full swing, I’ve been thinking about how easily we can jump to conclusions when people don’t respond, communicate, or behave the way we expect.

Sometimes the most helpful thing we can do as servant-leaders is slow down, become curious, and make sure we truly understand what we’re seeing before we react.

An experience on our balcony garden reminded me of this lesson in a humorous and memorable way.

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Remembering the Roots: Honoring Servant Leadership’s Origins

Every year, organizations recognize leaders for accomplishments like revenue growth, innovation, market share, or operational excellence.

But the Ann McGee-Cooper Spirit of Servant-Leadership Award celebrates something different. It asks a question that goes beyond results: “Who did this person help become their best self?”

Presented by Sophia Partners to Dr. Richard Kyte at Viterbo University’s Conference on Servant Leadership on June 25, 2026, in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the award reminds us that the greatest measure of leadership isn’t found in a title or a résumé.

It’s found in the lives we’ve influenced, the people we’ve empowered, and the communities we’ve helped strengthen.

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Board Bios: Meet Mason Gravelle

A Fond du Lac native and nonprofit leader, Mason Gravelle believes thriving communities are built through collaboration, shared leadership, and meaningful relationships.

As the Philanthropy Director at the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation, Mason works closely with community partners, donors, and organizational leadership to translate shared values into measurable, difference-making impact.

He recently celebrated his eighth anniversary at SSM Health where he began his career in Marketing before transitioning to the Agnesian HealthCare Foundation.

With experience collaborating closely with executive leaders, Mason brings a strong understanding of board governance, strategic planning, and the importance of aligning mission, values, and decision-making to the Sophia Board of Directors, which he joined as of June 2026. …