Sauk County Institute of Leadership

Sauk County Institute of Leadership 9 month program that brings together potential leaders from various segments of Sauk County. SCIL is open to anyone who lives or works in Sauk County.

The Sauk County Institute of Leadership (SCIL) is a nine month program that targets emerging leaders within the Sauk County area. The participants meet once a month from September through May on the second Thursday of each month. The first session is an overnight retreat and the remaining eight are day long sessions. Each session focuses on a different set of leadership skills and community issues

. The workshops include both classroom and project based experiences designed to ensure an engaging learning process. SCIL is a a 501(c)3 non profit organization and all donations are tax deductible.

Focus on your purpose every day. Remember why you do what you do. We don't get burned out because of what we do. We ge...
06/01/2026



Focus on your purpose every day. Remember why you do what you do. We don't get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it.

Happy Friday! We thought we'd take a minute to highlight a few favorites from our 2025-2026 program year. September - Ge...
05/29/2026

Happy Friday! We thought we'd take a minute to highlight a few favorites from our 2025-2026 program year.

September - Getting to know the participants around the campfire at the retreat
October - Speed dating with a few of the county department heads
November - Artifact sharing exercise
December - Improv Leadership
January - Tour of Seats
February - Tour of APT
March - Conflict Clinic
April - Getting outside and enjoying "walk talk" time at White Mound County Park
May - Practicing a "non-reactive" exercise

What’d we miss? Share yours ⬇️

to our May SCIL day. We asked our participants "what was the most valuable portion of the day and why, and here's what...
05/29/2026

to our May SCIL day. We asked our participants "what was the most valuable portion of the day and why, and here's what they had to say:"

☀Dr. John McAuliffe. His experience was so insightful. I loved the perspective of people on their deathbed.

☀Lesson on assumptions (Ruthanne Chun)

☀I enjoyed the program reflection segment, sharing moments that were memorable
from past sessions and reviewing those moments that others shared.

☀Really enjoyed the morning session about tourism of Sauk County.

As we continue to review and recap our program year, we wanted to take a minute to say thank you to our sponsors - we co...
05/28/2026

As we continue to review and recap our program year, we wanted to take a minute to say thank you to our sponsors - we couldn't do it without you!

Presenting Sponsor - Ho-Chunk Gaming Wisconsin Dells
Exclusive Day Sponsors Madison College - Reedsburg and SSM Health - Baraboo

And of course the support we receive from Sauk County.

👋 To all of our new followers!➡We are the Sauk County Institute of Leadership - a nine month program designed to bring t...
05/27/2026

👋 To all of our new followers!

➡We are the Sauk County Institute of Leadership - a nine month program designed to bring together potential leaders from various segments of the community in a program that empowers, engages, and equips participants to make a positive difference in Sauk County.

➡The SCIL curriculum covers wide-ranging topics that focus on leadership and community development. Each day has its own leadership topic, with smaller community topics and themes sprinkled throughout the sessions. Topics include authentic leadership, diversity, emotional intelligence, economic development, local government, and much more.

We just completed our final session and celebrated the completion of the 2025-2026 program year by welcoming 20 more participants as alumni of the program.

📸: From this year's two-day kick-off retreat in September

You don't need to be ready. Your need to be courageous.
05/25/2026



You don't need to be ready. Your need to be courageous.

Happy Friday! We're still giddy from all the excitement this week. Congratulations to the Class of 2026 for completing S...
05/22/2026

Happy Friday!

We're still giddy from all the excitement this week. Congratulations to the Class of 2026 for completing SCIL.

SCIL Board President Julia Randles shared these words of encouragement on graduation night: "As you leave here today, I encourage you to stay curious, stay courageous, and stay connected—to each other, to this community, and to the leader within you."

Congratulations, Class of 2026! We are so proud of you—and we can’t wait to see the impact you will continue to make in Sauk County and beyond.

📸 credit: Drop Frame Productions

to our May SCIL Day last week. Hear from class participant Sandy Snow about the day: "It was a bittersweet day for the...
05/22/2026

to our May SCIL Day last week. Hear from class participant Sandy Snow about the day:

"It was a bittersweet day for the SCIL Class of 2026 as it was our last formal meeting. We enjoyed presentations by Paul Wolter, Executive Director of the Sauk County Historical Society, who brought us the 'History of the Tourism 'Engine' in Sauk County; a panel of three community leaders provided insight on 'Board Boot Camp' which taught how to share our experience and expertise for the benefit of others; and the 'Power of Pause' in communications, shared by Dr. Ruthanne Chun, Chief of Large Animal Services at UW Veterinary Care.

Reflecting on what SCIL does - this program doesn't tell you how to lead, but encourages you to be a confident and authentic leader. Class of 2026 can't go back to yesterday because we were different then. Today we ARE confident and authentic leaders."

Congratulations to Lance Tallmadge, the recipient of the 2026 SCIL Leadership Award. Since 2005, SCIL has presented this...
05/21/2026

Congratulations to Lance Tallmadge, the recipient of the 2026 SCIL Leadership Award. Since 2005, SCIL has presented this award to a resident or organization that has exhibited exemplary communication skills and the ability to empower and motivate others.

Lance, a tribally enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, is known by his Ho-Chunk name White Bear. His life and work reflect a deep and enduring commitment to preserving, sharing, and celebrating Ho-Chunk culture and history.

Early on, Lance helped bring that culture to a broader audience by co-producing three videos in the early 1990s that aired on Wisconsin Public Television, highlighting Ho-Chunk traditions and stories. Lance also dedicated 18 years to education as the Wisconsin Dells Native American Student Services Coordinator, where he supported Native students and their families with care, advocacy, and heart.

Lance’s work has always been about strengthening the bundle—lifting up community, honoring culture, and ensuring that knowledge is shared across generations.

For more than 20 years, Lance has generously shared Ho-Chunk culture with SCIL
participants, enriching this program in ways that are lasting and profound.

Congratulations, Lance 👏

Congrats to the 2026 SCIL graduates and thank you to Habitat for Humanity of Wisconsin River Area for snapping these pho...
05/20/2026

Congrats to the 2026 SCIL graduates and thank you to Habitat for Humanity of Wisconsin River Area for snapping these photos from the first part of our evening!

More to come on graduation soon!

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PO Box 532
Baraboo, WI
53913

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