Forward 48 announced the faculty speakers for its 10th Cohort.
The six immersive sessions being held in Milwaukee, Northeast Wisconsin, and Madison will showcase C-suite executives and founders whose leadership has transformed organizations and communities statewide.
Forward 48’s Spring 2026 Faculty Speakers include:
- Craig Culver, Co-Founder, Culver’s
- Anne Norman, Chief Marketing & Product Strategy Officer, UW Credit Union
- Maria Van Laanen, President & CEO, Fox Cities Performing Arts Center
- Dan Bader, President & CEO, Bader Philanthropies
- Kevin Newell, Founder & CEO, Royal Capital Group
- Greg Wesley, President & CEO, Greater Milwaukee Foundation
- Tina Chang, Chairman & CEO, SysLogic
Forward 48’s May 7 session will feature a dual-speaker conversation with Kevin Newell and Greg Wesley, two primary collaborators behind Milwaukee’s ThriveOn King project.
In addition, sessions led by Maria Van Laanen and Craig Culver will take the program beyond Milwaukee, bringing the Forward 48 experience to the Fox Cities and Madison.
“Reaching our 10th cohort is a major milestone for Forward 48, and this faculty lineup reflects exactly why,” said Ian Abston, Co-Founder & President of Forward 48. “These are leaders who don’t just talk about impact, they’ve built it. Our participants will learn directly from the people making decisions that shape Wisconsin’s economy, culture, and communities.”
As Wisconsin’s only statewide leadership development pipeline, Forward 48 brings Faculty Speakers together with rising leaders to share candid lessons from the front lines of leadership across sectors.
Combined with small-group learning, the conversations challenge participants to think bigger about their influence, responsibility, and role as leaders in shaping the future of Wisconsin.
Spring 2026 Cohort Schedule & Locations:
- April 16: 1–6 p.m., Northeast-WI
- April 23: 2- 5 p.m., Milwaukee
- April 30: 2–5 p.m., Milwaukee
- May 7: 2–5 p.m., Milwaukee
- May 14: 2–5 p.m., Milwaukee
- May 21: 1–6 p.m., Madison
Applications for the Spring 2026 Forward 48 Cohort are live at forward48.com.
