Jeanan Yasiri is Owner and Principal with Jeanan Yasiri Solutions, LLC, a consulting firm focused on strategies that advance innovative community and customer engagement initiatives. Jeanan brings more than 25 years experience in health care administration, broadcast journalism and university education and outreach to her clients.

As a consultant with WARF, Jeanan has spearheaded University of Wisconsin (UW) campus and biotechnology industry outreach and engagement efforts associated with the conceptualization, design and development of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery, a multi-million dollar interdisciplinary public / private research institute. In addition, she developed donor outreach opportunities for the WiCell Research Institute.

Her work with the Wisconsin State Department of Health and Family Services includes development of constituent dialogues and focus groups in connection with the Governor’s electronic health initiative. She also participates in grant and program development for a federal Medicaid Transformation initiative yielding more than $7-million dollars for the State Medicaid program. She has extensive experience in program development, public / private partnership development and customer and constituent relations.

Jeanan currently serves as Executive Director of the UW Center for Nonprofits, In this role, she serves as administrative lead for this new, interdisciplinary center which advances academic degree programs, nonprofit sector research and executive education and outreach.

Among those programs is Dean’s Community Care Program, a nationally recognized, progressive health benefits counseling effort which assists uninsured patients in finding access to resources that help them in meeting their medical expenses. Dean’s Community Care Program was the 2002 recipient of the National ACMPE (American College of Medical Practice Executives) Fred Graham Award for Innovation in Improving Community Health and the 1998 recipient of the State of Wisconsin’s Maternal and Child Health Award for Performing Outreach to Low Income, Minority or Otherwise Hard-to-Reach Populations.

Jeanan was named by the YWCA as a “Women of Distinction” in 2005. She was the 1998 recipient of the first Dane County / City of Madison Public Health “Leadership Award”. She has been active in facilitating development and growth of a number of community based collaborative projects which have enhanced public / private partnerships in meeting the health needs of Wisconsin families. She was appointed by Governor Jim Doyle to the National and Wisconsin Community Service Board (2003) and the Wisconsin Public Health Council (2004). She has extensive experience with public / private collaboratives and coalitions.

In addition to several journal articles, Jeanan is co-author of the books “Tackling the Uninsured Puzzle: Collaborating for Community Care” (2001) and “Putting the Patient First: Upfront with Advocacy and Community Service.” (1997). She is a regular presenter at national and statewide forums.

Jeanan holds a M.Sc. in Consumer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.Sc. in Business and Economics from University of Wisconsin - Platteville. She has earned the designation of Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executives (FACMPE).

Since 1987 she has served as a Senior Lecturer teaching in the Department of Consumer Science at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. She served as Chair of the UW School of Human Ecology National Board of Visitors which advises the Dean of that school. She also currently serves on the National Board of the University of the Wisconsin Alumni Association.

Jeanan is an active on-air presence and on the Executive Committee of the Board for Friends of Wisconsin Public Television. She serves as Co-Chair of the Womens’ Initiative, advancing Madison’s “Schools of Hope” program. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County and is a member of the Downtown Madison Rotary Chapter.

Between 1984 – 1992, Jeanan worked as a news reporter/anchor and assistant news director for the 15 News – the NBC television affiliate in Madison, WI.