Board of Directors
Coalition of Wisconsin Aging and Health Groups – Governing Board
A governing board gives dedication and direction to the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging & Health Groups.
The Board, consists of four officers.
The CWAG governing board employs a President | CEO.
The Board sets policy, reviews and monitors the annual budget.
The CWAG President | CEO is an ex-officio member.
2023-2024 Governing Board and Officers
Sara Buscher (Sturgeon Bay, WI) Board Chair
Sara Buscher is an Attorney and Certified Public Accountant. Since closing her Madison law office in 2002, she has limited her private practice to advocacy on behalf of the elderly and people with disabilities. She worked pro bono on a Disability Rights Wisconsin litigation team for six years dealing with health care access and discrimination of people with disabilities.
From 2009 to 2010 she was appointed to serve on the Aging and End of Life Task Force of the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. She served as an Adviser to the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Elder Law Section from 2004-2009, where she previously served as a director from 1998 - 2004. She has published several legal articles about end of life decision-making. She edited the ElderLaw News from 2001-2009. She received the Section’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
She was one of the founders of WisPACT, Inc. which manages community and pooled trusts for Wisconsin citizens with disabilities across the lifespan. Through her efforts, the pooled trust is one of a few in the country serving people age 65 and up. She received the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Pro Bono Award in 2003 for her efforts in creating WisPACT. She served as a director on the State Bar's Civil Rights and Liberties Board from 2014-2019. She currently serves as a director on the national board of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition - USA.
Diane Smith (Green Bay, WI) Board Vice Chair
Diane Smith lives in Green Bay and currently teaches Music, is the Choir Director and she gives Voice and piano lessons. Diane also leads worship at her church and was instrumental in passing the Silver Alert law in Wisconsin. Diane’s mother, Claire Baeb, had dementia and became lost when out for a drive with her husband Leo in Green Bay. Thirty-six hours later they were found near Milwaukee and Leo, a machine gunner at the Battle of the Bulge, passed away shortly thereafter.
Claire and her daughters, Diane and Lorraine, worked tirelessly to ensure this wouldn’t happen to anyone else. They testified at hearings, met with legislators and spoke with media. They did everything they could to get a Silver Alert program created in Wisconsin. Silver Alert is now up and running in Wisconsin with a success rate in the upper ninetieth percentile. Silver Alert has been credited with saving many lives of Wisconsin residents since its launch.
Lorraine Randall
Joan Christopherson Schmidt (Shorewood, WI)
Nino Amato (Madison, WI)
Deb Constien (Sun Prairie)
Robert M. Gundermann, CWAG President | CEO
Coalition of Wisconsin Aging and Health Groups – Governing Board
A governing board gives dedication and direction to the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging & Health Groups.
The Board, consists of four officers.
The CWAG governing board employs a President | CEO.
The Board sets policy, reviews and monitors the annual budget.
The CWAG President | CEO is an ex-officio member.
2023-2024 Governing Board and Officers
Sara Buscher (Sturgeon Bay, WI) Board Chair
Sara Buscher is an Attorney and Certified Public Accountant. Since closing her Madison law office in 2002, she has limited her private practice to advocacy on behalf of the elderly and people with disabilities. She worked pro bono on a Disability Rights Wisconsin litigation team for six years dealing with health care access and discrimination of people with disabilities.
From 2009 to 2010 she was appointed to serve on the Aging and End of Life Task Force of the American Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. She served as an Adviser to the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Elder Law Section from 2004-2009, where she previously served as a director from 1998 - 2004. She has published several legal articles about end of life decision-making. She edited the ElderLaw News from 2001-2009. She received the Section’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010.
She was one of the founders of WisPACT, Inc. which manages community and pooled trusts for Wisconsin citizens with disabilities across the lifespan. Through her efforts, the pooled trust is one of a few in the country serving people age 65 and up. She received the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Pro Bono Award in 2003 for her efforts in creating WisPACT. She served as a director on the State Bar's Civil Rights and Liberties Board from 2014-2019. She currently serves as a director on the national board of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition - USA.
Diane Smith (Green Bay, WI) Board Vice Chair
Diane Smith lives in Green Bay and currently teaches Music, is the Choir Director and she gives Voice and piano lessons. Diane also leads worship at her church and was instrumental in passing the Silver Alert law in Wisconsin. Diane’s mother, Claire Baeb, had dementia and became lost when out for a drive with her husband Leo in Green Bay. Thirty-six hours later they were found near Milwaukee and Leo, a machine gunner at the Battle of the Bulge, passed away shortly thereafter.
Claire and her daughters, Diane and Lorraine, worked tirelessly to ensure this wouldn’t happen to anyone else. They testified at hearings, met with legislators and spoke with media. They did everything they could to get a Silver Alert program created in Wisconsin. Silver Alert is now up and running in Wisconsin with a success rate in the upper ninetieth percentile. Silver Alert has been credited with saving many lives of Wisconsin residents since its launch.
Lorraine Randall
Joan Christopherson Schmidt (Shorewood, WI)
Nino Amato (Madison, WI)
Deb Constien (Sun Prairie)
Robert M. Gundermann, CWAG President | CEO