Board of Directors
The John W. Jung Board of Directors is comprised of friends of John who helped create the Memorial. Meet John’s friends and share in their stories.
MacKenzie Buchanan, ‘98
MacKenzie graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2003. After taking a couple of years off from school to get work experience, she returned to UW to attend law school in 2005, then graduated in 2008.
MacKenzie spent a short time in private practice before working for the Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse, providing legal representation for low-income victims of domestic abuse in Superior, Wisconsin. She enjoys running, riding her motorcycle and spending time with her family and friends.
Spending time with family and friends is something that became much more important to MacKenzie after losing several close friends in a short period of time. , John Jung was one of them.
Each year, she has looked forward to being a part of the John W. Jung Memorial Scholarship Committee. This is partly because she gets to see long lost friends and partly because it helps her keep John's memory alive. However, it is also an opportunity to see the future "John Jung’s of the world" before they "make it happen." It is an exciting and inspiring thing to be around, just as it was to be around John.
MacKenzie remembers how John made things happen. Whether it was a spring break trip for friends wishing to go to Acapulco, a birthday celebration or a campus wide function, John’s charisma was undeniable. Everything and anything he planned was a big "to-do". He knew how to make his friends feel special and loved and let them know that they mattered regardless of how much time passed or how many miles away. John showed MacKenzie what friendship could be. While they had their ups and downs together, like all friends do in both good and challenging times, MacKenzie says will be forever grateful.
Jessica Bloodgood, ‘99
Jessica is a fourth-generation Badger (and proud WASB alum), who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in December 2002 with a dual Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communication Arts and a Certificate in Criminal Justice.
While attending the UW, Jessica served as Secretary of the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board, New Member Educator of Kappa Alpha Theta and was inducted into the Iron Cross Society. She also worked as a campus tour guide, which to this day, remains her favorite job of all-time.
Upon graduation, Jessica worked on a dude ranch in Colorado and later taught English in Japan. In 2005, Jessica began law school at DePaul University and graduated in 2008. She is now currently working as an attorney in Chicago. In her spare time, Jessica trains for triathlons, practices yoga, serves on the Associate Board of Urban Students Empowered and plays trivia as often as possible.
Jessica first met John Jung in the spring of 2000 at her WASB interview, when John served as her greeter. Like the majority of women who encountered John, she had an immediate crush on him.
Jessica served on the first All-Campus Party committee with John in the spring of 2001 and organized the Free Film Festival event that year. It was during ACP planning that John coined Jessica’s nickname "J.Blo" which has followed her around the globe and into the present-day.
When John first left Madison to attend medical school in Pennsylvania, he would randomly call Jessica and leave her hilarious voicemails. She naturally reciprocated.
In each voice mail, Jessica told John, "I miss you all the time and every day." It is a sentiment that remains true to this day.
Blake Hutchinson, ‘98
Matt Kopac, ‘97
Matt is the Corporate Responsibility Manager for iContact, an email marketing and social media communications firm based in Morrisville, North Carolina.
In his role at iContact, Matt brings strategic focus to the company’s social and environmental sustainability goals. Matt is a board member for the Fourth Sector Cluster Initiative and the Institute for Sustainable Development, both of which promote sustainable business and social enterprise as drivers of economic growth in North Carolina.
Before joining iContact, Matt served as a social enterprise consultant in Latin America and Asia, a public interest lobbyist in Washington, DC, and a Small Enterprise Development Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin. Matt is an avid international traveler and is fluent in Spanish and French.
Matt graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2001 with honors in Economics, Political Science and International Relations. While at the university, Matt served as the Vice President of the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board, Co-Chair of the inaugural All-Campus Party and was inducted into the Iron Cross Society.
Matt has his MBA from the Yale School of Management, where he served as President of his student body and Student Director of the Yale Law School Community Economic Development Clinic.
Matt first met John Jung in choir his freshman year at UW-Madison. Soon after, the two helped launch a popular local band called Waiting for Marco. The two were roommates and later co-chaired the 2001 All-Campus Party.
Tom O’Day, ‘97
Mike Whitcomb, ‘99
Melissa Wollering, ‘99
Melissa Wollering graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2003 with degrees in both Broadcast Journalism and Communication Arts: Radio/TV/Film Production. She is honored to be a third-generation University of Wisconsin-Madison Badger Alum and a former Wisconsin Alumni Student Board (WASB) Vice President.
Melissa spent five years as a news anchor/reporter for television stations in Milwaukee, Eau Claire and Madison. She helped create Madison’s first live weekend morning newscast at NBC 15, where she reported on-location for a full two hours every Saturday and Sunday from some of the best events on the Capitol Square and around town. Melissa’s most rewarding work was cracking a cold case surrounding the brutal murder of Marilyn McIntyre in 1980. Melissa’s work helped find and prosecute McIntyre’s killer 31 years later. Curtis Forbes, a former family friend of the McIntyre’s, is currently serving life in prison for Marilyn’s death.
Melissa has also worked as a sports reporter, producer and photojournalist, covering everything from the Green Bay Packers to producing shows for coaches Bruce Pearl and Tom Crean. In 2010, she was honored to work for Fox Sports Wisconsin, as one of two Milwaukee Brewers beat writers, conducting pre-game and post-game interviews, writing game recaps and feature stories and covering some of the most exciting innings of the season in the box next to Bob Uecker at Miller Park.
Melissa now resides in Madison and works as the Corporate Communications Manager for Dean Clinic, an integrated health system with more than 60 primary and specialty care locations in south-central Wisconsin. Melissa serves as a Public Information Officer for Public Health - Madison & Dane County. She maintains a strong passion for her work in Public Relations and Media Relations, has been awarded two PRSA Alchemy Awards and is an active member of PRSA, Ad2Madison and MAGNET.
Melissa is also a dance teacher for children of all ages at the oldest known studio in the United States, Kehl School of Dance, founded in 1880 by Frederick W. Kehl. Her students compete and perform all over the country and convince her to get out on the stage and perform once in a while, too. In addition to dance, Melissa enjoys running, golfing and sailing. She is also fond of rowing, from her days on the UW Women’s Lightweight Crew Team.
Melissa met John W. Jung in September of 2000, as the two happen to enroll in the same elective course at the Natatorium—golf. Once John met Melissa, he purposefully wore his red and white-striped WASB rubgy shirt to each bi-weekly class, promising to do so until she applied to join the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board. Everyday, between chipping and putting practice, John would badger her about applying. Both John and Melissa signed up for another semester of golf and this time Melissa applied for WASB, so John could wear clothing other than that rugby!
John’s foresight proved to be brilliant. Melissa was accepted onto WASB and even though her tenure didn’t officially start until the following fall, John asked her to volunteer and/or attend every All Campus Party event during its first year in Spring 2001. That’s where she met many of the other current JWJ Memorial Board Members and became inspired by John’s leadership abilities. John was like an older brother and mentor to Melissa, who went on to hold leadership positions within WASB herself and help shape programming by guiding WASB’s six directors as Vice President in 2002-2003.
Melissa became close with Bob Jung, John’s stepfather, through the creation of the Memorial. Living in Madison and being able to work with the Wisconsin Alumni Association and the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board on a monthly basis, Melissa has been able to anchor the Memorial and foster communication over the last five years. She is proud to call this Memorial one of her life’s greatest accomplishments and John one of her greatest inspirations.
