Grace Atherton (she/her) is a Madison native and self-taught communications & marketing professional with a deep passion for gender equity, economic and social justice, and servant leadership. In her current job as Communications Director for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, she leads communications and marketing efforts on behalf of nearly 800 dairy manufacturers, processors, and industry suppliers in 44 U.S. states. She double-majored in Gender and Women’s Studies and Spanish, and her time in the GWS Department was (and is) foundational to all aspects of her life today. She lives in Middleton with her husband Kevin and their toddler.
How does Gender and Women’s Studies/LGBTQ+ studies matter in the day-to-day of your professional life?
It may not be apparent in the everyday tasks I do, like drafting marketing emails and interacting with reporters, but GWS is the undercurrent of everything I do. It solidified my perspective on the world, and some of the issues we talked about in my GWS courses are a common thread that runs through everything, including business and manufacturing.
Do you have advice for students who may share your interests and may want to pursue a similar graduate degree and/or career?
It’s okay to not have a defined strategy or plan. It’s okay to just keep saying yes to things you feel are right for you and see where that leads. Keep asking questions and learning from the people around you.
What do you remember fondly from the Department of Gender & Women’s Studies? Favorite class? Instructor?
My senior capstone seminar class led by Julie D’Acci was the most wonderful group of people. I remember holding one of our sessions in someone’s dining room at the co-op where they lived – that was the kind of vibe Julie fostered. We even had a Facebook group after graduation called the Julie D’Acci Fan Club. I still keep in touch with some of those people today!
What, if anything, do wish you could tell your undergraduate self?
Two things: 1. This is just the beginning, and 2. You won’t believe how capable you are.