To celebrate 75 years of CPED, we’re publishing 75 Stories about our community. Jacqueline Riphenburg is a former CPED program participant. She will join the Wisconsin School of Business Center for Professional & Executive Development as an instructor for Project Management Essentials in fall 2021.
ABOUT JACQUELINE
Jacqueline graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Her career began as a piping engineer at Affiliated Engineers. She was then a patent engineer for a law firm, where she took an interest in the Lean Six Sigma principles. Jacqueline soon after pursued her Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certificate and Master’s Certificate in Project Management from CPED.
After earning her certificates, Jacqueline worked for the state of Wisconsin as a process improvement manager. She now works as a continuous improvement advisor at American Family Insurance, where she coaches executives on organizational culture change using Lean, Agile, and Innovation methodologies. Helping others learn and achieve their goals is one of her passions. Jacqueline has also been an instructor and consultant at Madison College for both mathematics and project management, and she is a national mentor for SEEDSPOT where she helps impact-driven entrepreneurs achieve their goals.
When she’s not working, you will likely find Jacqueline spending time with her family and friends. She enjoys living an active lifestyle and loves to play tennis, golf, travel, cook, write, and spend time at the pool.
CPED IMPACT
Jacqueline is looking forward to being a CPED instructor for Project Management Essentials. As an alumna of the University of Wisconsin and a Madison resident, she knew who to turn to when she wanted to advance her career. She has reflected on her time as a program participant as she prepares to begin her journey as an instructor.
“I immediately turned to CPED when I was interested in furthering my education in process improvement and project management. They offered a wide range of interesting programs paired with exceptional instructors that had industry experience. I look forward to my debut as an instructor for Project Management Essentials.
“My CPED education has been a catalyst for my career. I’ve leveraged the knowledge I’ve gained through the programs to broaden and advance my career opportunities while staying relevant as business needs continue to change. As an instructor, I enjoy helping students develop in ways they never thought possible. I especially enjoy the moment when students can connect their learnings back to their lives. I am a true advocate for continuous learning.”
My CPED education has been a catalyst for my career. I’ve leveraged the knowledge I’ve gained through the programs to broaden and advance my career opportunities while staying relevant as business need continue to change.
Jacqueline Riphenburg
Jacqueline hopes all professionals stay curious throughout their careers. Attending her first CPED programs changed her career path in a multitude of ways, so she reminds everyone to approach their journey with the same open-mindedness and see where it takes them.
“Explore every opportunity to see where it may lead you. It can be energizing to take a program or listen to a podcast on a topic that is out of your typical area of interest. This openness to growth and development can stretch you out of your comfort zone and be very rewarding.”
You can discover more about Project Management Essentials, the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certificate, and the Master’s Certificate in Project Management by visiting our website. Find more stories from the CPED community in the 75th Anniversary section of our blog.