Independence First Inc
Donations deductibleIndependence First Inc's network
18 people10 organisationsi18 people and 10 organisations on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (18). Violet dotted lines (15) are likely: the same full name sits on the current board of another organisation in the same register and region. Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK. It may be a different person.The board
18 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations in the tables. The network map shows same-name matches as likely links only, never as confirmed.Tenure and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed tenure is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 14 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI; we list 18 in Part VII (Part VII does not always name every voting member).| Name | Role as filed | Since | On the board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billie Torrentt Chair | Chair (Thru June 2024) | 2018 | 8 yrs |
| Ryan Ramos Chair | Chair | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Anne Schwartz | Director (From June 2024) | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Beverly Walker | Director | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Brad Holz | Vice Chair | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Christine Brooks | Director | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| David Frank | Treasurer (Thru June 2024) | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Emily Siira | Director (From June 2024) | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Eric Degroot | Director (From June 2024) | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Jakeim Jackson-Bell | Director | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| John Dziewa | Director | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Karen Hunt | Director (Thru June 2024) | 2018 | 8 yrs |
| Kawanza Newson | Company secretary | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Kent Walters | Treasurer | 2022 | 4 yrs |
| Mark Ciesko | Director (From June 2024) | 2024 | 2 yrs |
| Paul Wierzba | Director | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Scott Luber | Director (Thru June 2024) | 2018 | 8 yrs |
| William Crowley | Director | 2019 | 7 yrs |
Officers and senior leadership
14 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| Brenda Duke | Vice President of Human Re | 2018 |
| Charles Smith | Assistant Controller | 2023 |
| DEB Langham | Chief Operating Officer (Thru 05/22) | since 2018 |
| Jacob Nowak | Information Technology Director/Facilities Manager | since 2019 |
| Kathleen Meisner | Director of Independent Living Services | since 2019 |
| Kathy Acevedo | Chief Operating Officer | since 2022 |
| Lee Schulz | President/CEO | 2018 |
| Marcia Boucher | President/CEO | since 2019 |
| Moriah Iverson | Personal Assistance Services Director | 2022 |
| Myra Sanchick | Marketing & Strategic Partnerships Director | since 2021 |
| Samantha Hudson | Personal Assistance Services Director | 2024 |
| Scott Curwick | Human Resources Director | since 2022 |
| Tracy Thomas | Controller | since 2018 |
| Wendy Huot | Director of Business Services | since 2018 |
Pay and hours
year to 31 December 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.| Name | Title as filed | Hours a week | Pay from the organisation | Related organisations | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marcia Boucher | President/CEO | 40 | $259k | $27k | |
| Wendy Huot | Chief Financial Officer | 40 | $209k | $12k | |
| Kathy Acevedo | Chief Operating Officer | 40 | $188k | $31k | |
| Tracy Thomas | Controller | 40 | $154k | $29k | |
| Samantha Hudson | Personal Assistance Services Director | 40 | $130k | $27k | |
| Jacob Nowak | It Director/Facilities Director | 40 | $124k | $49k | |
| Scott Curwick | Human Resources Director | 40 | $113k | $18k | |
| Gerald Hay | Director of Independent Living | 40 | $108k | $19k | |
| Billie Torrent | Director (From June 2025) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Jacci Borchardt | Director (From June 2025) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Melanie Pare | Director (From June 2025) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Ryan Ramos | Chair | 3 | $0 | ||
| Brad Holz | Vice-Chair | 3 | $0 | ||
| Kawanza Newson | Secretary | 1 | $0 | ||
| Kent Walters | Treasurer | 3 | $0 | ||
| John Dziewa | Director (Thru June 2025) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Mark Ciesko | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Eric Degroot | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| William Crowley | Director (Thru June 2025) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Christine Brooks | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Paul Wierzba | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Emily Siira | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Anne Schwartz | Director (Thru June 2025) | 1 | $0 | ||
| Beverly Walker | Director | 1 | $0 | ||
| Jakeim Jackson-Bell | Director (Thru June 2025) | 1 | $0 |
About
- Legal name
- Independence First Inc
- EIN
- 391343425
- Address
- 540 S 1st St, Milwaukee, WI, 53204-1605
- State
- Wisconsin
- Mission
- Independence first is a non-profit 501c3 independent living center (ilc) directed and controlled by persons with disabilities, primarily serving the four county metropolitan milwaukee area. The mission of independence first, inc. Is to effectively facilitate empowerment of individuals with disabilities through the core services of: advocacy; independent living skills; information and... (as filed on the Form 990)
- Activity (NTEE)
- P80Z Human services
- IRS classification
- 501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
- Classified purpose
- Human Services
- Size band
- 8 (IRS master file code)
- Formed
- 1979
- Principal officer
- Marcia Boucher (as named on the Form 990)
- IRS ruling date
- 1 December 1980
- Status
- Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
- Form 990 filings on record
- 6, latest 2024
- IRS Publication 78
- PC (contributions deductible)
Most connected
Related organisations (Schedule R)
Longest observed on the filings
≥8years on the filingsBillie Torrentt
≥8years on the filingsKaren Hunt
≥8years on the filingsScott Luber
≥7years on the filingsWilliam Crowley
Latest return
year to 31 December 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 31 December 2025. US dollars, as filed.- Total assets
- $17.3m
- Total liabilities
- $3.4m
- Net assets or fund balances
- $13.9m
- Contributions and grants received
- $2.1m
- Program service revenue
- $19.8m
- Employees
- 1,005
- Volunteers
- 118
Filed finances
1 yeariTotals as filed on the IRS Form 990 (revenue and expenses), by tax year.| Tax year | Total revenue | Total expenses | Surplus or deficit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $24m | $24.2m | Deficit $237k |
As filed on the IRS Form 990. US dollars.