Our Team
Kelly Antonson, Site Manager
Kelly Antonson has joined GiGi’s Playhouse Madison as our Site Manager. Kelly has been volunteering for GiGi’s since early 2018; serving on our Gala committee, and for the past year on the Board of Directors as the Marketing Committee Chair. Kelly has a background in Brand Marketing and has been using her 10+ years of experience to support GiGi’s Playhouse by creating campaigns, gala marketing, and strengthening social media channels.
She is passionate about growing the awareness of the Playhouse in our communities! Kelly was instrumental in securing the opportunity to collaborate with Adams Outdoor Advertising to create the first ever GiGi's outdoor advertising campaign featuring billboards that showcase our participants and GiGi’s Playhouse.
Kelly learned about GiGi’s Playhouse through her daughter’s all- star cheerleading gym which has several athletes that also participate in GiGi’s programs! Kelly is from Wisconsin, currently living in Cottage Grove with her husband and two children, and she graduated from UW-Madison with a business degree. She loves to practice yoga, Scuba Dive, read and watch whatever sport her two kids participate in. Kelly is excited to serve and meet all of our families and participants.
Heidi Christianson, Site Assistant
Heidi is a native of Fargo North Dakota. She moved to Wisconsin the summer of 2015. She attended the University of North Dakota and taught Title Reading for many years at the elementary level. Heidi has been a stay at home mom for the past ten years. She and her husband Jim live in Cottage Grove and have three daughters Hannah, Miah, and Sophie.
Heidi served as secretary for the Red River Valley Figures Skating club for 10 years and has volunteered in many other capacities such as Jr. Achievement and Schools of Hope. In her spare time Heidi enjoys spending time with family and friends, yoga, traveling, reading, and scrapbooking. She is very excited to join the GiGi’s team.
Judy Heil, Literacy Coordinator, SMART program leader
Judy Heil, a retired public school Speech/Language Pathologist, has been on the Program Committee since its inception at GiGi's Playhouse - Madison in 2016. She has been program leader for various GiGi's programs, including LMNOP, Leaps and Bounds, and the S.M.A.R.T. Adult program. Along with adult programming, her primary focus currently has been with the Literacy program as a tutor, tutor trainer, and more recently as Literacy Co-coordinator.
Outside of GiGi's Playhouse, Judy is active with Special Olympics, programs at her family church, and volunteer support at Edgerton Community Schools. Her family, friends and travels keep her "out of trouble" the rest of her waking hours.
Maya Greengus, Co-Leader Advocate Committee
Maya Greengus is an individual with Down syndrome who cares about accepting others as they are for their Down Syndrome. Maya decided to be a part of this advocacy program to help people find their voice & to be valued as they are as a human.
Sadler Bell, Co-Leader Advocate Committee
Sadler has been an advocate since he was a teenager. His parents were big advocates for him while he was growing up and what they did rubbed off on him! Sadler is part of two non-profit organization’s in the Madison area, GiGi’s Playhouse Madison and LOV Inc . Sadler stays very active in the Down syndrome community and he was even on a billboard for GiGi’s Playhouse in 2020.
Sadler is a huge Alabama football fan and says “Roll Tide!”
Jen Strauss, Advocate Committee
Jen is a wonderful self advocate. In addition to being part of the Madison Playhouse Self-Advocate Committee, she is a Lifetime Ambassador for the non-profit organization of Nothing Down that’s based in New Jersey. She spends her time by staying active in her community and also in the Down syndrome community. Originally from South Florida, she moved to Wisconsin to be closer to her sister in late 2016. She has done 2 Buddy Walks in South Florida prior to moving and did 2 Buddy Walks here in Wisconsin. She’s known for her inspirational video messages in the Down syndrome community that she shares on YouTube and Facebook in March and October.
Jen loves and enjoys music of all kinds but loves her heavy metal with the likes of Skillet, Disturbed and 5 Finger Death Punch and much more. She is also a huge WWE Fan. A lover of animals and is obsessed with her wolves and her cat, Abbie!
Abigail Kaiser- Advocate Committee
Abigail has been a disability advocate since she was five years old. She has had the pleasure of introducing Governor Tony Evers for a bill signing and has been recognized in the statehouse chamber during one of his speeches on public education.
Abigail has been involved with GiGi's Playhouse Madison since it’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. She has been both a participant and a volunteer.
When not in school or at work at one of her community based jobs, Abigail loves acting, going to concerts, swimming, and dancing.
Abigail is excited to be part of the GiGi’s Playhouse Madison Self-Advocate Committee as the next step in her advocacy career.