Meet our Team
The Highground’s dedicated staff members are here to continue the mission to Honor, Educate and Heal. With over 40 years of combined experience, this team is here to offer support and assistance and keep the legacy alive at the largest manned Veterans Memorial Park in the Nation.
Chris Pettis
Executive Director
Chris was hired as the executive director in March 2020. He was born and currently resides in Osseo, WI. At age 17, Chris joined the United States Marine Corps and for the next 23 years he served as a radio operator, electro-optical repair technician, MOS instructor, and ordnance chief. His service brought him to eight different countries, three combat tours and 13 relocations. Chris retired in 2014 as a master sergeant and returned to Wisconsin with his wife Bonnie and two children while their oldest daughter moved to California. For the next five years he worked in the mining industry until the opportunity arose to support military Veterans and their families. Chris enjoys woodworking, hunting and the outdoors.
Pete Kern
Operations Manager
Pete was hired as the operations manager in June 2022, building upon a journey deeply influenced by his military service. Enlisting at 19, he served as a human intelligence collector in Iraq before transitioning to a civilian contractor role, including a 14-month stint in Kabul, Afghanistan. His experiences instilled in him a strong commitment to supporting fellow Veterans, driven by his family’s legacy of service. With a great-grandfather who served in WWI, a grandfather as a Navy Seabee in WWII and a father who enjoyed a distinguished 35-year career in the Army as a pilot and foreign areas officer, Pete’s sense of duty and camaraderie with his fellow service members runs deep. Pete enjoys hiking, foraging and kayaking.
Theresa Hebert
Museum Coordinator
Theresa started as the volunteer & event coordinator in 2012 before moving into the museum coordinator role. She grew up in the Central Wisconsin area and returned to WI after living in Washington State and Colorado. Although Theresa is not a Veteran, she found a “home” at The Highground for other personal reasons and is committed to keeping and expanding the mission to “Honor, Educate and Heal” during all events and ceremonies.
Rhonda Miller
Store Manager
Rhonda came to The Highground in 2019 as the store manager. Her family includes her husband, Chris, four children and four grandchildren and is ever expanding. Some activities they enjoy doing together are hiking, boating, gardening and traveling. Before joining The Highground, Rhonda worked in the mining industry. Rhonda has degrees in retailing, marketing, fashion, merchandising and supervisory management.
Veteran Connection:
Rhonda’s husband is a Marine Veteran, her dad is an Army Veteran and she has multiple family members who have served in the Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy.
Liz Hamilton
Marketing & Social Media Coordinator
Liz joined The Highground in 2019 to support their marketing efforts. She is amazed by how much the organization has accomplished in 30-plus years and passionate in her support of the mission. Before joining the team, Liz spent a year at Country Jam USA. Prior to that, she was a longtime design & marketing lead at IDEXX, a multinational corporation that supports the veterinary industry. Liz and her husband, Brian, enjoy traveling to see family (including five grandbabies) as often as they can. Liz holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Graphic Design with a minor in journalism.
Veteran Connection:
Liz’s parents are Vietnam Era Marine Veterans, she has an uncle who is a decorated Vietnam Combat Veteran, cousins who are Gulf War Veterans and a sister who is ret. National Guard.
Bonnie Pettis
Donations & Stones Coordinator
For 20 years, Bonnie worked as an occupational therapy assistant, where she found great joy providing therapy to many. Having been separated from military life for six years, she was drawn to the activities The Highground provides to Veterans (including her husband). Being around those who have served, are serving and will serve makes her feel at home. Bonnie joined The Highground in 2020 as the event coordinator and then moved to the donations & stones coordinator role in December 2023. She is humbled by the passion the staff, volunteers and Veterans possess, proud to be part of such a fulfilling organization and thankful for the opportunity to serve. “In this family, no one stands alone” – Author Unknown
Veteran Connection:
Bonnie is the sister of a Marine, the wife of a retired Marine and the mother of a Marine.
Amber Smith
Event & Volunteer Coordinator
Amber was hired in the fall of 2025 as the Event and Volunteer Coordinator. She has lived in Wisconsin for the last 13 years, making Osseo her home with her husband and four children. Amber came to The Highground after providing childcare for the last 12 years. She brings a passion and eagerness to learn her new roll and support the mission of “Honor, Educate and Heal”. She is excited to bring her skills to us and to help The Highground reach even more people through volunteers and events.
Veteran Connection:
While not a Veteran, Amber’s grandfather served in the Army during WW2 and was stationed in Japan; her uncle was in the Air Force and served during Vietnam. Amber also has multiple cousins and family members who are in various branches, and some are still currently serving.
Board of Directors
Gary Weirauch – Chairman, Veteran
Neillsville, WI
Gary Karczewski – Vice Chair, Veteran
LeRoy, IL
Don Quicker – Treasurer, Veteran
Neillsville, WI
Scott Schultz – Secretary, Veteran
Osseo, WI
Bob Barth – Veteran
Neillsville, WI
Leonard Frye – Veteran
Richland Center, WI
Steve Maddox – Director Emeritus, Veteran
Athens, GA
Scott Kissinger – Director Emeritus, Veteran
Wisconsin Rapids, WI
Daniel Curran – Director Emeritus, Veteran
Dodgeville, WI
Michele Benson – Veteran
Ripon, WI
Wayne Guenther – Veteran
Strum, WI
Jim Henchen
Neillsville, WI
Lawrence A. Gorton Jr – Veteran
Eau Claire, WI
Carl Bogar Jr – Veteran
Kenosha, WI
Pam Graham – Veteran
Osseo, WI