President, Children’s Wisconsin Foundation
Senior Vice President, Children’s Wisconsin
Meg Brzyski Nelson is president of Children’s Wisconsin Foundation and senior vice president for Children’s Wisconsin, the state's only health system dedicated 100% to kids and teens. Through both broad-based and very individualized methods, Meg and the Foundation team work to build brand awareness for Children’s as a cause; deepen volunteerism and advocacy; increase philanthropic revenue; and, demonstrate gratitude to the community and grateful patient families.
Currently, Meg is leading Brighter Than Ever, the six-year $300M engagement and philanthropy campaign effort for Children’s Wisconsin. The campaign is intended to help fuel Children’s Wisconsin’s mission, especially the work that commercial insurance and public payers do not fund: research that eradicates or changes the trajectory of diseases so children can lead full lives and return to their families, schools and communities; programs that support the social health of kids, families and communities like camps for sick or injured kids, art and animal therapy, sibling care, and positive parenting programs; and integrated health care that puts mental health on par with physical health.
Children’s Wisconsin was founded by the community over 130 years ago and is a national, top-ranked pediatric enterprise and the largest social service agency in the state with over two million touch points per year. Meg has been in her role at Children’s for over ten years. Prior to Children’s Wisconsin, Meg served as associate vice president of university advancement for Marquette University where she was part of leading large-scale fundraising efforts; donor cultivation and stewardship activities; and, parent, donor and alumni outreach and communication functions.
Meg earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Marquette University. Currently, she serves as a volunteer and advocate for her alma mater. Meg is a Milwaukee Business Journal's Forty Under 40 alumna, a 2006 recognition honoring outstanding business and community leaders. In 2025, Meg was recognized both as one of the Milwaukee Business Journal’s 2025 Power Brokers and one of Wisconsin’s Women of Influence. In addition, she has received awards for her teaching and leadership.
She is associated with Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) and YPO Gold, a national and international networking group of business leaders with at least 40 employees and $25 million in revenues. She serves as the incoming learning officer and board member of YPO Gold Wisconsin. Meg is also a board member and chair of the education and learning committee for The Woodmark Group. The Woodmark Group is a not-for-profit organization whose members are premier children’s hospitals in the United States and Canada. The hospitals’ fundraising teams share the vision of leading the advancement of philanthropy to improve health for children everywhere.
Whether in her work or volunteer roles, Meg loves helping organizations and people reach their full potential. Meg is adept at helping organizations develop vision and complementary strategic work plans and rallying volunteers to a common cause. She currently serves as an executive committee board member of Next Door, an early childhood development program serving Milwaukee’s central city and is former chair of the board of PEARLS for Teen Girls, an empowerment program targeting at-risk girls in Milwaukee. She is married to Duane Nelson and has three young adult step-children.