Communicator of the Year Award

Coreen M. Dicus-Johnson, Comm ’93 u 
Menomonee Falls, Wis.

As president and CEO for Network Health in Menasha, Wis., Coreen Dicus-Johnson is uniquely positioned to mitigate some of the rising costs of health care. She is currently collaborating with a group of health care leaders who are working to create access to personalized health care, including exploring methods to cost-share the expenses through private and public partnerships.

Coreen has dedicated her career to ensuring that all patients, regardless of their ability to pay, have access to high-quality health care. She lives as a servant leader and uses this model of leadership to help others build their knowledge, skills, and abilities to reach their potential. Coreen enjoys actively mentoring people both inside her organization and in the community. She thrives on service, volunteering as a board member and fundraiser for many nonprofit organizations in her community.

Unlike most students, Coreen applied to and arrived at Marquette from Las Vegas without visiting campus first, but she knew on her first day of orientation that she had made the right decision. She credits Marquette’s holistic approach to education with teaching her the key elements of social justice, leadership, loving all of God’s children, and the importance of living a purposeful life.

Her professional goals include continuing to lead Network Health in its efforts to grow its membership and serving as a board member for a national health care company/organization.

In her spare time, Coreen is a lifelong learner. After a 30-year hiatus since her last French class at Lalumiere Hall, Coreen is revisiting her French studies with Alliance Française de Milwaukee.

Fun Facts:

Name a Marquette faculty or staff member who had an impact on you, and how.
There are two people who had a huge impact on me, Dean Michael Price and Dr. Claire Badaracco. In my last year at Marquette, I got married and became pregnant with our only daughter. I had a high-risk pregnancy and at times it was very difficult for me to continue my studies. Both Dean Price and Dr. Badaracco called me to check on me, arranged for me to get class notes, and helped with scheduling of my exams. They did everything they could to make me feel comfortable on campus and to ensure that I would graduate. I do not know what I would have done without their support and caring efforts.

Please explain what this Marquette University Alumni National Award means to you.
Marquette has been and continues to be a very important part of my life. On this campus the origins of who I am as a person and a leader were born. I experienced excellent and caring professors and faculty and had an amazing educational experience. My daughter spent her early years at Marquette’s daycare and then returned for her undergraduate years and Dental School. I have had the opportunity to guest-lecture at the Law School and serve as an advisory board member for the College of Professional Studies, and I currently serve on the Diederich College Leadership Council. This institution has enriched my life in so many ways and for Marquette to recognize me by this award ... words are inadequate to express how honored I feel.

Leave a congratultory message Coreen!

u Celebrating a Marquette Reunion