Amy Herbst B.S. ’93

Amy Herbst named UW-Whitewater 2022 Distinguished Alumna for Professional Achievement

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is proud to announce that Amy Herbst, who earned a bachelor's degree in social work in 1993, has been selected as the university's Distinguished Alumna for Professional Achievement for 2022. Herbst is vice president, mental and behavioral health, at Children’s Wisconsin and an industry expert with more than 25 years working with children, youth and families, including leading the largest child welfare and foster care programs in the state and most recently Children’s $150 million commitment to improving the mental and behavioral health of Wisconsin’s children.

The award recognizes Herbst’s outstanding work in health care, particularly in the area of child and family well-being.

For all of her success, Herbst would be the first to admit to a degree of dissatisfaction.

“I am never completely satisfied,” said Herbst. “I am always searching, looking for the answer, a better way, the new and different. And I am sure Whitewater played a role in strengthening this aspect of my character.”

The first generation in her family to go to college, the West Allis native first stepped foot on campus the day she moved in, joining some friends who had also enrolled. Despite those classmates, she felt herself on her own, trying to figure out how to navigate higher education. 

It took some time, but Herbst eventually found herself at home on campus.

“For me it was an opportunity to be independent, but in an environment where people knew my name and missed me if I didn’t come to class,” she said. “I felt I was known and that I mattered to people.”

She had no idea what to major in, but when she started taking social work classes, she found her calling. Chuck Zastrow, her advisor, and faculty members Jim Winship and Ralph Navarre were big influences.

“Chuck was instrumental in my decision to become a social worker, I minored in marketing and communications because of Jim Winship, and Ralph Navarre taught me to be a critical thinker,” she said.

Originally intending to work in substance abuse, she shifted to children, youth and families. Right after graduating, she began a master’s program at UW-Madison. As she adapted to that much-larger campus, her appreciation for her undergraduate education only deepened.

“I learned how to be a good social worker at UW-Whitewater.”

After earning her master’s degree, she worked as an assessor and case manager for a youth drug treatment program, as a social worker at the Kenosha County Division of Children & Family Services and in various leadership roles at Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin and Children's Hospital of Wisconsin before joining the latter as vice president, mental and behavioral health.

Along the way, she has kept strong ties to UW-Whitewater, teaching human development and public policy in the social work department on and off from 2011 to 2015, participating in the Alumni Mentor Program, serving as a board member with the school of social work, and returning many times to talk to social work classes.

“Children’s has sponsored countless field placements for the social work department,” said Herbst. “One of the field placement liaisons referred to Children’s as ‘Whitewater East.’ It is a great way for students to figure out if they really want to work with children and families, and, if so, is an organization like Children’s the right place for them?” 

Beyond Children’s Hospital, she serves on the board of Catalpa and on numerous committees with the Children’s Hospital Association. She is a former board member of Children’s Home Society of America, Wisconsin Association of Family & Children’s Agency and the UW-Whitewater Department of Social Work. She is a founding member of 100+ Women Who Care Milwaukee, and a founding steering council member for the Institute for Child and Family Well-Being.

When she reflects on her time at UW-Whitewater and how it has shaped her professional life, Herbst sees herself as a seeker.

“I am always on the search,” she said. “Not just for myself, but for the people I serve, the work I do, my family, and my community.”

Herbst, who is married, has three children and a six-year-old grandchild and lives in Wauwatosa.