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The embattled director of Women and Children’s, Jennifer Paine, is no longer with the agency. KCE can confirm that Jennifer Paine is no longer with W&CH as of yesterday. A tip, received by KCE today, said that Paine was fired yesterday but still reported to the office today, and Officers from Kenosha Police escorted her out of the building. Contacted, a KPD spokesman confirmed that police were at the agency’s 63rd St headquarters early this morning, but didn’t immediately know why. KCE cannot confirm whether or not police were there for Paine’s departure.
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Paine was a darling to the Kenosha News. The editor of the Kenosha News, who knew about Paine’s deceptive past and misconduct, but allowed her to write for the paper, often asking for volunteers and donations. We asked Sloca why he let someone with her past write for his newspaper. He didn’t immediately respond.
On August 15, 2023, we informed the community that Paine was disbarred as an attorney for serious professional misconduct. Since being hired in July of 2022, Paine found herself in hot water in her former state of residency – Michigan. According to Paine’s LinkedIn account, where she proudly displays her preferred pronouns of she/her, she became an attorney in Michigan in about 2009.
According to a 8-count findings document outlining an investigation into misconduct, Paine was disbarred May 20, 2023. The documents says in part, “After proceedings conducted pursuant to [Michigan Supreme Court Rules], the panel found, based on [Paine’s] admissions to all of the misconduct set forth in both formal complaints, that [Paine] committed professional misconduct during her representation of four different clients in their respective divorce and post-judgement divorce matters, while representing a client in adoption proceedings and in her own criminal matter…..”
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The State of Michigan Attorney Discipline Board, in the letter seems to question Paine’s integrity, mentioning her flawed honesty, trustworthiness, and fitness as a lawyer. The Board also used words like fraud and deceit. They pointed out what appears to be theft, as she reportedly withheld money from clients. The Board also called Paine incompetent.
On November 20, 2023, we told you that Paine filed a lawsuit illegally on behalf of W&CH. Once we reported on this issue, Paine dropped the lawsuit.
On November 29, 2023, we told you that a long-time shelter manager filed a discrimination suit against Paine for allegedly discriminating against her for herself being a victim of domestic violence.
The board of directors at WCH has changed dramatically during the course of these scandals. A Kenosha Police Lieutenant named Joseph Riesselmann was the President of the board, followed by Nicole Rizzo, a local family attorney. Recently Rizzo was replaced as President. No one from W&CH cared to ever explain why Paine was kept as the important agency’s director for so long after learning of her misconduct.
Today, KCE called the main number for W&CH. The woman who answered told KCE that “[Paine] is no longer with us.” She then transferred us to the interim Director who said “no comment” and hung up before we could even ask a question.
58 Responses
Now, is she the one that Troy gave the pearl necklace to?
Hahahahahahaha
HAHAHAHAHAHHAH
I respect people’s right to keep their identity private, but
could you make some kind of name mandatory, so we know which
member we are replying to?
Thanks for everything, Kevin.
!
The articles that you’ve written about Miss Paine have been spot on every time, until this one. Miss Paine was not escorted out of the building by police. The police being there this morning had nothing to do with Miss Paine. I’m a little disappointed in you. She’s done more than enough wrong, then to glorify it with a final police escort out. Let’s all just be glad that she’s gone and we can see the beautiful rebirth of WCH, enabling them to continue offering resources and help to the people who need it.
He said in the story he was not sure if they were there for that or something else.
Does it really matter though?
Let’s be honest, based on what’s been reported about this lady….she should have been led out by police someplace somewhere a long time ago.
Stop trying to defend a woman who blatantly lied to and hated and disrespected the residents of the sheter, myself being one. If there is ANY and I do mean ANY news on this woman, it should be PUBLICLY SHARED because SHE is doing this to HERSELF!
Need Kathryn Comstock back in the seat!!!
Dude, if you want her so bad just say it. No need to go around writing so many articles about her lolll
It’s called the news. Reporters “report” on stories. This happens to be a big one in Kenosha.
She looks like a whack job cartoon character 🤢🤮
Bogdala will stoop to the lowest of lows…..like Payne, can’t trust him, ever.
This is one of the stupidest comments I’ve ever read. Just cuz politicians pose with people because they were asked to take a photo with them. I think he was there to support the cause of women’s and children’s horizon. The organization much bigger than one person.
I have never taken a photo in my life with someone everyone knows is a total pile. THAT speaks volumes to who Bogdala is.
Is this Lydia ?
“Cuz?” Are you in sixth grade?
What does Bogdala have to do with it?
He would take a picture with Evers if it meant votes…..oops….he did that too.
I hope the board realized to what degree that lady influenced the agency’s down fall. Clients had been let down for too long with no proper advocay. The next person I hope will be better suited for the job.
Witch
Cruella De Vil..👠💩
Kevin, you’ve gone and done it again!! Please post another story and quick, I cannot handle two or three days of seeing this witch first thing in the morning.
It’s sad. No one knows what actually went on behind those closed doors. One can only speculate. Or make something up. From what I’ve read so far she started off as a bad apple. What the hell were they thinking? Background check maybe? If they didn’t want to pay to get one done a simple google search would have maybe tipped them off. It didn’t take much effort to find out that she shouldn’t have been hired there.
Has anyone talked to the staff that’s there? The staff that left? Does anyone care about what they may have endured working under her? What happened to them? Why didn’t anyone listen? What about the people who fund that place? Aren’t board members responsible for making sure the issue listed aren’t taking place? Who protects the ones who are on the front line? It seems to me the board should also be held liable for allowing this. Because if those board members were being responsible to their duties this wouldn’t have happened. I’m interested to see what’s next! The Shelter Managers lawsuit? 👀 Stay Tuned
Season 1 Episode lost count.
One thing for sure, that place was very valuable to the community. Now what?
EXACTLY
All I can say is….ITS ABOUT TIME! Not sure what took them so long to finally terminate her. This woman brought a respected agency crumbling down. I pity those who have to try and dig out from under the mess she created. She told so many lies it will likely take a long time to decifer it all.
The clients and staff suffered under her supervision. Many great staff were fired or left….which is a shame. I hope she goes back to where she came from. Maybe she will end up in jail, she ran the show with no checks and balances!
Hi! For years I’ve been the gatekeeper for nonprofits in town getting their articles into the Kenosha News. John Sloca and the News have been kind enough to allow nonprofits this valuable opportunity. I don’t think he (or I) can be held accountable for employment issues at those nonprofits, even if they are newsworthy.
And, when / if they ARE newsworthy, that’s a whole different concern…about why newsworthy issues aren’t being covered in mainstream media in our community.
However, the work of the agencies still needs to be done, which means that the community still needs to know about it. Thankfully the Kenosha News allows nonprofits to get that information out.
This! Thank you for clarifying.
I don’t think any reasonable person thinks that someone with Paine’s past conduct should have a platform to speak. Why didn’t the Kenosha News write about Paine’s dismarment and illegal lawsuit? The Kenosha News is a political subdivision of Kenosha County. They have no integrity.
As you know, I agree that the Kenosha County Eye covers stories that should be covered by all our local media.
I remain grateful, however, that the News gives nonprofits a voice to speak on their agencies’ missions, which are separated from the individual employees, as they should be.
I agree. It’s wonderful that Kenosha News gives nonprofits the opportunity to showcase and acknowledge their efforts within the community. If KN really has no concern over employment issues or consider them newsworthy, why dedicate an article to Paine’s initial hire to the agency? That was apparently newsworthy but her leaving the agency after all that has transpired is not.
I cede the point…but it is pretty breaking news.
I respect the work you do. However, Sloca, and there’s a “rumor” he’s on his way out, didn’t check Ms. Payne’s recent blurb in the Sunday KN for accuracy. 3000 clients? Based on size and budget of WC&H, it’s probably 300, which includes children. Check the internet. There’s no information that HUD is cutting CoC funds for rapid rehousing by 70%. Lastly, CoC information indicates there are 39 similar organizations in Wisconsin like WC&H, not 200.
Ms.. Payne’s mismanagement of finances and personnel, much less her disbarment in Michigan, exacerbated the pending collapse of a worthy institution in our community.
Don’t take any personal affront to the comments. Perhaps you can provide guidance as to how WC&H could be absorbed by another institution, such as Shalom Center.
That’s exactly my point. The articles are written by nonprofit staff, and no one from the News vets them for accuracy. Accuracy in the “community newsletters” that nonprofits submit is 100% the responsibility of the staff person and that staff person’s supervisor.
As to absorption, it’s absolutely a possibility. I would hope the consideration would be for an agency already running a shelter, i.e., KHDS or Shalom, because shelter work is HARD and different from other services.
However, as a former executive director of Women and Children’s Horizons, that thought — for the long haul — makes me sad. I get the economics and all, but since 1976 the agency has provided necessary services in our community that aren’t provided by another agency. Clearly, the community has given substantial support and would likely continue to, once the dust clears.
A $20 donation to Shalom Center says that Paine wrote the blurb in the KN , not an employee. Given your experience in the “industry’ and community connections, good for you to admit that a merger of WC&H into a stronger, parallel operation makes sense.
It is sad that W&CH is on the verge of going out of business. Forget the sentiment, which isn’t worth spit. Concern should be for the service provided. Employee morale is at rock bottom. The “interim director” wouldn’t talk to Kevin. How’s the cash flow looking for the next year? I’m urging my church not to send money until the dust settles. Is the paperwork for the CoC/HUD grants on a timely path to submission? Who of consequence is on the board and willing to restart the operation? This has been a typical Kenosha charity board with virtue signalers using their directorship to puff up their linkedin site. W&CH has been grossly mismanaged recently. What is left is a few employees and a 14 unit building. Merge WC&H it into Shalom or KDHS to maintain the continuity of the services rendered, or……………you sound like the only person qualified to pull it back together. Be the board president and the interim director for a year.
Thanks for that vote of confidence. I really do appreciate it.
Why would the agency need to be “absorbed” by another with a completely different focus, mission, and area of expertise??? The board of directors needs to hire a qualified candidate to run an independent, community-supported agency which this town desperately needs preserved. NOBODY, especially not an agency that deals with food and homelessness, should be “cornering the market” on social services. Let’s put that idea to rest IMMEDIATELY!
Totally agree with this. Two entire different organizations and should stay that way!
Why would it need to be absorbed, or merged, or maintained? If it is bankrupt and/or without leadership to get it back into viable, financial shape in a short period of time. Neither of us has access to the financial situation, but the board members have failed in their responsibility to monitor the employees and finances. Paine couldn’t manage her staff, and she bombed when it came to timely submission of paperwork for HUD grants, losing $70K last fall. Kevin couldn’t even learn who was running the show on an interim basis. There’s a new board president, third in a year. What’s going to change? If this were a business corporation, the stockholders would clear the house and start again, if there was enough cash flow, or they’d try to find a buyer, if there wasn’t.
Are you a donor to W&CH? If not, your opinion is merely noted. If you are a donor, are you sure your money won’t go down the drain, instead of helping women victims of domestic violence? I’ve asked my church to withhold our funds until the dust settles. I happen to trust Tamara Coleman and the people who
run Shalom and DCHS mentioned by Guida Brown. Everything about W&CH screams out “we’re in big trouble.” The current budget is around $2.2M per year.
They serve around 300 clients, which includes children, so let’s say 150 women. They will need around $1.8M to make it to the end of 2024. If I were the board president, I’d be hard at work figuring out how to make the budget, and at the same time, I’d be looking for a partner.
W&CH provides a recognized service, which, hopefully, will remain in some form reproducing most of its current format. If it doesn’t have the finances and leadership to continue on an immediate basis, what is left of the board should look around for a partner in the “helping people” industry. A merger is far better than disappearing. That’s my $0.05 worth.
Sounds like you really know your stuff! Maybe we could co-direct! 😉
I thank YOU for the compliment. The key to keeping W&CH going is to look at the cash flow. Allow for at least a 20% drop in donations and can the CoC/HUD paperwork get completed on time. Paine wrote that HUD is cutting back on RRH funds through CoC, but I couldn’t find anything on the internet. As for mergers, who are the closest geographically of the 39 similar organizations? Any in Racine or Walworth Counties would be an ideal absorption, and I wonder what Tamara Coleman would think.
I’m too old (78) for any responsibility. I’ve learned much from a 74 year old lady friend in my neighborhood who has academic (MBA Northwestern) and professional (independent consult for charitable organization grant writing for federal and private funds) experience. She’s still working. She said poor board management is rampant. I knew someone on the W&CH board, who didn’t seem to know anything about the day to day operation. I hope you, Ms Brown, can help W&CH, at least temporarily to ascertain whether it can financially survive on its own.
That’s not called checking for accuracy…..it’s called people can’t fucking spell or type at the News. Have you ever seen any of their Facebook posts?
They need to talk to the employees who were fired or resigned in the last 6 months or so many factual incidents of not being paid and lied to. This woman was a tyrant and got what she deserved. It will be interesting to see what developments will come as they peel away the layers to try and fix the mess she has left.
I’m sure former employees would speak up about their experience with her and the members of the board. They completely ignored unethical behavior Paine exhibited with staff and clients, they firmly stood behind her “trusting” her “leadership.” Complaints fell on deaf ears….
She definitely doesn’t look crazy. Definitely not crazy.
am i the only one who can see her with a jeweled butt plug, ball gag and tied up ?
Please keep your erotic fantasies to yourself. No one is interested in your fetishes.
Yes, you are the only one. On the other hand, there’s no way I am the only one who can picture her in a Dalmatian coat.
DING DONG THE WITCH IS DEAD THE WICKED WITCH IS …
The Kenosha News just raised subscription rates again for a terrible product. Not surprising that much hasn’t been said about her there. They miss a lot.
The fact that she lost her law license in Michigan does not necessarily mean that she could not do a good job in another field of endeavor. But her track record as being a supervisor at WCH is not good and I suspect not many tears at her departure.
Maybe she can find work as a Disney character.
If you still want to subscribe to the KN, tell them you are quitting and you might get an offer to subscribe for $2.00 /month. You’ll get the paper online only.
Firstly I didn’t know people still read Kenosha News lol.
I’m glad they fired Cruela DeVille! The board, committees need to get their shit together on who they hire😡
WCH is important to our community!
I just wanna gnaw that mole off of her face.
hahahahahahahha
She looks absolutely bat sh*t crazy!!
It’s been said she gave herself hefty bonuses and she held a salaried position however she worked overtime and received overtime pay how in earth did she do that on a salaried position. They need to look at the finances . She got monies donated to fix up the WCH shelter a lot of money talking in the thousands and way up and not one thing was done but maybe a slab of paint on the wall. We’re did all the money go. No one knows because she withheld that info and got rid of the Fiance director and took charge of it all herself. O.0
Couldn’t they tell just by looking at her that’s she’s crazy. Jesus it’s always in the eyes..but in her case the evil smile also.