Executive Leadership Team

Carla Vigue serves as the Communications Director for the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. She manages the Office of Public Affairs and oversees communications and public relations efforts to enhance the visibility of the Department’s programs, services and benefits. She also manages media relations for the agency.

Prior to joining the Department of Veterans Affairs, Carla was Communications Director for the Wisconsin Department of Administration where she was responsible for developing and implementing communications strategies for proactive outreach and crisis communications, as well as responding to day-to-day media inquiries. Carla has also served as the Communications Director and Spokeswoman for Governor Doyle and worked in the Secretary’s Office on communications and public relations at the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services. Prior to her work in Wisconsin, she worked in Washington, D.C. in the areas of federal relations and media and public relations.

She holds a Master of Arts from Loyola University in Chicago.

A native of Oneida, Wisconsin, Carla lives in Madison with her husband Brian and her sons Hunter and Otto.​

James A. Parker serves as the Administrator of the Division of Enterprise Services. The Division provides administrative support to the department. It  consists of four Bureaus; the Bureau of Fiscal Services, the Bureau of Budget and Facilities, the Bureau of Information Technology and the Bureau of Human Resources. Its responsibilities include, but are not limited to; development, monitoring and managing of the department’s annual, biennial and capital budgets, fiscal services, internal control, internal/external audit services, risk management, purchasing, policy and strategic planning, bonding and statistical analysis, information technology and support, human resources, fleet management and  the Continuity of Operations and Continuation of Government Plans.

Prior to employment with the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, James was an Executive Manager in the private sector and later became an entrepreneur.  He has 21 years of state service with several state agencies (DWD, former DHFS, DOR and DSPS) and the University of Wisconsin.  His positions were responsible for budget, finance, human resources, policy and information technology. He has performed in multiple Division Administrator roles and Director of Finance and Budget roles.

James received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  

Donald Placidi Jr. serves as Division Administrator of the Division of Veterans Benefits where he oversees the Bureau of Veterans Programs & Services, the Bureau of Cemeteries & Memorial Services, the Milwaukee Claims Office, State Approving Agency, ​and the Bureau of Health Services​. Donald is responsible for the administration of grants, benefits, programs, and services to all eligible veterans living in Wisconsin and their families. 

Prior to coming to the WDVA, Donald spent 13 years in the private sector, primarily working in financial institutions. He served as a relationship manager for PNC Bank out of Milwaukee, where he managed a group of employees and worked with customers and the community to build relationships and implement policy. He also served as Chair of the Veteran Employee Business and Resource Group, leading PNC’s efforts to recruit, retain, and provide mentorship to veteran employees.

Donald was honorably discharged from the United States Army in 2008 after serving for almost 10 years. He served in the 101st Airborne Division during Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003-04) and received many awards and decorations for his service, including the Presidential Unit Citation, the Meritorious Unit Citation and the Army Commendation Medal. 

Donald holds his Bachelors of Science degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. He lives in Greenfield, WI with his wife and four kids (two sets of twins).

Diane Lynch serves as Administrator of the Division of Homes. As Administrator, she is responsible for long-term care policy for the Department and overseeing the Wisconsin Veterans Homes at Chippewa Falls, King, and Union Grove.

Diane has 19+ years of experience as a leader in the senior care industry in a variety of Continuing Care Retirement Communities, Skilled Nursing Facility, and Long Term Care​ settings as well as in startup construction projects in Long Term Care and Assisted and Memory care living. She is committed to providing seniors with high quality, person-centered care and exceptional customer service and employees with a workplace culture that is n​ot only dynamic, but offers a positive, supportive environment.

Diane holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, a Bachelor of Arts in Healthcare Management from Metro State University in St. Paul, an LNHA from the Carlson School of Management, University of Minnesota, and is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator in 3 states.

Diane and Serge love the great outdoors, two adult daughter’s and 3 grandpups. 

Christopher L. Kolakowski is the Director of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum, an educational activity of the Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs. As the Director he is responsible for the award-winning museum and research center that acknowledges, commemorates, and affirms the role of Wisconsin veterans in the United States of America’s military past and present..

Chris has his ​BA in History and Mass Communications from Emory & Henry College and his MA in Public History from the State University of New York at Albany. He is a proud descendent of Wisconsin Veterans from the Civil War through the Cold War.

Chris has spent his career interpreting and preserving American military history with the National Park Service, New York State government, the Rensselaer County (NY) Historical Society, the Civil War Preservation Trust, Kentucky State Parks, and the U.S. Army. He has written and spoken on various aspects of military history and leadership from 1775 to the present. He has published two books with the History Press: The Civil War at Perryville: Battling For the Bluegrass and The Stones River and Tullahoma Campaigns: This Army Does Not Retreat. His study of the 1941-42 Philippine Campaign, titled Last Stand on Bataan, was released in late February 2016. In September 2016 the U.S. Army published his volume on the 1862 Virginia Campaigns as part of its sesquicentennial series on the Civil War. His next book, on the 1944 India-Burma Campaigns, is scheduled for release in 2020.

Chris comes to Madison having served as Director of the MacArthur Memorial from September 2013 to December 2019.