Innovation Center Stoughton Welcomes Ruth Phillips as New Executive Director

STOUGHTON, WI — Innovation Center Stoughton (ICS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Ruth Phillips as its new Executive Director, succeeding Katrina Becker, who has served in the role since 2023.

Ruth brings over 35 years of experience in education to ICS, having recently retired from the Stoughton Area School District where she taught art and led Fab Lab programming for the past decade. Her hands-on teaching background and connections in the community position her perfectly to lead ICS into its next phase of growth.
“This is an incredibly exciting time for ICS, and I’m honored to step into this role,” said Phillips. “I’ve always believed in the power of hands-on, creative learning to open doors for students and adults alike. ICS is a space where people of all ages can explore, invent, and thrive—and I’m thrilled to help grow that mission.”
This leadership transition comes as ICS celebrates the opening of its new location at 421 E. Main Street in downtown Stoughton, a vibrant hub offering:

• Makerspace memberships and access to cutting-edge equipment and tools
• STEAM-focused programming (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) for youth and adults
• Support for entrepreneurs
• Facilitated innovation and design thinking workshops for teams
• Affordable, rentable meeting and collaboration space

ICS’s recent expansion was made possible thanks in part to a grant from the Alliant Energy Foundation.
“Alliant Energy is proud to support the Innovation Center Stoughton,” said Andy Kitslaar, Executive Director, Alliant Energy Foundation. “Our assistance in securing a stable location for the Innovation Center in downtown Stoughton means it can now serve as a community makerspace and hub for programming and services dedicated to creative learning, innovation and entrepreneurship. We believe in the workforce readiness resources, benefits and development opportunities the Innovation Center provides and look forward to seeing its accomplishments in the years to come.”
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, ICS is deeply grateful for the support of its funders and partners who have helped bring its mission to life, including The Wahlin Foundation, The Alliant Energy Foundation, the City of Stoughton, Marty & Beth Peyer, the Stoughton Area Community Foundation, and April Aire.

For more information about programs, memberships, or upcoming events, visit www.innovationcenterstoughton.org.

Contact:
Ruth Phillips, Executive Director, Innovation Center Stoughton
admin@innovationcenterstoughton.org
(608) 218-4292