Stephanie Hauser made history in 2021 as the first woman to serve as executive director of the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. Now, she is preparing to take on another role at the national level.
The WIAA governs high school athletics across more than 500 member schools and 200,000-plus student-athletes in Wisconsin.
WIAA Executive Director Stephanie Hauser has been elected as the president-elect of the NFHS Board of Directors. She will serve her one-year term as the president of the NFHS Board of Directors in the 2027-28 year.
— Travis Wilson (@TravisBOUND) July 16, 2026
Hauser said her focus has always been on the mission, not the milestone.
"I don't think about it as I'm a female leader. I'm a leader. I'm a visionary. I have a passion for education-based athletics. And oh yes, and there's also this piece that I was the first female to do this."
That mindset traces back to her days as a multi-sport student-athlete at Antigo High School, where she was already willing to speak up for her teammates.
Watch Ashley Washburn's full report in the video player below
When her volleyball team broke a several-year drought to reach the state tournament, neither her principal nor athletic director attended. When the team returned to state the following year, Hauser took action.
"I went into both their offices separately, you know, as a young 17, 18-year-old, and I said, you know, I noticed last year that you didn't come and watch us play at the state tournament. We worked really hard. We're really good. We've made it to state again. It would mean a lot to us to have you both in attendance there. And they both came."
That same advocacy now extends far beyond Wisconsin. Hauser has been elected president-elect of the board for the National Federation of State High School Associations, making her just the fourth woman elected in NFHS history.
"I feel so similar to when the board offered me the position to be the executive director. I feel blessed, and I feel honored."
It’s graduation season! 🎓 Last Friday, WIAA Executive Director Stephanie Hauser returned to where her journey began, delivering the commencement address at her alma mater, Antigo High School.
— WIAA (@wiaawi) May 28, 2026
From student to state-wide leader, Stephanie shared words of encouragement and… pic.twitter.com/20w5FtEAKr
As she steps into a role that will help shape the future of high school sports nationwide, Hauser said she hopes her path encourages others to follow.
"I hope that this inspires more to become involved. Because as that pool grows, I think we are going to see those numbers increase. So part of them seeing a female in this role, again, opens up that door to say, 'Oh, that's something I could do.' And that's very exciting for me."
Her message to young women hoping to lead in fields still largely dominated by men is direct.
"Use that as fuel. Use that to fuel your fire. And believe in yourself, you are everything that you believe you are."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
