2026 Ambassadors
EMILY GERRITS
Born with deep Monroe roots and a passion for preserving what makes our town special - culture, tradition, community, and cheese. Emily is honored to serve as a Cheese Days Ambassador. It’s her favorite holiday, even if it only comes around every two years!
Her Green County story began in 1892, when her great great grandfather Conrad Blanc immigrated from Herisau, Switzerland. He and his wife settled in Monroe, started a modest dairy farm, and delivered milk locally. Their legacy was carried on by their son, Conrad Jr., and his wife, Rose Blanc.
On another familial branch, Royce and Thelma Schulz founded Schulz Automotive Machine in 1953, which later expanded to CARQUEST Auto Parts - still proudly serving the local farming community today.
Emily was raised in Green County, learning firsthand from her great-grandparents about the importance of family and tradition.
She grew up just outside Monroe on a small farmette, where her love for her Swiss roots took hold. From dancing at Polka Fest to making Bratzeli with her family each year, these traditions remain integral to her life.
A lifelong Cheese Days fan, Emily’s earliest memories include the Prince & Princess Competition, singing Swiss songs and dancing on the Main Stage, and marching in the parade with the MHS Marching Band.
A 2015 MHS Cheesemaker, Emily, went on to earn her Industrial Engineering degree from Milwaukee School of Engineering in 2019. She is now the Operations Director – Systems & Processes at Kellymoss.
She continues honoring tradition in creative ways - designing and 3D printing parts for Bruce’s Bratzeli Barn and Swiss-inspired crafts as "The Edelweiss Engineer."
She lives in Stoughton, cherishes time with family, and hopes to one day visit Switzerland.
JACLYN WUTHRICH
Hi y’all! My name is Jaclyn Wuthrich, and I am very excited to be your newest Cheese Days Co- Ambassador!
I grew up on a small farm up north in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, where we raised beef cattle, chickens, pigs and any other critter my dad brought home from the sales barn or neighbors! Throughout high school I participated in a variety of sports, theater, and FFA. I attended college at the University of Wisconsin - River Falls, where I met my husband, Eric. Currently, I work for UWRF as their Curricular Enrollment Specialist, specializing in creating their course schedules and organizing catalog data.
Right from the beginning, Eric told me if this was going to work out, I would have to move to Monroe as he had dreams of running his family’s land just outside of town. We are now planting crops, harvesting a garden, and gathering animals of our own as the 5th generation on his family’s farm! (Originally Steve & Heidi Digman’s Dairy) We have been living in Green County since 2022, and I couldn’t ask for a better place to call my forever home!
Cheese Days is the best time of the (every other) year! Eric and I spend a lot of time in the Family Farm Adventure tent spreading our love of Agriculture with visitors from all around!
At the festival in 2024, we participated in the World Record Polka and got to check out the live cheese making experience. I am very honored to be a part of the celebrations and represent Green County, learning all about its history, and sharing my passions with others!
