Aretha Boex, MS, MBA, PMP

Aretha Boex joined the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in November 2021. As a Program Manager at the Global Center for Health Security, she supports the Region VII Regional Emerging Special Pathogens Treatment Center and a portfolio of public health grants. Her primary role is to ensure the successful execution of grant activities through team coordination, resource allocation, and management of dependencies. Aretha has worked on multiple health security programs and initiatives, including the CDC’s National Infection Control Strengthening for Small and Rural Hospitals, the CDC’s Strengthening Hospital Infection Prevention and Control in the US, and the Infection Control Response and Promotion (ICAP) School Initiative. 

 Before joining UNMC, Aretha worked at the Nebraska Business Development Center for over a decade. As the Associate State Director, Aretha led the statewide Small Business Development Center program and successfully led accreditation and program audit reviews. She provided primary direction and operational oversight to a network of seven business consulting centers. Before rising to statewide leadership, Aretha was a management consultant. She worked with approximately 700 entrepreneurs, focusing on business planning and financial forecasting and helping them secure over $60 million in financing to launch and expand their ventures.  

 Aretha holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Management Information Systems from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She has extensive experience in consultations, process improvement, program management, and financial management. She is a certified project management professional (PMP) through the Project Management Institute, an economic development finance professional through the Grow Nebraska (formerly National Development Council), and a certified global business professional through Nasbite International.