The University of Nebraska Medical Center Board of Counselors recently held its annual meeting, naming new officers and welcoming 14 new members.
The board — a group of 84 community and business leaders from Nebraska and beyond — advises UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, on health care issues of importance.
Emiliano Lerda, vice president, Paul G. Smith Associates, will serve as chairperson, and Barbara Bartle of Lincoln will serve as vice chairperson.
New board members, listed by community, are:
Blair — Jill Orton, CEO, American Red Cross Nebraska-Iowa Region.
Grand Island — Tawana Grover, PhD, superintendent, Grand Island Public Schools
Kearney — Kim Lowe, commissioner, Nebraska Liquor Control Commission
Lincoln — Jack Douglas, vice president, worksite sales, Assurity; Javier Fernandez, president and CEO, Omaha Public Power District; Karen Gustin, executive vice president, group division, Ameritas
Omaha — James Hunter, community initiative director, YouTurn, national board member, Mad Dads; Todd Johnson, senior vice president, economic development, Greater Omaha Chamber; Sara Kohen, director of advancement, Friedel Jewish Academy; Leonard Sommer, CPA, managing partner, Hancock & Dana, PC, trustee
Papillion — McKell Pinder, senior director, human capital, Omaha Public Power District; Kim Whitehouse, retired principal and teacher, Omaha Public Schools.
North Platte — Misty Robertson, director, Private Client Services, North Platte and western Nebraska.
Roca — Larry Dlugosh of Roca, president, CEO, Emilsson, LLC, and professor emeritus, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Board members who continue to serve:
Ainsworth – Debora Weiss, medical technologist, Brown County Hospital
Alliance – David Briggs, CEO, Westco
Bellevue – Rita Sanders, state senator and director, Richmont Village
Bennington – Shawn Oswald, president and general manager, KETV Channel 7
Broken Bow – Connie Adams, retired teacher and community volunteer
Cedar Rapids – Kathleen "Kate" Sullivan, former state senator
Dannebrog – Chris Hochstetler, executive director, Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
Gothenburg – Susan Williams, retired registered nurse
Grand Island – Alice Quick, registered nurse
Hastings – Jessica Meeske, DDS, pediatric dentist, Pediatric Dental Specialists; David Rippe, owner, Queen City Development Company
Kearney – Jon Abegglen, retired senior loan officer, First National Bank; Marilyn Hadley, professor emeritus, University of Nebraska at Kearney, and president, Nebraska Foundation for the Humanities; Thomas "Tom" Henning, chairman and CEO, Cash-Wa Distributing Company; Darren Robinson, president, Economic Development Council of Buffalo County
LaVista – Joseph Hodges Jr., CEO, Lion’s Gate Security Solutions
Lincoln – Mary Abel, retired vice president, commercial loans, Union Bank and Trust; Preeta Bansal, JD, attorney, Social Emergence Corporation; Tom Beckius, owner, Nebraska Brokerage; Matthew "Matt" Bergmeyer, COO, SmallData Tech, LLC; Susan Bockrath, executive director, Nebraska Association of Local Health Directors; Anne Brandt, executive director, Lincoln Littles; Bill Cintani, owner and CEO, Mapes Industries; Anthony Goins, director, Nebraska Department of Economic Development; Victoria Grasso, president, Cooper Foundation; Jon Hinrichs, MD, retired family medicine physician; Cindy Morris, Duncan Aviation; Holly Ostergard, vice president, Crete Carrier Corp. Joseph Petty, MD, anesthesiologist; Shelley Sahling-Zart, general counsel and vice president, communications and corporate records, Lincoln Electric System; Bryan Shank, vice president, commercial banking, Union Bank and Trust Company; John Spatz, executive director, Nebraska Association of School Boards; Ava Thomas, president and publisher, Lincoln Journal Star and Omaha World-Herald; Bryan Tuma, assistant director, Nebraska Emergency Management Agency
McCook – Brian Esch, president and CEO, McCook National Bank
Norfolk – Michael Flood, JD, state senator, founder and CEO of Flood Communications
North Platte – Dan O’Neill, president and CEO, Kwik Stop Convenience Stores; Judy Pederson, owner, Pro Printing and Graphics
Omaha – Kathryn Hawkins Anderson, community volunteer; Ann Bird, community volunteer, retired speech-language pathologist; Sara Boyd, CEO, VidaNyx; Portia Cavitt, pastor, Clair Memorial United Methodist Church; Joyce Cooper, director of diversity and inclusion, Omaha Public Power District; Stuart Dornan, JD, partner, Dornan, Troia, Howard, Breitkreutz & Conway; Howard Epstein, executive director, Jewish Federation of Omaha Foundation; Peg Gilbert, retired infection prevention consultant; Nadine Hagedorn, senior vice president, BankFirst; Mary Ann "Andy" Holland, community volunteer; Amanda McGill Johnson, executive director, Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures; Nuzhat Mahmood, civic leader; Kenny McMorris, president and CEO, Charles Drew Health Center; Darcy Michalek, business owner and senior executive; Donald Neal Jr., senior tax manager, KPMG; Daniel Padilla, executive director, Lending Link; Doug Schroder, art faculty, department chair, Duchesne Academy; Sergio Sosa; Sherie Thomas, captain, Omaha Police Department; Albert Varas, CEO, Latino Center of the Midlands; Bob Wolfson, owner, Bob Wolfson Consulting
Scottsbluff – Megan Massey, Western Nebraska Community College
Seward – Mike Hecker, Jones National Bank & Trust Co.
Sidney – Evie Blackburn, Sidney Regional Medical Center
Valentine – Stephen Isom, owner, Isom Insurance Agency
Waterloo – Susan Norton, community volunteer
Whitman – Tanya Storer, commissioner, Cherry County
York – Chuck Harris, vice president, York Community Foundation; Amy Holthus, community volunteer
Carter Lake, Iowa – Richard Webb, president and CEO, Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands
We are Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. Our mission is to lead the world in transforming lives to create a healthy future for all individuals and communities through premier educational programs, innovative research and extraordinary patient care.