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, JD, vice president, Paul G. Smith Associates, Omaha, 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