Speakers:

Mel Badheka

Mel Badheka is President & Co-Founder, Citroniq Chemicals where he has secured a 7-year exclusive technology agreement for 100% Bio-Polypropylene and closed a Series A funding round at an industry-leading valuation in 2024.

Mr. Badheka is a skilled senior executive, serial entrepreneur, and dynamic leader with over 30 years of deep knowledge and experience in the energy industry.

He has built and operated highly successful businesses across international markets in his prior roles. Mr. Badheka has held leadership positions as CEO at Greensphere-ESG, Vice President & Head of Sales at Guardhat, Country Head of Envision Wind Power Technologies India, Global Head Halliburton/Landmark Cloud Services in over 60 countries.
Mr. Badheka holds a bachelor’s degree in economics & finance – Mumbai, holds a patent for 3D visualization technology, Business Law at Rutgers University, and Energy Production from Shale & Renewables from Stanford University.

Leah Barrett

President
Northeast Community College
801 East Benjamin Avenue
Norfolk, NE 68701
Email: lbarrett@northeast.edu

Dr. Barrett has been the President of Northeast Community College since January 2020. She holds a Doctor of Education in executive leadership from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from the University of Wyoming. She has crisscrossed across the country working at multiple types and sizes of institutions for 32 years and is so pleased to have landed in the great state of Nebraska!

Marti Beard

Vice President/Early Childhood
Nebraska Children and Families Foundation
44986 Croughwell Road
Taylor, NE 68879
Email: mbeard@nebraskachildren.org

Marti Beard joined Nebraska Children and Families Foundation in June 2017 and serves as a Vice President for Early Childhood Programs. Her primary role is to oversee the Communities for Kids initiative and provide technical assistance, connections, and resources to the communities participating in Nebraska Children’s early childhood initiatives.

Previously, Marti spent 25 years working in child welfare, solidifying her belief in the incredible impact that prevention can have on a person’s life, especially in the early childhood years. She works with the C4K team to support local communities in developing high-quality child care solutions. Living in a rural ranching community in the sandhills of Nebraska, Marti brings a unique perspective to the value of Collective Impact and understanding of how local voices can achieve big dreams.

In addition to her professional positions, Marti serves on several local, regional, and state boards concerning children, youth, and families, and continues to be very active in early childhood and child welfare work.

K.C. Belitz

Director
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
245 Fallbrook Blvd, Suite 002
Lincoln, NE 6852
Email: kc.belitz@nebraska.gov

K.C. Belitz is currently the Director of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, being appointed to the position by Governor Jim Pillen in July of 2023.

Prior to joining DED, K.C. served four years as Chief Operating Officer of the Nebraska Community Foundation, working with NCF staff, volunteers, donors and organizational partners to impact the future of Greater Nebraska.

K.C. lives in Columbus but spends his time at the Lincoln office of DED or traveling to work with Nebraskans across the state.

Previously, K.C. served as President of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce since 2000. K.C. is a native of Columbus and graduate of Columbus High School and Northeast Missouri State Univ. (now Truman University). He and his wife Colleen are the parents of their daughter Emerson, who is a graduate of UNL and now works for an analyst relations firm.

Cobus Block

Director of International and Business Recruitment
Department of Economic Development
245 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 002
Lincoln, NE 68521
Cell: 402-480-5806
Email: cobus.block@nebraska.gov

Cobus leads the Department of Economic Development’s International Engagement and Business Recruitment Teams. In that role, he assists Nebraska companies with exports, joint ventures, and new market entry, and works with foreign and domestic companies interested in expanding in Nebraska. Cobus is also responsible for the state’s promotional activity, which includes foreign trade offices in Germany and Japan. Cobus has organized multiple Governor-led trade missions to Europe and Asia and coordinates with various state and national agencies to promote the Nebraska overseas.

Before working at the Department, he spent 3 years studying and working in Asia. For two years in China, Cobus worked for the Frontier Program researching agricultural development. Most of his research focused on food safety and supply chain management in the Chinese dairy industry, and the development of the Chinese aquaculture industry. His findings have been published in the Wiley Handbook of Science and Technology for Homeland Security and other publications. In 2012, Cobus received a Fulbright Research Scholarship to Kazakhstan where he spent a year at KIMEP University in Almaty, researching border trade between China and the former Soviet Union.

Cobus holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Wyoming and a master’s in business administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Julie Bushell

CEO
Ethos Connected, LLC & Global Sustainability Developers, LLC
601 P Street, Suite 103
Lincoln, NE 68508
Email: jbushell@ethosconnected.com or jbushell@gsdpartnership.com

With over 25 years of experience at the intersection of agriculture, technology and policy, Julie Bushell has passionately shaped her career to bolster rural economic development with unwavering support for agriculture.

In 2019, Julie embarked on a bold vision, founding and leading Paige Wireless, which later evolved into Ethos Connected in 2022. Ethos is now the Nation’s largest IoT network and full suite solution provider dedicated to natural resource conservation, full value agriculture and bioeconomy realization.

As President and CEO of Global Sustainability Developers (GSD), she is a sought- after expert safeguarding our food supply, energy independence and water resources, building the rural economies essential for our collective prosperity and National security.

Beyond her executive roles, Julie’s commitment to American prosperity resonates in her leadership positions. She serves as the President Elect of the National Irrigation Association, four-year member of the FCC’s Precision Agriculture Connectivity Task Force where she served as the Chair of the Adoption of Precision Agriculture and High-Quality Jobs on Connected Farms Work Group, a member of the AFCC Carbon Intensity Standard Committee and serves as a board member on the University Technology Development Corporation (UTDC). As an Aksarben Governor and Chair of the Full Value Ag Executive Committee, Julie passionately serves the state of Nebraska in its realization of value- added agriculture and rural prosperity.

She proudly serves as Governor Jim Pillen’s Senior Advisor and leads the Nebraska BioEconomy Initiative.

Julie Bushell’s dedication and advocacy are central to her involvement in statewide and federal public policy initiatives, with a strong focus promoting rural connectivity, fortifying critical infrastructure, protecting agriculture, and conserving our precious natural resources.

Brian Bywater

Community Housing Specialist
Schuyler Community Development
1119 B Street
Schuyler, NE 68661
Email: schuylerdevelopment@yahoo.com

Brian Bywater is the Community Housing Specialist and Interim Economic Development Coordinator with Schuyler Community Development, a 501(c)(3) located in Schuyler, Nebraska, and has been in this role since October 2014. The Community Housing Specialist position was created to place a full-time focus on growing Schuyler’s housing stock, and exists through a partnership between, local government and business sources to build capacity through facilitating accelerated expansion of new housing construction, to continue upgrading overall quality of existing housing stock, and to grow Schuyler’s property tax base. Since 2014, Brian is credited with helping establish nearly 100 housing units in Schuyler and increasing the municipal valuation 49.72% to $231,480,687. Brian is also the managing agent for Kracl Meadows, a 14-unit senior living LIHTC project located in Schuyler.

Prior to becoming Community Housing Specialist, Brian spent 20 years in the banking industry with experience in Bankcard telemarketing, credit and collections, as well as consumer, commercial, agricultural and residential mortgage lending.

Brian holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics and History from Nebraska Wesleyan University and an MBA from Bellevue University. He is also a 2016 graduate of the Heartland Economic Development Course.

Brian is married to Christina, an Executive Assistant with Schuyler Community Schools, and they are the parents of two sons, Connor (23), who works for Raytheon Technologies an aerospace engineering defense contractor in Tewksbury, MA, and Gavin (19), who is a sophomore at the University of Kansas majoring in Architectural Engineering.

Elliot Cain

Program Coordinator – Registered Apprenticeships
Nebraska Department of Labor
550 South 16th Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
Email: Elliott.Cain@nebraska.gov

Born and raised in Lincoln, NE. Holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in counseling. Has been with the Nebraska Department of Labor for nearly a decade.

Juan Ceron Millan
JAG

808 Minnesota Avenue
Hastings, NE 68901
Nebraska State Dairy Association
Email: betomillan149@gmail.com

Juan graduated from Hastings Senior High School in May of 2024. His family, originally from Mexico, migrated to Nebraska when Juan was in elementary school. He grew up in the Tri-City area but ultimately, his family settled in Hastings.

Juan has held a steady job at Walmart since his sophomore year of high school, in April of 2022. He aspires to join the US Army and become a military police officer.

He hopes to serve as a Hastings Police Officer to serve and protect his community. In his free time, Juan enjoys boxing at a local boxing club, running, and spending time with his family.

Michael Darcy

CEO
DG Fuels
1025 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 507
Washington, DC 20036
Email: mdarcy@dgfuels.com

Mr. Darcy is Chairman and C.E.O. of DG Fuels, LLC. He was educated in southern Military Academies, studied Physics and Military History through a college program for advanced students. In 1978, Mr. Darcy attended UCLA where he studied business administration. In 1979, he left college to join Commodore International, Inc., a concern formed (1965) and owned by his family, with interests in entertainment, retailing, communications, shipping and marketing. He joined the Shipping Division where he gained considerable experience in passenger ship operations. In 1980, he joined the parent company as Vice President, Operations and subsequently succeeded his father as President. In 1984, several divisions of Commodore were sold. Mr. Darcy continues to manage the remaining family business interests and seeks to continue a heritage of exploiting innovative business opportunities.

Shonna Dorsey

Executive Director of internNE, Powered by Aksarben and the Nebraska Tech Collaborative
Aksarben Foundation
2120 South 72nd Street, #800
Omaha, NE 68124
Email: shonna@aksarben.org

Shonna Dorsey is the Executive Director at the Aksarben Foundation and leads both the Nebraska Tech Collaborative and internNE, Powered by Aksarben. Shonna is a North Omaha Nebraska native, tech advocate, mentor, volunteer, community builder, and former small business owner.

Andrew Dunkley

Deputy Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy

NE Dept. of Environment and Energy
245 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 100
Lincoln, NE 68521
Email: andrew.dunkley@nebraska.gov

Jay Fitzgerald

Chief Scientitst, BETO
U.S. Department of Energy
Golden Field Office
Golden, CO 80401
Email: jay.fitzgerald@ee.doe.gov

Jay Fitzgerald is the Chief Scientist for the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as well as the Program Manager for the BETO Conversion R&D Program.

As BETO’s Chief Scientist, Jay helps guide BETO scientific program direction for the conversion of biomass and waste resources into low-carbon fuels, chemicals, and materials. As the Program Manager for the Conversion R&D Program, Jay leads a team that manages a portfolio of early-stage applied R&D projects including efforts in sustainable aviation fuel, engineering biology, catalysis for bioenergy, performance-advantaged bioproducts, waste conversion, and plastic redesign and recycling. Jay was previously the Program Manager for the Data, Modeling and Analysis Program focused on strategic analysis and lifecycle assessment.

He holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Stanford University a B.A. from Middlebury College.

Carly Gaedeke

Legacy Group
3106 36th Street
Columbus, NE 68601
Email: carlygaedeke05@gmail.com

Dr. Ngan Chau is a Professor of Marketing at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Her areas of expertise include market research, logistics, forecasting, and inventory management. Dr. Chau holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida and a Master of Engineering in Supply Chain Management from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Sarah Gonzales

Director, State and Government Affairs
Delta Air Lines
5596 Copper Creek Drive
Haslett, MI 48840
Email: sarah.gonzales@delta.com

Born and raised in Lincoln County on a farm and ranch just south of North Platte, I have been a lifelong Nebraskan. I attended UNK for my undergraduate degree and received my master’s degree from UNO. I have worked for the City of North Platte since college graduation and have been part of the Development Department for the past 23 years working in planning, zoning, building, and economic development for both North Platte and Lincoln County. I am a member of the Nebraska Association of County Officials and currently serve as the President of the Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association, which is a group of citizens committed to providing education, training, and assistance for the betterment of planning in Nebraska communities. Additionally, knowing the important role education plays in rural communities I am also an adjunct faculty member at Mid-Plains Community College.

Billy Hagstrom

CEO/Co-Founder
Bluestem Biosciences
3555 Farnam Street, Suite 903
Omaha, NE 68131
Email: billy@bluestembiosciences.com

Billy is the Co-Founder and CEO of Bluestem Biosciences, headquartered in Omaha, NE. Prior to starting Bluestem, he served as the Executive Vice President of Strategy & Development at Green Plains Inc. (NYSE: GPRE)

With more than 12 years of experience in capital allocation, he has honed his expertise across the supply chains of natural resources, technology, and consumer industries. Billy is driven by a mission to defossilize the chemical industry at an industrial scale with solutions that are both effective and cost competitive.

John Hannon

Chief Operating Officer
Vertimass, LLC
18565 Road, Suite 200
Irvine, CA 92612
Email: jhannon@vertimass.com

Dr. Hannon’s expertise is in renewable fuel scale-up, process economics, technical due diligence for investments, and identification of critical opportunities for improvements. He holds a PhD in chemical engineering from Dartmouth College and a BS & MS in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.

Shannon Harner

Executive Director
NIFA – Nebraska Investment Finance Authority
1230 O Street, Suite 200
Lincoln, NE 68508
Email: shannon.harner@nifa.org

Shannon R. Harner is the Executive Director of the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, also known as NIFA. She has worked in the real estate industry for over thirty years in a variety of roles, first as an attorney in private practice, specializing in real estate law and creditors rights. She returned to private practice after a brief sabbatical at a start-up in Hong Kong and then moved in-house, as general counsel, for a subsidiary of HomeServices of America, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, where she specialized in legal issues surrounding mortgage, title, insurance and brokerage operations. In 2013, she transitioned to the business side and served as General Manager and then CEO of HomeServices of Nebraska, prior to taking the helm at NIFA in August of 2020.

Shannon is active in her community and serves on several boards and organizations, including the Board and Executive Committee of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, and the Bryan Medical Center. She is an honorary Board member and past Board chair of the Nebraska Community Foundation, and has served on the Boards of Nebraska Humanities, TedxLincoln, Bryan Health Systems, the Lincoln Arts Council and a variety of other community organizations.

Shannon holds a Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Shannon and her husband both grew up in Imperial, Nebraska. They have two daughters, a cat, and a lot of music all around. In her spare time, she loves to hang out in at the family lake house, travel, read, cook, and engage in lively conversation.

Austin Hills

Partner
DekmX Homes
Lincoln, NE
Email: austin@dekmx.com

During his final year of undergraduate studies, Austin launched his business career by acquiring his first venture in the hospitality sector. In 2022, he expanded into real estate with a focus on affordable housing.

Austin received a State of Nebraska Innovation Grant to develop efficiently built and affordable single-family homes using precast concrete. To overcome the scarcity of building lots in rural Nebraska, he integrated land development into his business model, ensuring a consistent supply of lots for DekmX Homes and advancing its innovative precast home model. His approach demonstrates his capability to navigate the complexities of the housing market and his commitment to community development.”

Jack Hubbard

Executive Director
Center for Environment and Welfare
1655 Fort Myer Drive, Suite 600
Arlington, VA 22209
Email: jack@bermanco.com

Executive Director Jack Hubbard is a leader in the animal welfare and agriculture space, with over 15 years of experience providing advice and counsel to CEOs and senior executives on key industry issues.

Jack previously served as chief marketing officer and later chief operating officer at the country’s first national humane organization.

As executive director of Center for the Environment and Welfare, Jack leverages his first-hand experience in the animal welfare space to navigate today’s complex issues and blow the whistle on bad actors and extremist groups.

Greg Jaffe

Senior Advisor for Regulatory Affairs
Office of the Secretary
USDA
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250
Email: greg.jaffe@usda.gov

Gregory Jaffe is the Senior Advisor for Regulatory Affairs in the Office of the Secretary at USDA. In this role, Greg works on a broad portfolio of issues that include bioeconomy, biotechnology, biofuels, pesticides, PFAS, food safety, and scientific research and development.

Before joining USDA, Greg worked for many years at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit consumer office working on food and nutrition issues, where he managed their Biotechnology Project. Earlier in his career, Greg worked for seven years as a Trial Attorney for the US Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and for four years as Senior Counsel for the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Air Enforcement Division.

He has a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Government from Wesleyan University and a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Lindsey Jarecki

Board of Directors Member
Boone Beginnings Early Childhood and Family Development Center
Albion, NE 68620
Email: jodi.gibson@nebraska.gov

Lindsey Jarecki lives in Albion with her husband and two children. Lindsey has a background in early childhood development, elementary education, and curriculum and assessment. Lindsey has worked on the childcare quality and capacity shortage in Boone County since 2015 and sits on the Boone Beginnings Board. Lindsey is also a community consultant through Nebraska Children and Families and works with communities across the state addressing the childcare shortage.

Sarah Jelken

Vice President, Industrial Segment Cargill Starches, Sweeteners & Texturizers
Cargill
15407 McGinty Road West
Wayzata, MN 55391
Email: Sarah_Jelken@cargill.com

Sarah Jelken is the Vice President, Industrial Segment Leader for Cargill Starches, Sweeteners and Texturizers North America (CSST NA). Sarah has spent 15 years in Cargill in a variety of general management and trading/merchandising/risk management roles. These include serving as Assistant Vice President Starch Product Line Leader, the Corn Oil Product Line Manager, the General Manager for Cargill’s trading and soy crush business in Lusaka, Zambia, and as the Merchandising Leader for the Northwest Region of Cargill AgHorizons. Sarah also worked as a Business Analyst in the Strategy & Business Development group, as a Merchant in Cargill’s Grain and Oilseeds group, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Ag Partners, LLC, a 50/50 Cargill/Coop owned joint venture which handles grain, agronomy, and feed in Iowa. She currently is Board of Directors Vice Chair for the Plant Based Product Council who seek to advance sustainable, circular solutions thru plant-based materials.

Before joining Cargill in 2008, Sarah spent 5 years as Quality Manager in a specialized agency of the United Nations in Bern, Switzerland. Sarah has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a BS in Industrial Engineering from Georgia Tech. Sarah served as the Global Chair of the Cargill Women’s Network from 2021-2023 and mentors veterans entering the work force post military career thru American Corporate Partners. She and her husband Chad currently reside in Victoria, MN and she has 2 stepsons, Riley (25) and Gavin (23).

Bo Jones

Founder/CEO
CareerPathway.com
Lincol, NE
Email: bo@careerpathway.com

Bo Jones, a Nebraska native, graduated from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln with a degree in Business Administration. With over 25 years of experience as the owner of Tru-Built Construction, Bo now serves as founder and CEO of CareerPathway.com.
Bo and his wife Amber met in college and take pride in raising their two high school-aged children. His dual perspective as a parent guiding his kids through career exploration and as an employer seeking talent for his company gives him a unique insight into education and workforce development.

Throughout his career, Bo has dedicated himself to mentoring youth and young professionals interested in the construction industry, assisting them with pivotal life decisions. His passion for guiding the next generation inspired him to establish CareerPathway.com, a testament to his commitment to shaping the future of career exploration and workforce development for all.

Vicki Kramer

Director
NE Dept. of Transportation
1400 Nebraska Parkway
Lincoln, NE 68502
Email: vicki.kramer@nebraska.gov

Director Kramer is a transportation policy professional, having spent the last 15 years working to support the needs of Nebraskans. She has served our Country and State as a member of the Nebraska Army National Guard and previously served as the Chief of Staff for Kiewit Infrastructure’s Market and Strategies Group. She brings a wealth of governmental policy, integrated project delivery, cost transparency, and service optimization experience to the role of Director.

Rachel Kreikemeier

Executive Director
Gage Area Growth Enterprise (NGage)
218 North 5th Street
Beatrice, NE 68310
Email: rachelk@ngagegroup.org

Rachel Kreikemeier is the Executive Director of Gage Area Growth Enterprise (NGage) in Beatrice, NE since 2022. She spearheads initiatives in business, workforce, housing, childcare and community development. She loves getting to meet new people and takes great pride in connecting people and resources together to drive meaningful growth.

Outside of work Rachel enjoys spending time with her husband and four kids.

Alejandra Lopez Salas

Operations Manager
Patty’s Childcare Center
4102 South 13th Street
Omaha, NE 68107
Email: pattyschildcarecenter@yahoo.com

Alejandra started at Patty’s Childcare Center in 2018 as an Operation Manager for the 2-childcare centers, Papillion and South Omaha.

Alejandra’s leadership positions have helped her become the person she is today, enabling her to assist more people in achieving their established goals in her past jobs.

Kris Lutt

President, Sustainable Materials & Strategic Initiatives
Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM)
4666 East Faries Parkway
Decatur, IL 62526
Email: kris.lutt@adm.com

Kris Lutt is president, Sustainable Materials and Strategic Initiatives. In this role, he oversees ADM’s global BioSolutions strategy, including joint ventures; its decarbonization agenda, including CO2 pipeline partnerships and carbon capture and sequestration efforts; Business Development activities across the Carbohydrate Solutions portfolio; and ADM’s Evolutions Chemicals and Southern Cellulose businesses.

Lutt joined ADM in 2002, and most recently served as president of Sweetening & Texturizing Solutions within the Carbohydrate Solutions business unit. In that role, he was responsible for all commercial activities across the company’s sweetener, starch and acidulant businesses in the food space. Prior to that, he was president of ADM subsidiary Golden Peanut and Tree Nuts, a leading handler, processor and exporter of peanuts and tree nuts, with processing facilities in major growing areas in the United States, Argentina and South Africa. Before that, Lutt was president of ADM’s Milling business, and before that, advisor to the Office of the Chairman. Within ADM’s Corn business, he has served as general manager, Specialty Feed Ingredients, and vice president, Corn Processing. Before joining ADM, Lutt worked for Minnesota Corn Processors, which ADM acquired in 2002.

Lutt holds a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from the University of Nebraska and an MBA from Illinois State University. He also serves on the board of directors of the Corn Refiners Association, Redstar Yeast Company, along with the Acacia Fraternity Foundation, and is the chair of the Community Foundation of Macon County.

Kyle Nixon

Senion Director of Supply Chain for Americas
Novonesis
600 South 1st Street
Blair, NE 68008
Email: kynx@novonesis.com

Kyle has been with Novonesis since March of 2011. He has held positions as Logistics Manager, Operations Manager and General Manager for the site in Blair Nebraska as well as his most recent position as Senior Director of Supply Chain for North and South America. Kyle was directly involved in opening the Novonesis plant in Blair in 2012.

Prior to Novonesis Kyle was with UPS for almost 20 years holding positions as package car and tractor/trailer driver, Supervisor, Manager and Division Manager with over 13 facilities in Nebraska. He attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln majoring in Business Administration.

Rob Owen

Executive Director
Bio Nebraska
P.O. Box 24802
Omaha, NE 68124
Email: marnie.jensen@huschblackwell.com

Rob Owen joined Bio Nebraska as Executive Director in 2019. Prior to Bio Nebraska, Rob was an attorney with the Dobrusin Law Firm, a strategic intellectual property law firm, where he was Of Counsel, and served as general counsel for Streck, Inc., a market leader in the medical device industry, for over 8 years. While serving as Streck’s general counsel, Rob became involved with Bio Nebraska.

Rob earned a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska.

Brooke Puffer

President
Little Eagles Learning Center
403 6th Street
Overton, NE 68863
Email: bpuffer03@gmail.com

I am a returner to my hometown of Overton, Ne. After high school graduation, I moved to Lincoln and obtained my bachelor’s degree, then moved to Omaha to gain some professional experience, before moving back to my hometown in 2013 and starting a family. My husband, Kent, and I have 4 children – ages 9, 7, 6 & 4. We live a busy life chasing our kids around with their activities; yes, even at these ages we are chasing! LELC officially formed in Spring 2021 by myself having a passion for lack of childcare in my hometown; when Kent and I found out we were expecting, we had nowhere for our baby to attend childcare; this was hard for us and especially myself as a working mother. Rather than sitting back and watching the problem, I decided it was time to roll my sleeves up and take action! I’m happy to announce that we have been successfully operating a full-time summer program and full-time after school program since June 2022; our temporary location has been generously allowed by our Catholic Church in Overton with a small monthly rental fee. We broke ground on our new facility across the street in early May and plan to have completion by end of 2024! Our new facility will be able to hold up to 24 children! It has been a tough yet rewarding experience!.

Patrick Redmond

Deputy Director
Nebraska Broadband Office
1500 Nebraska Parkway
Lincoln, NE 68502
Email: patrick.redmond@nebraska.gov

Patrick Redmond graduated from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa, with a bachelor’s degree in political science and international studies. He also earned a master’s degree in political science with a focus on Public Policy from Iowa State University. Patrick was tapped by Governor Ricketts to be State Infrastructure and Broadband Coordinator in February 2022. He was appointed to lead the Broadband Office during its inception on January 6, 2023, and was hired on as Deputy Broadband Director on June 20, 2023.

Anwar Rida

President
TMCO, Inc.
701 South 6th Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
Email: arida@tmcoinc.com

My name is Anwar Rida. I am 53 years old and studied International Law. I have 23 years manufacturing experience (production/engineering/sales).

Vanessa Rising

General Manager and Director of Manufacturing
Novonesis
600 South 1st Street
Blair, NE 68008
Email: VARI@novozymes.com

Vanessa has been with Novonesis for 27 years where she has gained extensive experience across many functions and geographies. In 2022, Vanessa was appointed as the General Manager and the Director of Manufacturing at the Blair, Nebraska facilities.

Before taking on the current role, Vanessa resided in North Carolina and served as the Director of Technical Service for North and Central America in the Consumer BioSolutions division, where her teams worked with customers to integrate enzymes and microbes into products and processes in the Food & Beverage and Household Care Industries. The first 15 years at Novozymes, Vanessa was in quality and operations, culminating with a 2-year expat to Denmark sitting on the global product management team where she represented operations for the Food and Beverage industries.

Vanessa comes from a strong agriculture background as she grew up on a family farm in rural eastern North Carolina. She attended North Carolina State University and earned a BS in Food Science and a master’s in microbiology. She is a member of the BioNebraska Fermentation Advisory Committee, the Nebraska Manufacturing Advisory Council, and the Nebraska Chapter of Women in Manufacturing.

Hank Robinson

Executive Director
Aksarben Full Value Agriculture
2120 South 72nd Street, Suite 800
Omaha, NE 68124
Email: hank@aksarben.org

Over the last 20 year, Dr. Robinson has provided analytical, policy and technical counsel to government, higher education, and private agencies in the areas of workforce and economic development as well as juvenile justice, corrections, and child welfare. He earned both his law and doctoral degrees from the University of Nebraska

Doug Rood

Sr. Manager Operations Quality
Collins Aerospace
2800 North Division Avenue
York, NE 68467
Email: douglas.rood@collins.com

Doug Rood is the Senior Manager of Operations Quality at Collins Aerospace in York, NE. Originally from Allentown, PA, Doug earned a degree in Aerospace Engineering from Penn State University before starting his career as a manufacturing engineer at UTC Aerospace Systems, now Collins Aerospace, in Rockford, IL. With over a decade of experience in the industry, he has advanced through various roles and earned an MBA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Doug relocated to Nebraska in 2021 to join the York site, where he has become a key figure in the local community. He leads the York Young Professionals, serves on the York Chamber of Commerce and YCDC boards, and is involved with the Southeast Nebraska Manufacturing Partners and the NE Chamber Foundation Steering Committee. Doug is passionate about manufacturing, economic development, and fostering connections to elevate Nebraska as a manufacturing and economic hub.

Valerie Sarisky-Reed

Director, Bioenergy Technologie Office
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Ave. SW
Washington, DC 20585
Email: valerie.sarisky-reed@ee.doe.gov

Dr. Valerie Sarisky-Reed is the Director of the Bioenergy Technologies Office within DOE. She oversees efforts to improve performance, lower costs and accelerate market entry of bioenergy technologies. The Office manages a budget of approximately $280M annually, working with DOE’s national laboratories, academia, and industry to meet aggressive goals that will grow the US bioeconomy.

She has more than 30 years of experience in addressing energy and environmental issues faced by the United States and globally. Most recently she is a lead for the Sustainable Aviation Grand Challenge Team. The efforts of this team have already increased the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in this country and has the potential to reduce carbon emissions from aviation travel by 80-90% by 2050.

She also holds a spot on the Secretariate of the National Bioeconomy Board charged with implementing Executive Order 14081, Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and the Secure American Bioeconomy.

Valerie holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Georgetown University and is a graduate of the Department of Commerce’s Senior Executive Service Career Development Program.

Nicole Sedlacek

Economic Development Manager
NPPD
O’Neill, NE 68763
Email: njsedla@nppd.com

Nicole Sedlacek is the Economic Development Manager at Nebraska Public Power District where she leads a team that is focused on business attraction, business retention and expansion, and community development efforts and helping communities prepare for economic development opportunities.

Nicole is a Past President of the Nebraska Economic Developers Association (NEDA). She holds degrees from Bellevue University and Northeast Community College. Nicole is a graduate of Leadership Nebraska and the University of Oklahoma’s Economic Development Institute. She is also a Certified Economic Developer through the International Economic Development Council.

Rachel Sissel

Associate Vice President, Early Childhood/Communities for Kids
Nebraska Children and Families Foundation
215 Centennial Mall South
Lincoln, NE 68508
Email: rsissel@nebraskachildren.org

Rachel Sissel currently serves as an Associate Vice President for Early Childhood at Nebraska Children and Families Foundation. Rachel works with communities all across the state through the Communities For Kids initiative, which is focused on building the capacity and enhancing the quality of early care and education in Nebraska. She was previously based in Garden County and loved life in the panhandle but has recently returned to her hometown of Fremont, NE with her two very active, hilarious, and loving sons!

Erin Sorensen

iHub Director
Northeast Community College
801 East Benjamin Avenue
Norfolk, NE 68701
Email: esorensen@northeast.edu

I grew up on a farm in Southwest Iowa, developing a strong work ethic and an appreciation for community. I attended Northwest Missouri State University and earned a degree in Communications & Mass Media and later an MBA in Marketing. My professional journey began at Kawasaki, where my passion for manufacturing, global logistics, and workplace efficiency was developed. I decided to move to Nebraska having great love for the state and professional connections that led me to Wholestone Farms. In March of 2024 I relocated to Norfolk, NE, to assume the role of Director of iHUB at Northeast Community College, I am dedicated to fostering innovation and collaboration in the great state of Nebraska and retaining our next generation of top talent.

Greg Tink

Director, Industrial Digital Transformation for North America
Schneider Electric
1100 Barlow Square SE Suite 150 Calgary, AB Canada T2C 5T7
Email: greg.tink@se.com

Gregory Tink is the Industrial Digital Transformation Director at Schneider Electric where he is responsible for operating Schneider’s digital transformation business focused on providing transformation services to our clients in North America. Greg is an Operations Transformation and Technology specialist with more 25 years of industry and leadership experience focused on various process and manufacturing industries.

Over his career, Gregory was the founder of businesses focused on operational excellence, technology enablement and organizational transformation. Leading these companies, he worked with a variety of clients in supporting their operational transformation enabled by technology. This included standing up operations and control centers, the implementation of operations/asset optimization and maintenance platforms, the rollout of cyber security and risk management strategies, the integration of OT / IT and the integration of business functions supporting value chain alignment and the digital thread across the asset lifecycle.

Camden VanBrocklin

Manager, Rensenhouse Columbus
Rensenhouse
1600 23rd Street
Columbus, NE 68601
Email: camden.vanbrocklin@rensenhouse.com

Camden graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and business, proceeded by an MBA specializing in Project Management from LSU, and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from the Management and Strategy Institute.

He has organized and played host to the Manufacturing Nebraska’s Future Tech Summit co-sponsored by the NE Chamber and Central Community College for the past 3 years. Camden has spent the last 6 years working for Rensenhouse – a manufacturing technology company focused on injecting new technology into Nebraska manufacturers.

Sherry Vinton

Director
NE Department of Agriculture
245 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 200
Lincoln, NE 68521
Email: sherry.vinton@nebraska.gov

Sherry Vinton was appointed as the Director of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) in January 2023 by Governor Jim Pillen.

As NDA Director, Vinton oversees all programs of the agency including animal disease traceability programs, regulatory programs for plants and animals, food safety and consumer protection programs, and the promotion of Nebraska agriculture and ag products.

A lifelong Nebraskan and livestock producer, Vinton brings a wide range of experience, leadership, and knowledge to this position.

Vinton is a fifth-generation rancher on a family ranch south of Whitman in the Sandhills of Nebraska. The Vinton family runs a cow-calf operation where they raise Angus cattle that graze on native pasture, irrigated alfalfa and sub irrigated prairie hay. Vinton attended the
University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she studied accounting and currently manages the business end of the family ranch.

Vinton is a leader in Nebraska agriculture who knows the importance of the industry for the future of our state. Her passion for farming, ranching, and nature makes her the perfect advocate for agriculture, someone who will stand up for farmers and ranchers, promote and grow Nebraska agriculture, increase market access for Nebraska ag products and add value to the commodities we produce.

Vinton’s experience on various agricultural organizations and advisory committees at the local, state, and federal level serves Nebraska well. She was appointed to the Cattlemen’s Beef Board in 2012 and represented Congressional District 3 on the Nebraska Environmental Trust board for 14 years after her appointment in 2007. Vinton also served as treasurer and mentor for the Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition and is a member of the Agriculture Builders of Nebraska.

Starting in 2019 and just prior to becoming NDA’s director, Vinton served as Vice President of Nebraska Farm Bureau. She was also a member of the Board of Directors of Nebraska Farm Bureau for 6 years.

Vinton and her husband, Chris, have three married children (two who work on the ranch, and one who farms in northeast Nebraska) and 10 grandchildren.

Scott Volk

EVP/COO
MetalQuest Unlimited, Inc.
1410 Dove Road
Hebron, NE 68370
Email: scottv@metalquest.net

Scott Volk is the Executive Vice President and COO of MetalQuest Unlimited, an advanced CNC-based manufacturing company in Nebraska and Idaho. Serving large manufacturing firms throughout the United States, MetalQuest is a recognized manufacturing leader and the recipient of several manufacturing awards. A competitive advantage for MetalQuest is its company-wide use of smart manufacturing and automation, which allows the business to be cost-competitive in the global manufacturing market. Scott oversees the management and operations of the company, leads process and systems development, manages customer and supplier relationships, and has a key role in defining business strategy. Scott is an advisor to several high school and college manufacturing and automation programs. He is also on the NE Chamber Board of Directors Executive Council, the chair of the Nebraska Manufacturing Advisory Council, and serves on the steering committee for the Nebraska Manufacturing Alliance.

Reid Wagner

Executive Director
Nebraska Ethanol Board
245 Fallbrook Blvd., Suite 203
Lincoln, NE 68521
Email: reid.wagner@nebraska.gov

Reid Wagner joined the Nebraska Ethanol Board as Executive Director in January 2022. He brings technical experience for this role from his time across various industry sectors between refined sugars and ethanol production, oil and gas, and specialty chemicals. He is originally from Gretna, NE, and earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Prior to his start with the Nebraska Ethanol Board his professional experience includes roles with Evonik managing chemistry to develop food-grade glycerin, industrial detergents, and fabric softeners; ExxonMobil in process design, capital projects, and business development for refined products; and Cargill managing the production of corn oil, refined sugars and ethanol.

Jarrod Walker

Highway Planning Manager
NE Dept. of Transportation
1400 Nebraska Parkway
Lincoln, NE 68502
Email: jarrod.walker@nebraska.gov

Jarrod has served the State of Nebraska for 15 years, six of which have been spent with NDOT’s Strategic Planning Division. He has managed various state and federal grant programs for the last four years, including the Economic Opportunity Program and NDOT’s federal grant applications.
Jarrod is the project manager on the newly launched Grant Pairing Portal, assisted in the development of the Infrastructure Hub, and presented at the inaugural NDOT Transportation Summit last year. He recently moved into a new role as the Highway Planning Manager where he supports the State’s Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) as well as develops and maintains NDOT’s long-term transportation planning efforts.

Brody Zabel

Senior Project Engineer
FarmAfield
2125 Transformation Drive
Lincoln, NE 68508
Email: Brody.zabel@farmafield.com

Brody grew up near Firth, Nebraska where he helped out on the family farm growing up. Attended and graduated from University of Nebraska- Lincoln with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation in May 2021, stepped into a full-time role as an engineer with FarmAfield, an Ag-Tech Startup in Lincoln.

Annette Zimmerman

AVP Community Impact & Programs
United Way of the Midlands
1229 Millwork Avenue, Suite 402
Omaha, NE 68102-4277
Email: azimmerman@uwmidlands.org

With experience in creating and implementing initiatives that empower young people and communities, I am committed to fostering growth, education, and opportunities for youth. As a career educator, both in classrooms and school administration, I believe in our collective ability to develop impactful youth programs that pave the way for their future success.

Paul Zorner

CEO and Co-Founder
Remote Epigenetics
Governing Board Chair, Alternative Fuels and Chemicals Coalition
Email: paulzorner@msn.com

Paul has served as a senior manager or executive of multiple organizations operating to increase agricultural crop diversity and productivity; improve the nutritional content of food; and through more productive agricultural systems to increase the economic stability of rural agricultural communities. He is Chair of the Governing Board of the Alternative Fuels and Chemicals Coalition (www.altfuelchem.com); serves on the Dynamic Sustainability Lab Advisory Board at Syracuse University (https://www.dynamicslab.org/); on the Advisory Board of Netafim (www.netafim.com); on the Advisory Board of Biodel Ag (www.biodelag.com), and on the Advisory Board of Plenty Ag (www.plenty.ag ).
Paul received his undergraduate degree from Lewis and Clark College (Ecology and Secondary Education) and his Ph.D. in Botany and Plant Pathology from Colorado State University where he worked on development of cropping systems for dry-land agriculture. He is an elected Fellow of the Weed Science Society of America. He has held scientific, development, advisory, operations and senior administrative positions with Start-up, Private Equity, Venture Capital and Fortune 500 companies. He has extensive international experience and has been a co-founder of several agricultural, biotechnology and renewable energy-based companies who have had as a specific focus rural food, environmental and economic security.

Conference Information

Younes Conference Center North707 West Talmadge StreetKearney, NE 68845

Date: Thursday, August 8 | 2024
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Event Registration

Reserve a spot