Speakers:
Troy Dannen, Huskers Athletic Director
2026 Keynote Speaker
Bio
A respected leader in collegiate athletics with deep Midwestern roots, Troy Dannen is in his third year as Nebraska’s Director of Athletics. Dannen guides Nebraska’s 25-sport athletic department that ranks among the nation’s most successful programs both athletically and academically.
Since his arrival to Nebraska in March of 2024, the Huskers have posted three straight top-25 finishes in the Learfield Director’s Cup, marking the first time Husker Athletics has accomplished that feat in more than two decades. The Huskers enjoyed broad-based success in 2025-26. The Husker men’s basketball program reached the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in school history, the Husker softball team reached the Women’s College World Series for the first time since 2013, while the men’s and women’s outdoor track squads posted top-10 finishes in the same season since 2003.
Dannen came to the University of Nebraska following successful stints as Athletic Director at Washington, Tulane, and Northern Iowa. Prior to his career in collegiate athletics, Dannen served as the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union’s Executive Director for seven years, overseeing 400 high schools and 10 sports.
Dannen grew up on a farm in Iowa and graduated from University of Northern Iowa in 1989 with a degree in communications. He is married to Amy and has four children: Elizabeth, William, Emily and Holly.
Coach Fred Hoiberg
2026 Keynote Speaker
Bio
Fred Hoiberg enters his eighth season as Nebraska’s men’s basketball coach in 2026-27. Born in Lincoln, Hoiberg’s ties to Nebraska run deep. One of his grandfathers, Jerry Bush, coached the Huskers men’s basketball team from 1955 to 1963. His other grandfather, Otto Hoiberg, was a history professor at the University, while his father, Eric, received his doctorate degree from Nebraska.
In his tenure at Nebraska, Coach Hoiberg has steadily built the program and raised it to new heights. Over the last three seasons, he has guided NU to 72 wins–the most in a three-year span in program history. His teams have also made three straight postseason appearances, including the program’s first NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 2026. For his efforts, he was honored as the men’s college basketball National Coach of the Year in 2026 by the Associated Press.
Prior to coaching at Nebraska, Hoiberg guided Iowa State to a 115-56 record during five years at the helm. He also has experience as a National Basketball Association (NBA) player, headcoach, and front office executive. Hoiberg earned his degree in finance from Iowa State University in 1995. Fred and his wife, Carol, have four children: one daughter, Paige; and three sons, Jack and twins Sam and Charlie.
Leah Barrett
Northeast Community College
Session: Building Nebraska’s Talent Pipeline
Cobus Block
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Session: Exporting Nebraska Products Globally
Kenneth Bracht
Valmont Industries
Session: Exporting Nebraska Products Globally
Jesse Bradley
Department of Water, Energy and Environment
Sessions: Water Quality & Quantity Task Force Final Report,
Clean Energy & Feeding the World
Greg Dart
Western Community College
Session: Building Nebraska’s Talent Pipeline
Steven Davidson
Tallgrass Energy
Session: Clean Energy & Feeding the World
Courtney Dentlinger
Nebraska Public Power District
Session: Powering Nebraska: Data Centers, Energy Infrastructure & Ratepayer Protections
Jacki Fee
Cargill, Incorporated
Session: Clean Energy & Feeding the World
Javier Fernandez
Omaha Public Power District
Session: Powering Nebraska: Data Centers, Energy Infrastructure & Ratepayer Protections
Wayne Garrett
Chief Ethanol Fuels
Session: Exporting Nebraska Products Globally
Josie Gatti Schafer
Center for Public Affairs Research
Sessions: Why Nebraskans Stay in Nebraska,
Good Life, Great Careers: Winning Nebraska’s Talent
Matt Gotschall, PhD
Central Community College
Session: Building Nebraska’s Talent Pipeline
Dan Gray
Dostofarm
Session: Exporting Nebraska Products Globally
Dakota Gullicksen
Daycos
Session: Good Life, Great Careers: Winning Nebraska’s Talent
Shannon Harner
Nebraska Investment Finance Authority
Session: Opportunity Zones & Regional Growth
Jason Hellbusch
Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A.
Session: Exporting Nebraska Products Globally
Brandon Hunnicut
Nebraska Corn Board
Session: Water Quality & Quantity Task Force Final Report
Paul Illich
Southeast Community College
Sessions: Why Nebraskans Stay in Nebraska,
Building Nebraska’s Talent Pipeline
Jordan Klute
Klute, Inc
Session: Growing the Good Life
Vicki Kramer
Nebraska Department of Transportation
Session: Opportunity Zones & Regional Growth
Ben Kresl
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Session: Opportunity Zones & Regional Growth
Maureen Larsen
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Session: Opportunity Zones & Regional Growth
Chris Leitner
Tenaska
Session: Powering Nebraska: Data Centers, Energy Infrastructure & Ratepayer Protections
Heath Mello
Greater Omaha Chamber
Session: Growing the Good Life
Sara Morgan
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Session: Rural Health Transformation Panel
Tim Mundorf
Central Valley Ag Cooperative
Session: Water Quality & Quantity Task Force Final Report
Ashley Newmyer
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Session: Rural Health Transformation Panel
Joe Pepplitsch
City of Lexington
Session: Opportunity Zones & Regional Growth
Isabella Peterson
Department of Water, Energy and Environment
Session: Powering Nebraska: Data Centers, Energy Infrastructure & Ratepayer Protections
Ryan Purdy
Mid-Plains Community College
Session: Building Nebraska’s Talent Pipeline
Doug Rood
Collins Aerospace
Session: Growing the Good Life
Scott Schaneman
North Platte NRD
Session: Water Quality & Quantity Task Force Final Report
Randy Schmailzl
Metro Community College
Session: Building Nebraska’s Talent Pipeline
Carissa Schweitzer Maske
United States Department of Health and Human Services
Session: Rural Health Transformation Panel
Samantha Stephenson
Lincoln County Attorney's Office
Session: Good Life, Great Careers: Winning Nebraska’s Talent
Trey Stewart
Alliance for the Future of Nebraska Agriculture
Session: Good Life, Great Careers: Winning Nebraska’s Talent
Katie Thurber
Nebraska Department of Labor
Sessions: Why Nebraskans Stay in Nebraska,
Building Nebraska’s Talent Pipeline
Reid Wagner
Growth Energy
Session: Clean Energy & Feeding the World
Faith Wilson
US Meat Animal Research Center
Session: Good Life, Great Careers: Winning Nebraska’s Talent
Matt Williams
Session: Growing the Good Life
John Winkler
Papio Missouri River Natural Resource District
Session: Powering Nebraska: Data Centers, Energy Infrastructure & Ratepayer Protections
Courtney Wittstruck
Nebraska Community College Association
Session: Why Nebraskans Stay in Nebraska
Joseph Young
Nebraska Chamber of Commerce
Session: Growing the Good Life
Conference Information
Younes Conference Center North707 West Talmadge StreetKearney, NE 68845
Dates: September 29, 2026