University Librarian and Chief Knowledge Officer Search | Academic Affairs

Meet the Finalists

Following an extensive national search, finalists have been identified for the position of University Librarian and Chief Knowledge Officer. Finalists will be on campus throughout September and October. Campus and community members are invited to attend a public forum with each candidate to hear their vision for an academic library of the future. Feedback on each candidate will be invited following each campus visit.

David Arredondo

Monday, September 21, 2026 | 2:15 P.M. | Criss Library 249

Join Zoom Meeting: https://unomaha.zoom.us/j/98429262970?jst=1

View Arredondo's Curriculum Vitae (CV)

David Arredondo Headshot

David Arredondo is the Collection Services Librarian at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where his work focuses on information access, research support, and stewardship of library collections and data. He brings experience in library leadership, cross-campus collaborations, and responsible AI-use initiatives to support student learning, faculty research, and community engagement.

Rhonda Huisman

Wednesday, September 23, 2026 | 2:15 P.M. | Criss Library 249

Join Zoom Meeting: https://unomaha.zoom.us/j/93210934942?jst=1

View Huisman's Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Rhonda Huisman headshot

Rhonda Huisman (she/her), MAE, MLIST, EdD (abd) is an accomplished academic library leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing student success, faculty engagement, and equitable access to information in higher education. She most recently served as the Dean of the University Library at St. Cloud State University, leading strategic direction, operations, and organizational transformation since 2017. Her leadership has centered on building collaborative, student‑centered library ecosystems that strengthen learning, research, and community partnerships. Before joining St. Cloud State, Huisman served as Library Director at Marian University (IN) and Associate Dean and Assistant Professor at Wichita State University (KS), and library faculty at Indiana University. Scholarly contributions include books, articles, and national presentations on information literacy, high-impact educational practices, equity in higher education, and the evolving role of academic libraries as well as consulting on strategic planning and accreditation.

Juliana Nykolaiszyn

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 | 2:15 P.M. | Criss Library 249

Join Zoom Meeting: https://unomaha.zoom.us/j/93797258676?jst=1

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Juliana Nykolaiszyn headshot

Dr. Juliana Nykolaiszyn is Associate Dean for Library Operations and Puterbaugh Professor of Library Service at Oklahoma State University, where she leads the library's access, discovery, and research support teams. She is a librarian, oral historian, and educator. Her research examines job crafting and organizational behavior in libraries, alongside interests in digital collections, preservation and discovery systems.

Héctor Maymí-Sugrañes

Monday, October 5, 2026 | 2:15 P.M. | Criss Library 249

Join Zoom Meeting: https://unomaha.zoom.us/j/99700861364?jst=1

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Hector Maymí-Sugrañes Headshot

Dr. Héctor J. Maymí-Sugrañes is a higher-education executive, scholar, and academic-library leader who serves as Dean of Academic Commons and University Libraries at Western Illinois University. With a Ph.D. in Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, he brings more than three decades of experience in university administration, research development, teaching, institutional innovation, and library leadership in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Mexico. His scholarship and civic engagement focus on the knowledge economy, globalization, democracy, digital innovation, regional development, and the role of higher education in strengthening communities.

Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library University Librarian and Chief Knowledge Officer Search

About the Search

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) invites applications and nominations for a forward-thinking leader to serve as the University Librarian and Chief Knowledge Officer. As UNO advances its metropolitan mission and research growth, this role will position Criss Library as a future-ready knowledge enterprise that fuels innovation, digital transformation, and student success.

The UL/CKO will guide the evolution of the library beyond traditional models, advancing digital scholarship, data stewardship, and emerging technologies while strengthening the library’s role as a catalyst for collaboration and community engagement. This leader will shape how knowledge is created, shared, and activated across the university and beyond.

Leadership Profile

Search Committee Members

Candice Batton, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs - Search Committee Chair
Melissa Berke, Senior Associate Dean, College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media
Evan Boyd, Dean, Calvin T. Ryan Library and Loper Success Hub, UNK
Melissa Cast-Brede, Associate Professor, Teacher Education
Julie Dierberger, Chief Engagement Officer, Community Engagement Center
Brian Dorn, Associate Dean, College of Information Science & Technology
Jeff Kuskie, Electronic Resource Manager, Criss Library
Hillary Nather-Detisch, Executive Director, Samuel Bak Museum: The Learning Center
Tammi Owens, Director and Associate Professor, Research and Instruction Services, Criss Library
Connie Schaffer, Senior Director, Center for Faculty Excellence, and Professor, Teacher Education
Lori Schwartz, Assistant Professor, Archives and Special Collections, Criss Library

Our Library | Our Campus | Our City

Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library

The Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss Library at UNO serves as the primary academic information hub for the university community, blending robust physical spaces with extensive digital resources to support teaching, learning, and research. Housed in a building originally constructed in 1976 and expanded in 2006, the library offers modern facilities—including collaborative study rooms, the Creative Production Lab, the Osborne Family Gallery, a peaceful reflection garden, and a lactation room. With over 700,000 volumes, tens of thousands of journal titles, and unique special collections such as the Chuck Hagel papers and the Arthur Paul Afghanistan Collection, Criss Library supports a wide array of academic and archival needs. Whether you’re working at a high-tech workstation or relaxing with a book and coffee, Criss Library fosters an environment of intellectual discovery, collaboration, and community engagement.

The University of Nebraska at Omaha

UNO is Nebraska’s metropolitan university – a university with strong academic values and significant relationships with our community that transforms and improves the lives of those on a local, regional, national, and international level.

For more than 100 years, UNO has been firmly anchored in its community, forging partnerships with business, government, education, arts, and civic organizations. Today, the campus is known for its student-centered environment, its community engagement, and its dedication to embracing students from all types of backgrounds.

Omaha, Nebraska

Located on the eastern border of Nebraska, near the Missouri River, the city of Omaha is a center of creativity, business, and philanthropy. This is where Fortune 500 companies, visionary nonprofits, award-winning arts and culture, and innovative start-ups flourish and attract a range of world-class talent—from entrepreneurs to artists.

Omaha is more than simply our location; the city truly functions as part of the UNO campus. With a population of more than 1.2 million within a 50-mile radius, Omaha is integral to what UNO is as a university and offers unlimited opportunities for collaboration. UNO and Omaha enjoy a dynamic, fruitful, long-term partnership with a shared goal: changing the lives of students and residents while enriching the global community.