CEHHS Alumni News
FALL 2020
- Dr. Christopher Loofe, BS '97, MS '01, & EdD '16, named 2020 Outstanding New Principal of the Year by the Nebraska State Association of Secondary School Principals.
- CEHHS Distinguished Alumni and EDL alumna Dr. Elizabeth Mulkerrin, MS '98 & EdD '12, Vice President of Education at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, featured in a UNO #AlumniAtWork video.
- Teacher at Omaha South High School Samantha Koehler-Overton, MS '17, honored by the WCA in Oct. at the 2020 Tribute to Women Luncheon.
- H&K alumnus Skyler Brooke, BS '13 & MS '15, named UNO Employee of the Month for August.
- Sioux City Musketeers Athletic Trainer and UNO Athletic Training alumna Jacqui Gutierrez, MA '19, interviewed by KMEG about COVID protocol and precautions for players and staff.
- Principal Dr. Andrea Haynes, EdD '16, and School Counselor Danielle Herzog, MS '18, of Harrison Elementary School were recently featured by OPS for creating a team focused on supporting attendance during remote learning.
- Real Salt Lake Head Athletic Trainer and UNO Athletic Training alumna, Christine Center, MA '19, discusses how her team has safely brought back soccer players during the pandemic on a recent video.
- Librarian Gavin Flint, BS '12 & MS '18, and history teacher Angela Ecabert, BS '15—both Teacher Education alumni and Bryan High School educators—were featured by KMTV for keeping their virtual history class fun and engaging for students during the pandemic.
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
- Educational Leadership Alumnus Dr. Jim Sutfin, MS '93 & Ed.D '02, was honored as the Nebraska Superintendent of the Year by NASA (Nebraska Association of School Administrators).
- Nine College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences alumni honored with education awards: 2020 Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Awards and a Millard Public Schools Foundation 2020 Award of Excellence.
- School librarian Betsy Thomas, MS '12, was featured by the TODAY Show's Hota Kotb during Teacher Appreciation Week. Thomas launched her own TV series from her basement to entertain and educate her 750+ elementary students during the pandemic.
- Omaha South High teacher Sara Waugh, MS '10 & '19, interviewed for a USA TODAY article about how the pandemic might affect the teaching profession.
- Pamela Duncan, BS '16, featured by the OWH, WOWT, and Omaha Major Jean Stothert for her sign language interpreting during pandemic press conferences.
- Alyssa Irby, MA '19, and Max Knight, BS '18, athletic trainers for the University of Minnesota-Duluth hockey teams, were featured by the Duluth News Tribune for the vitrual help they provide student athletes who are rehabbing injuries.
WINTER 2020
- Lincoln Public Schools Director of Library Services, Dr. Chris Haeffner, MS '03 & EdD '20, was featured in a Lincoln Journal Star article about providing online resources to students while schools are closed.
- Wendy Boyer, MS '91, was appointed Executive Director of the Peter Kiewit Foundation in February. Wendy was recently featured in an Omaha World Herald article about the local impact of coronavirus on philanthropic organizations.
- Jerry Green, MS '01, was named the next superintendent of Fort Calhoun Community Schools, reports the Washington County Pilot-Tribune & Enterprise.
- The Grand Island Independent and Fremont Tribune report that Tammi Thiem, BS '17, was named executive director of the Three Rivers Library System.
- Denise Marshall, MA '07, appointed to vice president of the Nebraska State Athletic Trainers’ Association’s 2020-2022 executive board. In June, Denise won the the George F. Sullivan Athletic Trainer of the Year Award from the Nebraska State Athletic Trainers' Association (NSATA).
- Assistant Director of UNO's Office of Civic and Social Responsibility, Jeffrey Southall II, M.S. '18, was featured on KETV's Chronicle about the recent UNO Day of Service.
FALL 2019
- COE Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Mark Adler, Ed.D '08, was honored as the Nebraska Superintendent of the Year by NASA (Nebraska Association of School Administrators).
- Dr. Kailey Snyder, MS '16 & PhD '19, wrote a piece published in the Omaha World Herald's Midlands Voices section about the benefits of physical activity during pregnancy.
SPRING & SUMMER 2019
- Kelsey Sheridan, BS '16 & MS '18, Volunteer Coordinator for the Autism Society Nebraska, interviewed on KMTV for story about the iCan Bike Camp.
- Dan Ridenour, MS '18, hired as the director of athletic performance for Wilmington College through a partnership with Ignition Athletic Performance Group.
- Marc Bauer, BS '93, hired as UNK’s athletic director.
- Dr. LaTrina Parker, MS '02, P-16 Initiative Coordinator in UNO’s Service Learning Academy, was selected for the first cohort of the Campus Compact Midwest Region Engaged Scholars Initiative (ESI).
- Dan Allan, BS '04, special education teacher at J. Sterling Morton Elementary School, received the 2019 Nebraska Council for Exceptional Children Special Education Teacher of the Year Award.
- Harrison Elementary School teacher Allison Birkemeier, BS '14 & MS '18, and her third-graders were featured in the Omaha World-Herald for a recent pen pal project with the residents of New Cassel Retirement Center.
- Principal Susan Toohey, MS '94, and Assistant Principal Genevive Core, BS '99 & MS '00, of Nelson Mandela Elementary School were featured in the Omaha World-Herald by columnist and COE Distinguished Alumna Janice Gilmore, BS & MS.
- Westridge Middle School counselor, Rachel Catlett, MS '15, was recognized in Feb. as the 2019 Nebraska School Counselor of the Year by the Nebraska School Counselor Association.- Maria Young, BS '15 & MS '17, speech-language pathologist at Bryan Middle School, was featured in the Bellevue Leader for starting a mobile coffee shop run by kids with autism, Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities.
- COE Distinguished Alumna Melissa Scott-Pandorf, BS '03 & MS '05, selected as a new class member of Leadership Nebraska.
- New alumni Gabriela Amador, BS '19, and Samantha Sack, BS '19, awarded English teaching assistantship positions through the prestigious Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
- OPS teachers Jennifer Bailey (BS '00 & MS '02), Kelli Baker (BS '02), Maggie Douglas (MS '11), Vanessa Kruse (MS '06 & '15), and Donna Wilcox (BS '94 & MS '06) selected as 2019 Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher Award winners.
- Richard D. Brown (BS '72, MS '75), received the Fourth Diamond Award from the National Forensic League/National Speech & Debate Association. Brown is in his tenth year as a speech/debate coach at Creighton Preparatory School in Omaha.
WINTER 2019
- Alumni from the Department of Educational Leadership gathered for the biennial DocTails event, this year taking place at Joslyn Art Museum for a private viewing of the 30 Americans exhibition.
- Kirn Middle School Principal Kerry Newman, BS '87 and MS '98 & '02, has been named Middle Level Principal of the Year by School Administrators of Iowa.
- Principal of Harrison Elementary Dr. Andrea Haynes, Ed.D. '16, featured in an #OPSProud Principal Spotlight.
- Dr. Deanna M. Hughes, MS '95, was featured in an online Q&A about developmental disabilities and the field of speech-language pathology.
- Sump Memorial Library Youth Service Director Cathy McMahon, BS '08 & MS '08, was recently awarded the Mad Hatter Youth Services Award from the Nebraska Library Association.
- Dr. Marquisha Spencer-Frost, MS '14, recently accepted a position of Assistant Dean for Academic Resources and Services at Scripps College in Claremont, California. Dr. Spencer-Frost was featured in a November UNO news feature about the 10-year anniversary of the Thompson Learning Community.
- UNK Assistant Professor of Physical Education Marc Bauer, BS '93, inducted into the Kearney High Athletic Hall of Fame.
- COE Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Mark Adler, Ed.D '08, and COE Distinguished Alumna and Assistant Professor Dr. Ferial Pearson, MS '09 & Ed.D '17, featured in the UNO Magazine about the #BeKind movement.
- COE Distinguished Alumna Stacie Wemhoff Tovar, BS '07, featured in the UNO Magazine about an innovative new adaptive CrossFit program on QLI’s campus.
- Keith Hatfield, MS '89, featured in the UNO Magazine for an invention that alleviates plantar fasciitis pain.
- Andrew Goodin, MA '15, featured in a Daily Nonpareil article about his CrossFit facility.
SUMMER & FALL 2018
- Recent grad Gina Mujinga Kadima, MS '18, featured in a Commencement Ceremony profile.
- Recent grad Sandra Jones, BS '18, featured in a Commencement Ceremony profile.
- COE Distinguished Alumna Janice Gilmore, BS & MS, honored with an Alumni Achievement Award at December's Commencement Ceremony.
- COE Distinguished Alumna Dr. Stephanie Koraleski, MS '89, along with her partner and CBA alumnus, Jack Koraleski, were honored with the Order of the Tower award at December's Commencement Ceremony.
- Amy Sokoll, BS '14, featured in NUforNE website story about the UNO/UNMC uBeats partnership.
- COE Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Mark Adler, EdD '08, championed the citywide #BeKind Day on Aug. 24.
- Ada Brightman, MS ’08, received an award in the field of education from the National Council of Negro Women Inc., Omaha Section, for her compassionate work in the field of education.
- Robert Koerting, BS ’10, is the new head coach for varsity girls basketball at Lexington High School.
- Dr. Deborah Gleich-Bope, EdD '16, is the new assistant principal at Longfellow Elementary School.
- Kathie Shepoka, MS '99, was featured in the Bellevue Leader for her 18-year career as a librarian at Pawnee Elementary.
- Tim Sandquist, MA '11, is the new head basketball coach for Rock Valley College.
- Jennifer Brown, MA '03, was named senior associate athletic director for sports medicine at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Mary Beth McKim, BS, is the new principal of Desert Spirit School in Arizona.
- Tayler Haeker, BS '18; Kyle Johnson, MS '18; and Rebecca Cox, MS '15, were featured in a new teacher and administrator interview in the Washington County Pilot Tribune & Enterprise.
- Katie Moos, MA '12, was awarded Head Athletic Trainer of the Year - Clubs/Intramurals/Rec Sports at the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) national convention in June 2018.