Dr. Chuck Powell Memorial Lecture Series
The Dr. Chuck Powell Memorial Lecture Series is open to university gerontology students, alumni, faculty, and the community. It is sponsored by the UNO Department of Gerontology and through the generosity of Dr. Amy Haddad and Mr. Steven Martin.
The Chuck Powell Memorial Lecture Series began at UNO in 2012. In just a few short years, the lecture series that focuses on leadership has become an annual rite of fall for UNO Gerontology students.
About Dr. Powell
Gentleman. Educator. Navy man. All could be used to describe the late Dr. Chuck Powell, professor emeritus of the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) Department of Gerontology and the man for whom this lecture series is named.
Leadership was a subject familiar to Dr. Powell, who, as a 30-year U.S. Navy commander, participated in the Berlin airlift. Powell found gerontology in the second half of his life, earning his doctorate from the University of Nebraska in 1987 and joining the UNO faculty. “He was a wonderful gentleman and a great member of our faculty,” said Terry Haney Chair of Gerontology Dr. Julie Masters.
Previous Speakers
2025: Brian Kaskie, PhD, Professor, MPH in Policy Advisor, University of Iowa
2024: Marilyn R. Gugliucci, MA, PhD, AGHEF, GSAF, AGSF, NAOMEF, Professor, University of New England, Director, Geriatrics Education and Research, Director, U-ExCEL Older Adult Fitness/Wellness Program
2023: Jennifer Craft Morgan, Director of Gerontology Institute and Professor of Gerontology, Georgia State University
2022: Kenneth Rockwood, Professor of Medicine, investigator, active staff physician, and the Kathryn Allen Weldon Professor of Alzheimer Research at Dalhousie University
2021: Steven S. Martin, Magaging Partner, Paxton Advisors, L.L.C.
2019: Julie Kaminski, Senior Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer for Immanuel Senior Living
2018: Jane Potter, Professor of Geriatric Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center and Home Instead Center for Successful Aging
2017: Sarah Rowan, an inspirational speaker and noted life advocate for individuals walking with forgetfulness.
2016: Susan Henricks, CEO, ICAN
2015: Jane Miller, Chief Operating Officer, Gallup Corporation
2014: Glenn Van Ekeren, President of Vetter Health Services
2013: Dr. Tom Osborne, Hall of Fame football coach & Co-Founder of TeamMates
2012: Paul & Lori Hogan, co-founders of Home Instead Senior Care
Dr. Karl Kosloski Memorial Lecture Series
The Dr. Karl Kosloski Memorial Lecture Series is open to university gerontology students, alumni, faculty, and the community. This series is meant to honor Dr. Kosloski's legacy and to continue his work and research in understanding the challenges and opportunities of caregiving.
About Dr. Kosloski
The late Dr. Karl Kosloski was an emeritus professor and fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. He was a member of the Department of Gerontology faculty at UNO for 19 years until an illness led to his retirement at the age of 63.
Dr. Kosloski was an impressive scholar and colleague in the field of aging, especially on the topic of caregiving. He was the author of over 80 publications and over 100 presentations at scholarly conferences, including the Gerontological Society of America, the American Psychological Association, the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the American Society on Aging. Dr. Kosloski was on the editorial board of numerous top-tiered journals and served as a reviewer for countless others.
As a faculty member, Dr. Kosloski was highly regarded for his research skills having received the UNO Award for Distinguished Research and holding the Reynolds Professorship in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service as a faculty member.
Previous Speakers
2025:
- Steven Wengel, M.D. - UNMC and UNO's first Assistant Vice Chancellor for Campus Wellness
- Kuan-Hua Chen, Ph.D. - Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurological Sciences at the University of Nebraska Medical Center
2024:
- Felipe A. Jain, M.D. – Director of Healthy Aging Studies in the Depression Clinical Research Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and faculty of the Harvard-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Health Sciences and Technology program. Psychotherapy mentor at the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at the Cambridge Health Alliance.
- Diane Hendricks, CMSW & LMHP – Clinical social worker at UNMC Division of Geriatrics and Gerontology; and contracted to the Alzheimer’s Association as an Educator.
Begin with the End in Mind
Each year the Department of Gerontology offers the popular lecture series, “Begin With the End in Mind" about end-of-life planning. A special thanks to Tom Osborne, Ph.D., former Nebraska Cornhuskers football coach, for inspiring us to hold the Begin with the End in Mind series!
Previous Speakers
2025:
- Josh Planos, APR, Vice President of Marketing, Communications & Public Relations for the Better Business Bureau, and freelance writer - "Stay Safe, Stay Smart: Scam Prevention Best Practices from BBB"
- Denise Craft - "Craft Lifestyle Management"
- Anne Marcotte - "Will and Power of Attorney Fundamentals"
- Steve Doran, MD, - "To Die Well"
2024:
- Michael James, textile artist and writer, Emeritus Professor and Chair, Dept. of Textiles at UNL, author of Dear Judy–A Love Story Rewritten by Alzheimer’s
- Mary Lou Buss, MSW, PhD - "The Power of Reflecting on Grief Practices at Each Stage of the Grief Journey"
2023:
- Katie Ransdell, MS, CCLS - "Grief and Loss"
- Cassidy Taladay-Carter, MA & PhD student in Communication Studies - UNL - "Bereavement Stories and End-of-Life Disparities"
- David M. Thompson, PhD, JD - "Legal Aspects at End-of-Life"
- Margaret Schaefer, Centralized Intake Managing Attorney, Legal Aid of Nebraska - "Legal Aspects of Death and Dying"
2022:
- Margaret Schaefer, JD - "Legal Aspects and End-of-Life"
- Mark Gilbert, Ph.D. - "Art and End-of-Life"
- Physician Panel - "Palliative Care"
2020:
- Tom Belford, John A. Gentleman Mortuaries - "Funeral planning and preparation"
Mindy Crouch, LCSW, LIMHP, Pando Geriatric Counseling - "Tears are normal--coping with grief"
2019:
- Kerry Beldin, Ph.D. - "The Gift of Illness"
- Melissa Johnson, M.D. - "The Basics of Palliative Care"
- Abby McConnaughhay, JD, MA. - "Legal Issues at End of Life"
2018:
- Cathy Fox, MSW of Grief 's Journey. - "Disenfranchised Grief: A Grief Not Recognized by Others"
- Gary George, Exec. Dir. Josie Harper House. - "Spiritual Aspects: End of Life From a Hospice Perspective"
- Dr. Amy Haddad, Creighton University. - "Advance Directives: The Ups and Downs"
- Marcia Adler, Ph.D., R.N. Director of UNO Health. - "Women’s Retirement Experiences"
- Timothy Lenaghan, Legal Aid of Nebraska. - "How to Ensure Your Wishes are Carried Out at End of Life"
- Ron Jensen, JD, Baird Holm Law. - "Prevention of Financial Abuse Through Effective Estate Planning"
- Domingo Maynes, III, MD, CHI Health. - Palliative care.
- Shane Kotok, MS. - "Writing Your Ethical Will"
- Margaret Schaefer, JD, Elder Access Line/Legal Aid of Nebraska. - "Discussing the Legal Aspects at End of Life"
- Paige Toller and Dr. Julie Masters, University Nebraska Omaha. - "Write Your Own Obituary"
- Tom Belford, Owner, John A. Gentleman Mortuaries - "Plan Your Funeral/Memorial Service"
- Helen Chapple, Creighton University - "Talk About Your Wishes: It’s All About the Conversation"