Biographies of our esteemed honorees:
Faculty Excellence Award, 2025
Gary Marshall, PHD, holds a long-standing interest in the theory and practice of administration. As an undergraduate, he studied political science with an emphasis on the public sector. After graduation he served a four-year tour as an infantry officer in the United States Army. He then settled in Washington, DC where he earned an MPA from the George Washington University and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech’s Center for Public Administration and Policy.
Before joining SPA, Professor Marshall worked at both the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of Personnel Management with the Presidential Management Fellows Program. A UNO faculty member since 1995, Marshall has taught at the MPA and Ph.D. level, chairing the doctoral program for six years. His research and publications focus on the role of theory in public administration.
Emergency Management Alumni Award
Erin Wendt holds a Bachelor of Science in Emergency Management & Disaster Science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, with concentrations in Natural Hazards and Planning & Preparing for Urban Hazards, and minors in Geography and Political Science. Since November 2023,she has served as an Outreach Coordinator in the Floodplain Management Division at the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NeDNR), where she provides technical assistance and training to National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) communities across the state. Her work includes evaluating state and federally funded projects for floodplain impacts and communicating regulatory requirements.
A Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) as of March 2025, Erin actively engages with communities by organizing and presenting at state conferences such as NAEM and NeFSMA, and leading both in-person and virtual floodplain management trainings. Recognized with the College of Public Affairs and Community Services Dean's Award in May 2023, Erin is also an avid runner and reader, training for the Lincoln Half Marathon in May and the Good Life Halfsy in November 2025.
Tribal Emergency Services Minor Alumni Award
Master of Science in Urban Studies Alumni Award
John Ewing is a dedicated public servant and community leader with over four decades of experience in law enforcement, public administration, and ministry. He earned Master of Science in Urban Studies from the UNO after completing his BS at UNO in business and criminal justice. Since January 2007, he has served as Douglas County Treasurer, overseeing the collection and distribution of over $1.7 billion in taxes and managing public investments for the county and Sanitary Improvement Districts. Prior to that, John served the Omaha community for 24 years with the Omaha Police Department, retiring as Deputy Chief of the Police Services Bureau. A licensed and ordained minister, he has also served as an Associate Minister at Salem Baptist Church since 2002, providing spiritual guidance, leading worship, and mentoring new ministers.
Beyond his professional roles, John is deeply involved in civic life, holding leadership and advisory positions with numerous organizations, including the Charles Drew Health Center, Nebraska Children & Families Foundation, and 100 Black Men of Omaha. He has received multiple honors, including the President Harry Truman Lifetime Achievement Award, the Dean Hubert Locke Award, and a nomination for County Official of the Year in 2020. Through his work, he continues to champion justice, service, and mentorship in the Omaha community and beyond.
PHD in Public Administration Alumni Award
Felipe Blanco, PHD, earned his doctorate in Public Administration from UNO in May 2023, with specializations in Public Administration Theory and Public Policy. During his time at UNO, he served in multiple academic roles, including Instructor, Graduate Research Assistant, and Research Associate with the Center for Public Affairs Research. He taught courses such as Policy Design and Implementation, Leadership & Administration, and Seminar in Public Policy, and also mentored first-year Ph.D. students from 2020 to 2022. Felipe’s academic journey at UNO laid the foundation for his current role as Assistant Professor of Public Administration at the University of Colorado Denver. His scholarship focuses on social equity and public administration theory, and he is the recipient of the 2023 Doctoral Dissertation of the Year Award from the ASPA Section on Democracy and Social Justice. Outside of academia, Felipe enjoys cooking, playing soccer, running, spending time with his family, and exploring the outdoors in Colorado.
NE Certified Public Manager Alumni Award
Jo Martin, winner of the Nebraska Certified Public Manager Award, is the Sarpy County Corrections Director. She has dedicated 25 years to county service, including 20 years with the Sheriff’s Office. She brings 18 years of experience in corrections and has served as Assistant Corrections Director since 2019. Throughout her career, Jo has held roles in road patrol, house arrest/work release, classification, courthouse security, and jail operations.
In her current role, she has overseen daily operations, contributed to the construction and launch of a new corrections facility, and led the implementation of innovative technology and process improvements. A Certified Public Manager through the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a graduate of the American Jail Association’s Jail Executive Institute, Jo also serves on several community boards, including the CPM Advisory Board, Heartland CIT Board, and the Reentry Coalition Project Implementation Committee. Outside of work, she enjoys health and fitness, golf, exploring advancements in aging, and spending time with family.
UNO Master of Public Administration Alumni Award
Lauren Cencic, MPA, is the CEO of Metro Transit, the Regional Metropolitan Transit Authority of Omaha. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Dickinson College and later earned her MPA from UNO. Lauren credits her time at UNO’s School of Public Administration with providing practical, lasting lessons that continue to inform her leadership today—so much so that her Strategic Planning textbook still sits on her office shelf nine years later. While earning her degree, she worked full time as Metro Transit’s Special Projects Manager, laying the foundation for Omaha’s first bus rapid transit line (ORBT), thanks in part to the program’s flexibility. With over 20 years in the transit industry, including leadership roles at LA Metro, Lauren brings deep experience in infrastructure, planning, and public engagement to her work. She currently serves on the board of the Nebraska Association of Transportation Providers and as an ex-officio member of the Douglas County Board of Health. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Carlos, their two dogs, and riding her horses.
Excellence in Student Teaching Award
Michael Lee, recipient of the Excellence in Student Teacher Award, is a fourth-year doctoral candidate UNO. He holds an MPA from Brigham Young University and a BS in Urban and Regional Planning. At UNO, Michael has served as both a Graduate Research Assistant and Instructor, teaching courses such as Public Personnel Management, Public Budgeting, Applied Statistics, and Leadership and Administration. His commitment to teaching and scholarship is matched by active community involvement, including roles on the ASPA Nebraska Chapter Executive Council and as a mentor to fellow doctoral students. Michael is also a recipient of national recognitions such as the ASPA Founders’ Fellowship and ARNOVA Graduate Diversity Scholar Award.
Excellence in Part-time Teaching Award
Catherine Humphries Brown, PHD, has been a valued member of the School of Public Administration community for nearly 15 years. She holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration from UNO and multiple master’s degrees from the University of Kentucky and the U.S. Naval War College, along with dual bachelor’s degrees from Mount Holyoke College. Catherine is the Founder and CEO of Catherine Brown Evaluation Services, LLC, and has previously served as Vice President of Research and Evaluation at Nebraska Children and Families Foundation and as a Senior Analyst at the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). At UNO, she teaches courses including Grant Writing, Planning and Evaluation, and Advanced Leadership and Management. Passionate about applied learning, she recently received a UNO grant to integrate service learning into her coursework and completed the Advancing Excellence in Online Teaching Program in 2024. She currently serves on the board of the Nebraska Evaluation Network and is in the process of becoming a certified Technology of Participation (ToP) facilitator. Outside the classroom, Catherine enjoys spending time with family, learning new things, and exploring the outdoors.
SPA Community Impact Award
The Hon. Edouardo Zendejas is a distinguished judge, educator, and advocate for Native communities. He holds a B.A. in History from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and a Juris Doctor from the J. Reuben Clark Law School. He has served as General Counsel and Judge for the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska and currently directs the Tribal Management and Emergency Services Program at UNO. His teaching and research focus on Native American Studies and Tribal Emergency Management. A committed public servant, Judge Zendejas is known for his outreach to Native communities and for organizing the annual BIA Tribal Emergency Management Workshop. In 2025, he was honored with UNO’s Intertribal Student Council Community Leader Award at the Wambli Sapa Memorial Pow Wow.