Skip to main content

Denker to Step Down as Head of the UNO Alumni Association

Lee Denker will step down as the head of the UNO Alumni Association to become the executive director of the Papillion-LaVista Schools Foundation. An interim director will be named.

Lee Denker

Lee Denker

Lee Denker will step down as the head of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Alumni Association on March 5 to become the executive director of the Papillion-LaVista Schools Foundation.

Denker became president of the alumni association in 2006 and led its communication and engagement programs for an alumni base that today includes more than 115,000 people worldwide. In 2016 he helped lead the association’s integration with the University of Nebraska Foundation, a best practice model followed by many university advancement teams.

“This is truly a bittersweet moment,” said UNO Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D. “Lee has been a remarkable leader of our alumni association, a super enthusiastic Maverick supporter and a good friend. We will miss him greatly and wish him the very best on his future journey.”

During his tenure with the alumni association, it has earned more than 40 awards from CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education), including an award for the creation of the UNO Young Alumni Academy. The installation of the Maverick Monument on the UNO campus in 2014 was another achievement of the association in celebration of its 100th anniversary. Alumni were engaged to help design and fund the monument.

“Lee has been a fantastic advancement partner whose leadership has been vital to our achievements throughout his tenure, and Maverick alumni should be proud of the organization he’s helped craft,” said Mike Bird, vice president of UNO advancement at the University of Nebraska Foundation. “We are well-positioned to carry forth our mission of building a highly engaged network to support UNO and each other thanks to the efforts of Lee and his team.”

An interim director will be named before Denker’s departure.

The UNO Alumni Association was organized in 1913 by the first class to graduate. Its vision is to have a highly engaged network that supports UNO and each other, and its mission is to strengthen connections with UNO. More information is at unoalumni.org.

About the University of Nebraska at Omaha

Located in one of America’s best cities to live, work and learn, the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) is Nebraska’s premier metropolitan university. With more than 15,000 students enrolled in 200-plus programs of study, UNO is recognized nationally for its online education, graduate education, military friendliness and community engagement efforts. Founded in 1908, UNO has served learners of all backgrounds for more than 100 years and is dedicated to another century of excellence both in the classroom and in the community.

Follow UNO on Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.