Jason Coleman to Lead UNO Division of Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives

University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (CEHHS) Associate Dean Jason Coleman, Ph.D., has been appointed associate vice chancellor for Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives effective Feb. 16 pending Board of Regents approval, Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, announced.

Jaci Lindburg, Ph.D., who has led the Division for Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives (ILCI) since its establishment in 2022, will focus full-time on her University of Nebraska System (NU) duties as assistant vice president for IT strategy and learning technologies, a role she has held since 2019.

“The Division for Innovative and Learning-Centric Initiatives plays a critical role in how UNO serves learners at every stage of life by respond to rapidly changing higher education landscape, testing innovative learning pedagogies, and ensuring our faculty, staff, and students are prepared for what’s next,” Chancellor Li said. “Dr. Coleman is an exceptional leader, educator, and scholar whose experience at the intersection of innovation and workforce development uniquely positions him to lead this work going forward. I also want to thank Dr. Lindburg for her visionary leadership in launching ILCI and building it into a high-performing division that helps students with future-ready skills and strengthens our connections with Omaha employers.”

Since its establishment, ILCI has launched a number of transformational initiatives that include the AI Learning Lab and the Center for Competencies, Skills, and Workforce Development, and offers services that include microcredential development, online program development, and digital accessibility.

Coleman earned his Ph.D. in Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior from the University of South Carolina in 2009 and joined UNO’s faculty in 2010. As former director of UNO’s Public Health Program, Coleman led the accreditation of the university’s Bachelor of Science in Public Health degree in 2014, placing UNO among the first standalone baccalaureate public health programs in the country to earn national accreditation. A highly regarded professional in the public health field, Coleman was recently elected president of the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH), the national accreditor for public health schools and programs.

“I’m deeply grateful to the students, faculty, and staff in CEHHS for more than a decade of unforgettable and transformational experiences, and to Chancellor Li for the opportunity to lead this important division,” Coleman said. “There is a strong foundation and incredible momentum in ILCI that I’m excited to build on with an immensely talented team. I’m energized to partner with the talented ILCI team, the broader campus, and our community partners as we help shape UNO into a workforce development powerhouse.”

In her NU System role, Lindburg and her team oversee enterprise academic technology platforms and deliver key support services for faculty teaching with technology in physical and virtual learning spaces across all NU campuses.

“I’m incredibly proud of what the ILCI team and university faculty and staff have accomplished these past four years, continuing to position UNO as a leader in digital learning and responsible, AI-driven innovation,” Lindburg said. “I’ll forever be a Maverick, and I look forward to continuing to support the university’s success through my NU System role.”

Lindburg will assist in Coleman’s transition to ILCI through the Spring.

Additional information regarding CEHHS associate dean duties will be shared with college faculty, staff, and students.