Micki Bethea, BS is a fun, outgoing, and adventurous person who has called Nebraska home for many years. Originally from Louisiana, she has built a rewarding life and career in Nebraska. Micki graduated from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree. She has been part of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) for 25 years and currently works as a Clinical Study Coordinator, where she helps conduct clinical trials focused on cancer research. Working primarily with genitourinary (GU) cancer patients. Her work is meaningful to her because it allows her to contribute to advances in cancer care and potentially make a difference in patients’ lives. Outside of work, Micki enjoys live music, discovering great food, and traveling abroad to experience new places and cultures. She is also the proud mother of a daughter who is a junior in high school. When she is not busy with work or family, she enjoys spending time with her dog, Maya, and embracing new adventures.
Omaha Mayor John W. Ewing Jr. is a proud native of North Omaha. He is a graduate of Northwest High School and the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Business and a Master of Science in Urban Studies. His nearly 45-year public service career began with the Omaha Police Department (1981–2006), where he retired at the rank of Deputy Chief. He was elected to the Douglas County Treasurer’s Office, where he served for 18 years across five terms. He is an associate minister at Salem Baptist Church. On June 9, 2025, he became the 52nd Mayor of the City of Omaha.
Racquel Henderson serves as the Community Liaison for North Omaha in the Office of Mayor John Ewing Jr., where she works to strengthen relationships between residents, local government, and community partners while advancing initiatives centered on youth leadership, public safety, housing, economic mobility, and neighborhood engagement. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska–Omaha, where she challenges students to critically engage with race and justice, blending lived experience with academic rigor, and serves as a consultant supporting workforce development, youth leadership, and community-based initiatives that expand opportunity and remove barriers for individuals and families.
A North Omaha native, Racquel leads from lived experience and has dedicated more than a decade to creating pathways for others through education, mentorship, employment, and systems change. Her work is grounded in the belief that people should not be defined by the worst decision they've made, but by the opportunities they're given to grow, heal, and lead. She is committed to creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and equipped to thrive.
Racquel serves on the boards of I Be Black Girl, YouTurn, NOISE, The Wellbeing Partners, The Furniture Project, Hello Joy, and is a Co-Founding Vice President of Identity Preparatory Academy, a leadership-focused middle school for girls in North Omaha. A nationally recognized speaker and recipient of numerous community leadership awards, she believes the most meaningful measure of leadership is not the position you hold, but the number of lives you help elevate along the way. Above all, she is a proud mother of two and believes that every person deserves access to hope, belonging, and the opportunity to build a future they no longer have to survive.
Cecil L. Hicks, Jr., SHRM-SCP, SPHR, EMBA is a proven leader with 30+ years of experience in the public, private and non-profit sector. He has held Senior Human Resource leadership roles in the financial industry, city government, non-profit, higher education and K-12 public schools.
In his various roles he has been responsible for the oversight of Employee and Labor Relations, Diversity, Benefits, Recruiting and Selection, Compensation, Talent Development and Human Resources Information Systems.
Cecil currently serves as the Senior Vice President of People at Immanuel Communities. In this role he sets the strategic direction for all major HR functions and works with teams to develop a culture that supports Immanuel’s Vison- All People will Grow and Age with Dignity, Safety, and Wellness. He also serves as adjunct instructor in the College of Business at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Cecil is a strong advocate for promoting a culture of inclusiveness, accessibility, and equity through the development and coordination of strategic initiatives.
Cecil earned his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in Business Management with an emphasis in Human Resources and is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Omaha Executive MBA Program. He has served on dozens of non-profits boards and currently serves on the City of Omaha Library Board, the Omaha NorthStar Board and the Humanities of Nebraska Board of Directors. He is a graduate of Leadership Omaha Class 23 and the Past Recipient of the Inclusive Communities (formerly NCCJ)-Otto Swanson Community Service Award.
Sherrye Hutcherson is Executive Vice President at Bellevue University, where she serves on the executive leadership team and helps guide the University's strategic growth, workforce development initiatives, and culture. She oversees key operational areas and works with national employer partners to expand educational access and career advancement opportunities for working adults.
Prior to Bellevue University, Hutcherson held senior executive leadership roles with Union Pacific Railroad and Omaha Public Power District, building a distinguished career in human resources, organizational transformation, and workforce and business development.
A longtime advocate for civic engagement and community development, Hutcherson has served on the Nebraska Cultural Endowment Board of Directors and has devoted significant volunteer leadership to numerous organizations and Boards in Omaha. She has also championed initiatives that expand opportunity and economic mobility, supporting investment and growth in historically underserved communities.
Amanda Kephart is a lover and supporter of the arts. She is proud to have graduated from UNO and holds a BS in History. She works as the Strategic Director of Programs and Experience at Film Streams in Omaha. She has worked to help create impactful engagements within Omaha, highlighting and working with national and local artists, organizers, and nonprofits. Through that work, Amanda has had the opportunity to survey and participate in integrative ways of celebrating and discussing various art forms. She has found the work to be a deeply exciting, liberating, and fully joyful experience. She is an advocate for advancement of the individual - both in spirit and within their communities. A proponent for self-care and self-expression, she is deeply aware of the need for our Nebraska communities to make and honor spaces that nurture joy, that encourage creativity, and that foster artistic expression. Through her community engagement and various local affiliations, she has continued to work towards a more connected and collaborative Omaha.
Abiola “Demo” Kosoko is an Omaha-based photographer, visual storyteller, and creative director whose work explores people, culture, community, and the stories that connect them. He is the founder of DemoLives Multimedia, where his photography spans portraiture, photojournalism, editorial, commercial, and community-based storytelling. His work has been featured in publications including Forbes and The Wall Street Journal, and he has collaborated with organizations including The Omaha Star, Flatwater Free Press, Creighton University, and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Kosoko’s work has also been exhibited locally, including exhibitions highlighting Black identity and the African diaspora. A graduate of Creighton University, he approaches photography as both an artistic practice and a way to document, preserve, and share the experiences of the communities around him.
JoAnna LeFlore-Ejike is the Executive Director, Malcom X Memorial Foundation. As a long-term resident of North Omaha, JoAnna enthusiastically offers a thoughtful approach to community development and historic preservation. For over 15 years, she has done this through her leadership in nonprofit administration, cultural arts programming and community development. She continues this passion as the Executive Director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation since 2022 and after volunteering there for 10 years prior.
JoAnna holds a Master's degree in Managerial Communication from Bellevue University and a Bachelor's degree in Journalism and Public Relations, with a minor in Black Studies from the University of Nebraska Omaha.
JoAnna believes in the power of intergenerational communications and empowering those who are hungry to build a better community and live in their purpose. JoAnna gratefully shares her story as a “Daughter of North Omaha," the birthplace of Malcolm X; and is grateful to the village that helped raise her consciousness as a Black Woman.
Tulani Grundy Meadows (she/her) is a Political Science and Human Relations Skills faculty at Metropolitan Community College. She holds a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Spelman College. Ms. Grundy Meadows practiced as and litigation attorney for the world's largest labor and employment firm. Ms. Grundy Meadows serves on the Board of Directors of various Omaha based and national organizations.
Vincent John “VJ” Orduña is the Artistic Director of the Omaha Community Playhouse, the largest community theatre in the United States. An Omaha native, he holds a BA in Theatre and completed post-graduate studies at The National Shakespeare Conservatory in New York City.
Before returning to Omaha in 2025, Orduña spent more than two decades in the Pacific Northwest working as an arts leader, educator, and director. His leadership roles included Executive Director of Seattle’s STAGERight Theatre, Education Outreach Coordinator for Studio East Performing Arts, and Cultural Arts Coordinator for the City of Renton, where he managed the Carco Theatre.
His directing work has been recognized with the Theater Puget Sound 2025 Gregory Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play for Hungry with Sound Theatre Company.
Zedeka Poindexter (she/her) is an award-winning writer, performer, and the Executive Director of Nebraska Writers Collective. Born and raised in North Omaha, she holds a bachelor's degree in Communication from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and has dedicated more than a decade to empowering young people through the literary arts. As a teaching artist, poet, and community leader, Zedeka uses storytelling to preserve history, amplify underrepresented voices, and inspire meaningful dialogue. Her poetry and essays draw on vivid sensory detail to create authentic connections with readers and audiences while celebrating the experiences of her community. Throughout her career, she has received numerous honors, including Omaha Entertainment & Arts' Best Performance Poet, an Amplify Arts Public Impact Grant, The Union for Contemporary Art's Inside/Outside Fellowship, and the Nebraska Arts Council's Artists in Schools Award. She remains committed to fostering creativity, civic engagement, and the next generation of writers across Nebraska.
Jay Warren-Teamer is an Omaha native who has spent her personal and professional life serving our community. She received her B.S. in Child, Youth and Family Studies from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln and earned her Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Over the last 17 years, she’s worked at the intersections of employee engagement, philanthropy and corporate citizenship.
With her childhood friend, Ashlei Spivey, Jay co-founded I Be Black Girl and currently serves on the board of directors. Highly engaged in our community, Jay has served on the boards of Kids Can Community Center, Women's Fund of Omaha and MENTOR Nebraska. She is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Her greatest joy is her family. Jay is married to her high school sweetheart, Shannon, and they have two sons.