Discover the Staff at Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ, Your Nebraska University

Meet Dr. Roger Hughes

Roger Hughes first joined the Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà family in 1979. He returned to campus as our 13th president in June 2021 after 40 years of learning, leadership and love of the Tiger community.

Dr. Roger
Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà Tiger statue on campus

Board of Trustees

Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà University’s Board of Trustees is an independent elected body that oversees implementation and prioritization of the strategic plan. They meet three times each year.

Board of Trustees
john allberyJohn Allbery '80
Elected 2018
Independent Corporate Director
Denver, CO
richard bartlettRichard A. Bartlett '88
Elected 2007
Chair, Technology and Innovation Committee
Principal & Co Chairman Lone Peak Capital and Chairman, CD2 Learning LLC
Overland Park, KS
patrick beansPatrick E. Beans '79
Elected 2007
Manager
Amandla, LLC
Lincoln, NE
bruce berglund

Bruce Berglund '88
Elected 2019
Chair, Advancement Committee
Founder and President, Donor By Design (DBD Group)
Palatine, IL

 

donald m. campbellDonald M. Campbell '61
Elected 2011
Principal
Partners for Growth Managers
San Francisco, CA
barbara r. coleBarbara R. Cole M.D. '63
Elected 2008
(Retired) Director of Pediatric Nephrology
Mount Pleasant, SC
doug estradaDoug Estrada '89
Elected 2024
Senior Director II Supply Chain, Walmart Stores Inc.
Bentonville, AR
kenneth e fridrichKenneth E. Fridrich '59
Elected 1969
(Retired) Managing Director, Marketing-Pension Services,
The Principal Financial Group
Omaha, NE
susan fritzSusan Fritz Ph.D.
Elected 2017-19; 2020-
Chair, Building and Grounds Committee
(Retired) Emerita Executive Vice President and Provost, Dean of the Graduate College
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Crete, NE
toni ganzelToni Ganzel M.D.
Elected 2005
Chair, Academic Affairs Committee
Dean, School of Medicine
Professor of Surgery and Otolaryngology,
University of Louisville School of Medicine
Louisville, KY
amy godbey dearkingAmy Godbey Dearking '95
Elected 2022
Global Senior Director, Recruiting Operations, Navan
Elkhorn, NE
kim heierKim Heier '87, '05A
Elected 2017
Chair, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
Philanthropist
Former Vice President for Student Leadership, Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà College
Sedona, AZ
dick heldDick Held '70 
Elected 2007
Real Estate Investor
Los Angeles, CA
stephen joelStephen C. Joel Ed.D. '76
Elected 2022
(Retired) Superintendent, Lincoln Public Schools
Lincoln, NE
troy kanterTroy Kanter '90
Elected 2005-2008, 2009-
Chair, Enrollment Services Committee
Private Investor, Former President, Kenexa, Inc.
Lincoln, NE
reverend jim keckReverend Jim Keck
Elected 2011
Sr. Minister, 1st Plymouth Congregational Church (UCC)
Lincoln, NE
jody kingJody King '85
Elected 2020
Vice President and Director of Financial Planning, Fiduciary Trust Company 
Beverly, MA
lonnie mahrtLonnie Mahrtʉ۪86
Elected 2018
(Retired) Senior Vice President, Head of Customer Communications Management, CSG
Fremont, NE
Elizabeth J "Betty" MasonElizabeth J. "Betty" Masonʉ۪86
Elected 2024
Alumni Council Representative
Senior Director, Head of Program Management
Firth, NE
allen mooreAllen Moore '73 
Elected 2016
Chair, Investment Committee
(Retired) President/Investment Consultant
Smith Hayes Financial Services Corporation
Lincoln, NE
carrie mortonCarrie Morton '98
Elected 2019
Actuary
Principal Financial Group
Waukee, IA
mark mulkeyMark Mulkey M.D. '82
Elected 2017
Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon
Mason City Clinic
Mason City, IA
bill pallettBill Pallett Ph.D. '71
Elected 2018
(Retired) President, The Individual Development and Educational Assessment Center (IDEA)
Manhattan, KS
 
stephen a rasmussen, seniorSteven A. Rasmussen, Sr. '96A
Elected 2022
(Retired) Executive Director, Andrea Waitt Carlton Family Foundation
Sun Lakes, AZ
enrique e sanchezEnrique E. Sanchez '74
Elected 2005
(Retired) Executive Manager, Purchasing, Warehousing, and Inventories
Division of the Panama Canal Authority
Rep. de Panama
paul schelstraetePaul Schelstraete, J.D. '70 (Chair)
Elected 2007 
President, City Bank and Trust Co.
Crete, NE
dick shoemakerDick Shoemaker '72
Elected 2022
Chairman
Pinpoint Holdings
Cambridge, NE
dr. jihad shosharaJihad Shoshara M.D.
Elected 2024
President, Pediatric Health Associates
Pinpoint Holdings
La Grange, IL
Jill SmithJill Smith,  J.D '74
Elected 1997
(Retired) General Counsel, Mayo Clinic
Eden Prairie, MN
Tony SorrentinoTony Sorrentino J.D.
Elected 2016
Chair, Governance and Nominations Committee
General Counsel, Silverstone Group
Omaha, NE
betsy tonningesBetsy Tonniges Ed.D. '06, '08E, '11E
Elected 2022
Alumni Council Representative
Owner
Primrose of Lincoln Wilderness Hills
Lincoln, NE 
Amy VertinAmy Vertin M.D. '95 
Elected 2015
Chair, Student Affairs Committee
Emergency Department Medical Director
Crete Area Medical Center
Crete, NE 
Terri VrtiskaTerri Vrtiska M.D. '83
Elected 2022
(Retired) Associate Professor of Radiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
Rochester, MN

 

The Board of Trustees meet three times a year with meetings occurring in the Fall, Winter, and Spring. 

Emeriti Trustees

Jack E. Barker, J.D. ('61), 1996-2012, President (Retired), Mountain States Employers Council (Retired), Littleton, CO
Vernon Daniels ('78), 2006-2022, Juvenile Court Judge, Omaha, Nebraska
Jacob H. Dering, 1982-2008, Pharmacist, (Retired), Crete, NE
Donald F. Dillon, 1988-2007, Chairman, Fiserv, Lincoln, NE
Melvin E. Emeigh ('58), 1977-2001, Allstate Insurance, Sierra Vista, AZ
George F. Haddix, Ph.D. ('62), 1999-2014, Member/Manager Riverton Management Resources, LLC, Ralston, NE
Edward G. Heilman, J.D. ('67), 1989-2012, Attorney at Law, Palm Desert, CA
Ken E. James ('69), 1989-2017, Consultant, Hewitt Associates (Retired), Sunset, SC
Eugene A. Klingler, Jr. M.D. ('57),1976-2016, Surgeon; Medical Director, Manhattan Ambulatory Surgical Hospital, Manhattan, KS
Linda Mann, Ph.D., 2001-2007, Dean (Retired), College of Communication and Fine Arts, Grossmont College, Hillsboro, OR
Kenneth J. McCumber ('68), 1999-, Senior. Vice President-Sales (Retired), Airborne Express, Bend, OR
Dennis E, Nelson ('67), 1992-2015, DENCO Group, Marblehead, MA
John Nelson, 1992-2015, Chairman, SilverStone Group, Inc., Council Bluffs, IA
Allison Petersen ('78), 1982-1994, 2004-2022, Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà University Board Secretary, Walton, NE
Kim M. Robak, J.D., 1995-2012, Partner, Ruth Mueller and Robak, LLC, Lincoln, NE
William E. Shoemaker ('68), 1975-2004, Private Investor, Cambridge, NE
Peter Sura ('66), 1979-1996, Senior Management ABN AMRO Bank of Amsterdam (Retired), Konstanz, Germany
John M. Vasak, Ph.D. ('67), 1997-2013, Director, (Retired) Division Operations, the MITRE Corp.,(Retired) Vienna, VA
Michael Weston ('93), 2010-2022, State Farm Insurance Companies, Lincoln, Nebraska
Lois Weyers ('67), 2004-2017, Educator, Green Bay Public Schools (Retired), DePere, WI
Earl L. Wright, 1987-2010, President and CEO, AMG National Trust Bank, NA, Englewood, CO

Leadership Team

Made up of key administrators and university leaders, the leadership team provides collaboration across Áù¾ÅÉ«ÌÃ’s residential and non-residential campuses and online platforms.

derek bierman

Derek Bierman

Chief Information Officer
[email protected]
402.826.8333

Lorie Cook-Benjamin

Lorie Cook-Benjamin

Chief Academic Officer
[email protected]
402.826.8221

John Frost, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing

John Frost

Vice President of Enrollment Management and Marketing
[email protected]
402.826.6797

Marty Fye, Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Marty Fye

Vice President for Institutional Advancement
[email protected]
402.826.8261

Vice President of StudentAffairs

Judy Kawamoto

Vice President of Student Affairs
[email protected]
402.826.2161

Linda

Linda Scholting

VP for Business and Finance/CFO
[email protected]
402.826.6777

Jenei Skillet

Jenei Skillett

Senior Executive Assistant to the President
[email protected]
402.826.8253

Luis Sotelo

Luis Sotelo

Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
[email protected]
402.826.8116

Mark Wateska

Mark Wateska

Director of Athletics
[email protected]
402.826.2161

Kris Williams

Kristopher Williams

Director of Institutional Effectiveness
[email protected]
402.826.8255

Anne Ziola

Anne Ziola

Director of Human Resources
[email protected]
402.826.6795

Meet our Deans

Áù¾ÅÉ«Ìà University has four colleges: Arts & Sciences, Business, Education and the School of Innovative Learning

Pedro Maligo
Dean Maligo

Pedro Maligo

Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences
[email protected]
402.826.6788

Daniel Bothe

Daniel Bothe

Dean of the College of Business
[email protected]
402.466.4774

Tim Frey
Tim Frey

Tim Frey

Dean of the College of Education
[email protected]
402.826.8646

Crete Campus

University Organization