Negil McPherson Jr is a Human Resources (HR) consultant with an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He has served on the UNO Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2019. 

He formerly served as Chief Human Resources Officer with Green Plains Inc., responsible for leading human resources strategy, talent management, compensation and benefits, payroll, and organizational development. Negil has more than 22 years of experience in human resources, leadership and organizational development, project management and change management while working at HDR. 

He proudly serves on several boards and is active in his community.

Ryan B. Curtis, PE, EDAC, LEED AP, is a licensed senior structural engineer and project manager at HDR, with more than 18 years of design experience. He holds a Master of Architectural Engineering in Structural Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering, both from the University of Nebraska.

Mr. Curtis has authored multiple national engineering publications and has presented at numerous national conferences. He was recognized by Civil + Structural Engineer magazine as a Rising Star in Structural Engineering and served as a lead designer on ENR’s 2021 Best of the Best Award-winning project.

His accolades also include being named one of the Omaha Jaycees’ Top 10 Young Omahans, a recipient of the Midlands Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 award, and the Nebraska Engineering Outstanding Alumni Award.

Adrian Hernandez is President of Dundee Bank, an employee owned and operated community bank based in Omaha. He has worked in the Omaha banking community for over 20 years. He holds his BSBA from UNO’s College of Business Administration and his MPA from UNO’s College of Public Affairs and Community Service. He currently serves on the board of Omaha by Design and is a member of the University of Nebraska President’s Advisory Council. He is an active mentor in UNO’s CBA Scholar program. He has previously served as a member of the Blackstone Business Business Improvement Board.

Tami Williams, Ed.D., is associate professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in the educational leadership department. Williams has been an educator for over 20 years with a background as a teacher, behavior interventionist, assistant principal, and district administrator in Nebraska where she supervised buildings and led assessment/data innovations. At UNO she has chaired over 20 dissertations and served on nearly 50 committees. She is committed to serving educational leaders in our state and beyond.

John Kinsler is retired after spending nearly 30 years with Zurich North America. His most recent position there was as head of communications beginning in 2014. He held several other positions with Zurich, starting as assistant general counsel when he joined the company in 1995. Kinsler also has worked for Berkshire Hathaway as a claims attorney (1993–1995) and with Domina & Copple as a trial lawyer (1990–1993). He graduated from UNO in 1987 with a BS as a broadcasting major then graduated from the University of Nebraska College of Law in 1990.

Dr. Vivyonne (Viv) Ewing is a native of Omaha, Nebraska. She is a powerhouse business executive, community leader, author, results-driven consultant, and sought-after motivational speaker. Dr. Ewing earned both her bachelor’s degree in Public Administration and her master’s degree in Urban Studies from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Driven by a commitment to excellence and results, she completed her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in just three years.

Dr. Ewing is the President and CEO of Life Development International, a consulting company that propels organizations toward performance excellence. She also serves as First Lady of the City of Omaha and is Chair of the Mayor’s Women’s Council.

Her previous leadership roles include CEO of Children’s Square; Vice President of Administrative Services at PromiseShip, which provides foster care, adoption, and case management for at-risk children and families; and President of the Alzheimer’s Association of Nebraska, where she made history by leading the passage of Nebraska’s first Alzheimer’s State Plan. Dr. Ewing also served as Director of Government Affairs for Habitat for Humanity, spearheading the successful push for Land Bank legislation. As Assistant Operations Director of the Salvation Army Kroc Center, she was instrumental in laying the groundwork for what is now a vital resource serving thousands in the urban community.

Dedicated to helping organizations and individuals reach their full potential, Dr. Ewing conducts seminars on leadership, organizational development, communication, change management, succession planning, career development, healthy living, and spiritual growth. Her motivational book, Yes, You Can Have Your Cake and Eat It Too, is available through major book outlets and retailers.

Dr. Ewing’s commitment to community service is reflected in her leadership and involvement with numerous organizations, including: Chair of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, University of Nebraska Medical Center Board of Councilors, University of Nebraska at Omaha Alumni Board, College of Public Affairs Advisory Council, UNO Chancellor’s Diversity Committee, President of the Omaha Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Past President of the National Council of Negro Women, and Board Member of the American Red Cross.

A dedicated servant leader, Viv believes in strengthening families, children, and communities. She has served as Chair of the Salvation Army North Corps Committee, Vice President of the Rocky Mountain Regional Alliance, and Co-Chair of capital campaigns for Roncalli High School, Habitat for Humanity, and the Alzheimer’s Association Oscar Night Gala. Additional service includes leadership roles with Siena Francis House, Child Saving Institute Guild, Catholic Charities Mental Health Committee, South Omaha Community Care Council, and the Charles Drew Health Center Honorary Committee.

Dr. Ewing has received more than 30 community awards and honors, including the Face on the Barroom Floor Award, Eleanor Roosevelt Lifetime Achievement Award, Woman of the Year Award, Women on a Mission Community Contributor Award, and the UNO College of Public Affairs Excellence in Public Service Award.

She is also an associate minister at Salem Baptist Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Ewing has been married for over 40 years to John W. Ewing, Jr., the mayor of Omaha and former Douglas County Treasurer. Together, they have two adult children, one grandchild, and a beloved puppy.

Emily Poeschl is a dynamic leader in brand communications, currently spearheading strategic PR, marketing, and partnerships at Mutual of Omaha. She plays a pivotal role in the Emmy®-nominated NBC series Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom: Protecting the Wild, currently the most-watched wildlife series on television, reaching more than 1.1 million weekly viewers. Emily is a past president and current advisor of Mutual of Omaha’s Women in Leadership Employee Resource Group.

Deeply committed to community and cause-driven work, Emily is an influential voice in breast cancer research and advocacy. As a high-risk individual and co-survivor, she has made more than 10 trips to Capitol Hill, helping secure bipartisan co-sponsorship of federal legislation aimed at improving access to cancer screening, care, and research.

She is currently serving her second term as the Delta Gamma Foundation Director of Scholarships and Fellowships, leading a 35-member volunteer committee that awards more than $1 million annually in merit- and need-based scholarships and fellowships to Delta Gamma members.

Emily also serves as Vice Chair of the Board for Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue. Her previous leadership and volunteer service includes the Komen Great Plains Board of Directors, the Omaha Summer Arts Festival Board of Directors, and committee work with the United Way, American Lung Association, Girls Inc., CASE, and more.

A former Miss Nebraska USA, Emily represented her state on the national stage at the Miss USA pageant on NBC in 2006, using her platform to advocate for meaningful causes across Nebraska.

Her work has earned recognition from the Governor of Nebraska (Nebraska Navy Admiral), the Omaha Jaycees (Ten Outstanding Young Omahans), and national organizations including the Daytime Emmy® Awards, Telly Awards, AMA Pinnacle Awards, and PRSA Paper Anvil Awards.

Emily currently resides in Elkhorn, Nebraska, and holds a BSBA from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, an MBA from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, and a graduate certificate from the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Dr. Mark Adler is currently in his third year serving as Chief Strategy and Development Officer at CRCC. Prior to joining the CRCC team, Dr. Adler spent eleven years leading Ralston Public Schools as Superintendent.

He has devoted more than 30 years to the success of Nebraska’s public schools, serving students and families in Petersburg, Elgin, and Nebraska City before arriving in Ralston.

A 1987 graduate of Hastings High School, Dr. Adler served six years in the United States Army. He earned his Doctorate in Educational Administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2008. A first-generation college student, he also holds degrees from Kearney State College and the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Dr. Adler was honored to be named Nebraska’s Superintendent of the Year in 2019.

A 2001 graduate of the University of Nebraska Omaha, Carlos earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from the College of Arts and Sciences.

Throughout his career, Carlos has held various public service positions. In 2005, Governor Mike Johanns appointed him as the Douglas County Election Commissioner, making Carlos one of the youngest election commissioners in the country at the time. His dedication to public service continued as he served for nearly a decade as a senior political advisor and Director of Administrative Services to former Governor Dave Heineman.

Currently, Carlos is the CEO of the Millard Public Schools Foundation, one of Nebraska’s largest educational non-profits. In this role, he works passionately to support the educational needs of one of the state’s largest public school districts.

Carlos, along with his wife and 3 children reside in Omaha. His wife is a professor in the College of Pharmacy at Creighton University. She received her PharmD from Creighton University and her MBA from UNO in 2005. They are proud to call Omaha home.

A retired public relations manager for a federal agency, Roger has not slowed down since retiring in January 2018. He continues to serve on various nonprofit boards in Omaha.

Roger is also a freelance photographer, providing event and headshot photography, as well as contributing photos to various magazines serving the Omaha metro area.

When he’s not volunteering or photographing events, Roger stays busy as a pet sitter with Rover, a dog-sitting service—walking dogs and boarding them in his home.

In his downtime, you’ll often find him at UNO sporting events—most notably hockey, where he supports the team as a member of the UNO Hockey Blue Line Club Board.

Angel is a proud native Omahan. She is an Omaha Central graduate, who studied Elementary Education and Nonprofit Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She earned her Nebraska Real Estate License in 2011. She is a member of the Omaha Area Board of REALTORS (OABR), the Nebraska REALTORS Association, and the National Association of REALTORS. She serves on the OABR’s Diversity and Education Committees and is a member of the Women’s Council of REALTORS (WCR) and Young Professionals Network (YPN). She served as the 2018 President of the Women’s Council-Omaha Network, the 2019 State Governor, and the 2020 Regional Vice President. She also completed the Nebraska REALTORS® Association Leadership Academy, and is serving her second term as a Director on the Omaha Area REALTORS® Board.

As the President and CEO of Locale Real Estate Services, Angel leads the Locale Real Estate Group w/ Nebraska Realty, a Team of six providing exceptional service to buyer and seller clients in the Greater Omaha area. She enjoys working with individuals, especially first-time homebuyers/sellers, and walking them through the process of purchasing or selling their homes. She loves sharing the excitement of life events, and buying a home is usually on a person’s bucket list. “Omaha is on the move, and I love showing people that it’s a great place to live, work and play.” Angel was honored as the 2013 DEEB Realty Rookie of the Year and has received several industry awards and honors every year since.

Angel is a real estate agent by profession, and an educator by passion. She believes her purpose in life is to fight for the rights of children; especially their educational and social-emotional needs. She feels financial literacy is very important to everyone, and such skills should be established in our youth. Angel has served for many years as a Lead Educational Advocate with Heart2Heart Educational Services/Growing Hearts Collaborative, and has served on several community boards, including on the boards for the American Diabetes Association, the Maple/Butler-Gast YMCA, and Habitat for Humanity Omaha. She believes everyone is a teacher in their own right.

Angel has been an active member of the church community. She enjoys spending time with church family and participating in outreach events. She likes to stay in the know about community events and is a self-proclaimed life-long learner. “I love new experiences and I am a complete out-of-the-box thinker. I value differences.”Angel is an avid supporter of servant leadership. Her motto is “I am here to serve!” She served as a council member of the Greater Omaha Young Professionals’ Council (Executive Team member in 2016), was honored as a 2012 Ten Outstanding Young Omahan by the Omaha Jaycees, and a Midland’s Business Journal 40 Under 40. She was also the 2018 Greater Omaha Chamber’s YP Summit Chair, leading her 25-person team in planning and executing a one-of-its-kind conference for 1500+ YP attendees. She received the 2018 Young Alumni Achievement Award from the UNO Alumni Association.

Connect with Angel if you’re interested in exploring the Omaha real estate market, visiting the Durham Museum (one of her favorite places), riding trains, singing karaoke, attending theatrical performances, volunteering with Omaha’s youth, connecting efforts to improve our community’s collective impact, listening to music, or just enjoying being YOU! Fun fact: She loves purple!

With a career span of 15 years, Kate West is a seasoned legal professional with expertise in the construction industry. As senior legal counsel for PCL Construction’s U.S. Buildings operations, West provides legal services across the company’s diverse industry sectors.

Prior to joining PCL, West was a contract manager where she managed the organization’s claims against the project owner and subcontractor’s claims.

In 2010, West earned a Juris Doctor degree, with distinction, from the University of Nebraska. She also earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Magna Cum Laude, (Economics Major, Political Science Minor) from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Melanie is a very proud 3x UNO graduate, having earned undergraduate degrees in Business Administration and Journalism in 2008, followed by an MBA degree in 2012. After an amazing 15-year career with UNO CBA’s Executive MBA Program, Melanie now works for Dvorak Law Group as their Chief Marketing & Growth Officer. In her spare time, she volunteers her time to PTO and the Children’s Nebraska Friends Board, teaches professionalism and dining etiquette programs and coaches her children’s basketball and softball teams. Melanie and her husband Kelly live in Elkhorn with their four future Mavs – Trysten, Alivia, Kinley and Jett.