Young Alumni Achievement Award - Past Recipients

The UNO Young Alumni Achievement Award recognizes outstanding career achievement, active community involvement or exceptional service to the university of graduates 40 years of age or younger.

Following is a list of past recipients. Click names to read short bios.

2017 — Matthew Lee and Tara Stingley
2016 — Andres Torres and Wendy Townley
2015 — Leslie Fischer and Kenny McMorris
2014 — Jeff Slobotski


2017

Matthew J. Lee

Matthew J. Lee is coordinator for Technology Integration and Digital Content at Westside Community Schools. His specialty is working with teachers to more effectively integrate technology into their classrooms. In 2013, he was selected as an Apple Distinguished Educator, recognizing his efforts as a “pioneer to transform teaching and learning.” Lee, 2017 president of the Nebraska Educational Technology Association, has presented on various technology integration topics at conferences and workshops throughout the United States, most recently for the International Society for Technology in Education Association. He also has presented at American Evaluation conferences.

Lee also coordinates the evaluation process for Westside’s strategic plan, working with UNO faculty, district personnel and community stakeholder groups. Prior to his current role, he was a teacher and social studies team leader at Westside High School. He taught U.S. history, economics and Future Problem Solving and initiated Westside’s first AP Economics program. Lee received bachelor’s (2006) and master’s (2010) degrees in secondary education from UNO. He earned a doctorate in educational studies-instructional technology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2014.

Tara Stingley

Tara Stingley is an equity partner at the oldest existing law firm in Nebraska, Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather. She specializes in employment law and litigation and is the chair of Cline Williams’ Labor and Employment Law Section and its recruiting coordinator. She is the youngest lawyer and the first woman to serve on the firm’s governing executive committee. Stingley is listed in several publications for her work in employment law, including Best Lawyers in America and Chambers USA’s Leading Lawyers. Prior to joining Cline Williams, she completed a two-year judicial clerkship with Judge William Jay Riley on the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Stingley is active in the community, serving as chair of the board of directors for Food Bank for the Heartland. She also is a member of the University of Nebraska’s Law College Alumni Council and President’s Advisory Council. She is a graduate of Leadership Omaha Class 33. Stingley received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from UNO in 2002, graduating summa cum laude through the university’s honors program. She also was a member of the honor society Mortar Board. She graduated from the Nebraska College of Law in 2005.

2016

Andres Torres

Torres is business director for the Global Utility Division at Valmont Industries. He is responsible for sales, project management and engineering of tubular steel structures used to support transmission lines, highway lighting and traffic lights for customers in Latin America and the Caribbean. Born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, he earned an MBA from UNO in 2013. He is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, including stints as president of the Nebraska Section and co-chair of the Younger Members Group. He also is a council member for the Greater Omaha Young Professionals and one of the founders of the Valmont Professional Network. Since 2015, Torres has served as a member of the UNO Alumni Scholarship Swing Committee. He also volunteers his time at St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church. Torres received the Greater Omaha 40 under 40 Award in 2012 from the Midlands Business Journal and was named one of Ten Outstanding Young Omahans in 2016 by the Omaha Jaycees. He is married with two sons.

Wendy Townley

Townley is development director of the Omaha Public Library Foundation. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism (2002) and a master’s in communication (2011), both from UNO. Townley previously worked as a campaign manager for the Steier Group and was assistant director of media relations at UNO. She also has worked for Cox Communications, Leslie Kline Lukas & Associates, and elsewhere. Since 2008 she has been an adjunct faculty member in UNO’s School of Communication. Townley also has written for numerous publications, including UNO Magazine, and in 2010 authored “Nerdy Thirty,” a collection of 13 humorous essays. Her professional affiliations include membership with the Greater Omaha Young Professionals Council (chair in 2016), Leadership Omaha, Women’s Fund Circles, Optimist Club of Omaha and the Omaha Press Club. UNO’s School of Communication presented her its Rising Star Alumni Achievement Award in 2006 and the Nebraska chapter of the Public Relations Society of America named her Newcomer of the Year in 2005. She is married to fellow UNO alum Matt Tompkins (2007).

2015

Leslie Fischer

Leslie Fischer is co-founder of TAGG (Together A Greater Good), a social good app that allows anyone with a smart phone to give back to their favorite cause through purchases at local businesses. Participating businesses provide a percentage of purchases to a charity selected by the user. Fischer’s mission with TAGG is to “create the next generation of givers and give everyone the easiest way to do good in the community.” Fischer previously was vice president of marketing and management services at EAD and has worked for GiftCertificates.com and Nexterna. She also is co-founder of Ladies Who Launch Omaha, a women’s entrepreneur group, and is on the board of Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue and B4B Society. She earned her degree in business administration with a minor in marketing from UNO in 1999.

Kenny McMorris

Kenny McMorris is CEO of Charles Drew Health Center, which includes 130 employees, 10,000 patients and 40,000 outpatient visits. Under his leadership the center has expanded service locations from four to 12 sites with primary care, dental and behavioral health services. McMorris previously was executive director of 100 Black Men of Omaha and was director of marketing and development for the Urban League of Nebraska. He is a Fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives and Community Health Centers Executives. He also is on the board of directors of Heartland 2050, Omaha Health Kids Alliance, March of Dimes, Midlands Mentoring Partnership, UNMC Chancellor’s Board of Councilors, UNMC College of Public Health Advisory Counsel and Empowerment Network Leadership Team. He earned a BGS from UNO in 2004 and an MPA in 2010.

2014

Jeff Slobotski

Jeff Slobotski was inaugural recipient of the Young Alumni Achievement Award. A 2001 UNO graduate, Slobotski is co-founder of Silicon Prairie News, a digital media company dedicated to highlighting and supporting entrepreneurs, creatives and investors through an emerging model for grassroots entrepreneurial ecosystem development in and around Omaha, Des Moines and Kansas City. He also launched the Big Omaha and Big Kansas City events, bringing together members of the entrepreneurial community, including founders, investors, designers, and emerging leaders to build community, start conversation, and provide inspiration.