Serving the Omaha Community 

Jonathan Kiper’s journey from Marine to disaster program specialist with the Omaha Red Cross was supported by an internship facilitated through the UNO Career Development Center.

by Brandon Bartling

Jonathan Kiper has plans.

Whether it’s a fire, a severe weather event or other emergency, Kiper is ready with a plan to help people in the Omaha metro area respond to or recover from disaster when it strikes. But it wasn’t always like this for Kiper, an Omaha North High School graduate who today serves as a disaster program specialist for the American Red Cross in Omaha.

After graduating from high school in 2008, Kiper was lost, working uninspired for a steel company and in telecommunications and other odd jobs for nearly six years.

“I just didn’t really know what I wanted to do, like any other early 20-year-old. I was just kind of confused and going through the motions,” Kiper said. “I wanted to do something more fulfilling, take more pride in and better my future as well.”

At 23 years old, Kiper made the decision to enlist in the military with the ultimate goal of using military benefits to go to college.

After four years in the Marine Corps as a logistics coordinator, Kiper started his college search still uncertain of which career path to pursue. He considered multiple options for school in the Omaha area, but the University of Nebraska at Omaha stood out because of the personal connections he made with admissions team members.

Kiper enrolled in UNO still undecided what to pursue as a major, but after taking classes and meeting with an advisor, his interest shifted to emergency management because of the parallels between his Marine Corps duties and potential career opportunities made possible with a degree in the field.

Kiper didn’t just take on coursework while enrolled at UNO. As he progressed through his academic journey, he also worked a full-time job. In 2022, he connected with Nicki Allen, an internship coordinator in the UNO Career Development Center looking to gain more real-world experience in the emergency management field. She immediately recognized Kiper’s potential to excel with the right employer.

“When Jonathan and I started to plan for his internship, I noticed he was ambitious to graduate early and self-disciplined to manage remote work while remaining accountable,” Allen said. “Not only was Jonathan a full-time student, but he was also working full-time and determined to fit an internship into his schedule.”

Sarah Wollerman – Kiper’s internship advisor with the Red Cross – saw Kiper’s potential to fill a full-time role early on.

“When he began his internship, he was proactive and organized,” Wollerman said. “Throughout his internship, Jonathan showed that he had a heart for the mission and the work that we do. He had great compassion and patience while working with clients and volunteers. All of these traits made him an excellent fit for the Red Cross.”

Soon after Kiper began his internship he landed a full-time position with the Red Cross. The learning curve was reduced because of his experiences in the Marines and at UNO.

Kiper’s day-to-day role includes emergency preparedness, recovery and response efforts throughout the Omaha and Council Bluffs metro community. He also works with volunteers and helps manage inventory in a large warehouse so the Red Cross can support people impacted by disasters.

Fulfilling the American Red Cross’s mission of preventing and alleviating human suffering in the face of emergencies is a major responsibility. Kiper’s training, education at UNO and his passion for this work are the foundation for his success.

“Anybody who takes on these roles needs to know you need to be 100% ready to step up,” he said. “Anything can happen.”