Chancellor's Board of Counselors

The UNMC Chancellor’s Board of Counselors is a statewide citizen advisory group charged with two major responsibilities.

First, members serve as “ambassadors” for UNMC. They learn about our world-class programs and share this knowledge with others at every opportunity. Second, they provide  advice and counsel to UNMC leaders in a number of areas. What are we doing right or wrong? What should our priorities be? How can we better tell the “UNMC story”?

Members of the Board of Counselors are committed to helping UNMC foster relationships and engagement opportunities throughout the state. These come in many forms, such as arranging a local speaking engagement for the Chancellor, acting as an advocate for UNMC, or attending a regional Board of Counselor’s meeting with the Chancellor.

Four-Year Terms

Board of Counselor members and their guests or spouses are invited to two meetings each year. A reception and dinner follow. Members serve four-year terms of office and can serve no more than two consecutive terms.

  • Chair: Emiliano Lerda, JD, Omaha
  • Vice Chair: Barbara Bartle of Lincoln
  • Jon Abegglen, Kearney
  • Mary Abel, Lincoln
  • Connie Adams, Broken Bow
  • Preeta D. Bansal, Lincoln
  • Tom Beckius, Lincoln
  • Brady Beecham, MD, Lexington
  • Ann Bird, Omaha
  • Evie Blackburn, Sidney
  • Susan E. Bockrath, Lincoln
  • Sara Boyd, Omaha
  • Anne Brandt, Lincoln
  • Melvin Campbell, MD, Ainsworth
  • Portia A. Cavitt, Omaha
  • Bill Cintani, Lincoln
  • Joyce A. Cooper, Omaha
  • Larry Dlugosh, Roca
  • Stuart J. Dornan, Omaha
  • Jack Douglas, Lincoln
  • Howard Epstein, Omaha
  • Brian Esch, McCook
  • Jeremy J. Eschliman, Minden
  • L. Javier Fernandez, Lincoln
  • Peg Gilbert, Omaha
  • Anthony L. Goins, Lincoln
  • Alec Gorynski, Lincoln
  • Victoria Grasso, Lincoln
  • Karen Gustin, Lincoln
  • Nadine K. Hagedorn, Omaha
  • Dan Harbeke, Omaha
  • Chuck Harris, York
  • Mike Hecker, Seward
  • Thomas "Tom" Henning, Kearney
  • Jon Hinrichs, Lincoln
  • Joseph H. Hodges, Jr., LaVista
  • Amy Holthus, York
  • James Hunter, Omaha
  • Stephen L. Isom, Valentine
  • Amanda McGill Johnson, Omaha
  • W. Todd Johnson, Omaha
  • Sara Kohen, Omaha
  • Mark A. Kolterman, Seward
  • Jason V. Lavicky, David City
  • Kim Lowe, Kearney
  • Megan M. Massey, Scottsbluff
  • Jessica Meeske, Hastings
  • Darcy D. Michalek, Omaha
  • Adam Morfeld, Lincoln
  • Cindy Morris, Lincoln
  • Donald Neal, Jr., Omaha
  • Susan Norton, Waterloo
  • Dan O'Neill, North Platte
  • Jill Orton, Blair
  • Shawn Oswald, Bennington
  • Daniel Padilla, Omaha
  • Joseph V. Petty, Lincoln
  • Margene Phares, North Platte
  • Sarah Pieper, Omaha
  • McKell Pinder, Papillion
  • Alice Quick, Grand Island
  • Dave Rippe, Hastings
  • Misty Robertson, North Platte
  • Darren Robinson, Kearney
  • Shelley R. Sahling-Zart, Lincoln
  • Doug Schroder, Omaha
  • Jaymes Sime, Omaha
  • Leonard Sommer, Omaha
  • Kathleen "Kate" Sullivan, Cedar Rapids
  • Carmen Tapio, Omaha
  • Ava M. Thomas, Lincoln
  • Sherie Thomas, Omaha
  • Albert Varas, Omaha
  • Daniel J. Waters, Omaha
  • Richard J. Webb, Omaha
  • Debora A. Weiss, Ainsworth
  • Kim Whitehouse, Papillion
  • Susan K. Williams, Gothenburg
  • Bob Wolfson, Omaha