Members

A digital graphic featuring a glowing white circuit-board pattern shaped like a human brain on the right side. The background is a gradient from dark to vibrant blue, accented with circuit-line details on the top left and a grid of colorful, glowing square blocks in shades of blue, gold, orange, and red along the bottom. Education Council

Members

The Education Council membership includes representatives from the following groups: K-12, Postsecondary, and Non-voting liaisons. The Commission may solicit nominations for new or replacement members from the respective subsector groups.

Membership Details

Post Secondary

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Member	Representing	Alternates
Mr. Derek Bierman, Co-Chair Vice President for Technology Services & CIO Doane University 1014 Boswell Ave, Crete, NE 68333 p: (402) 826-8333 derek.bierman@doane.edu Term 7.1.2025-6.30.2027	Independent Universities (as recommended by the Executive Director of the Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation)	Mr. Ryan Dorshorst Director of Technology Operations Doane University 1014 Boswell Ave, Crete, NE 68333 p: (402) 826-6750 ryan.dorshorst@doane.edu
Mr. Andrew Buker Assistant Vice President, Infrastructure Services University of Nebraska 6001 Dodge St, EAB-008, Omaha, NE 68182 p: (402) 554-2175 abuker@nebraska.edu Term 7.1.2025-6.30.2027	Public Universities (as recommended by the President of the University of Nebraska)	Mr. Brett Bieber Assistant Vice President, IT Client Services University of Nebraska 411 Love Library South, 1248 R St, Lincoln, NE 68588 p: (402) 472-0496 brett.bieber@nebraska.edu
Mr. Nick Muir Chief Information Officer Wayne State College 1111 Main St, Wayne, NE 68787 p: (402) 375-7107 nimuir1@wsc.edu Term 7.1.2024-6.30.2026	State Colleges (as recommended by the Chancellor of the Nebraska State College System)	Ms. Ann Burk Chief Information Officer Chadron State College 1000 Main St, Chadron, NE 69337 p: (308) 432-6311 x101 aburk@csc.edu
Mr. Brandon Eckmann Enterprise Architect Northeast Community College 801 E Benjamin Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701 p: (402) 844-7078 beckman1@northeast.edu Term 7.1.2025-6.30.2027	Community Colleges (as recommended by the Executive Director of the Nebraska Community College System)	Mr. David Cone Chief Information Officer Northeast Community College 801 E Benjamin Ave, Norfolk, NE 68701 p: (402) 844-7483 dcone@northeast.edu
Mr. Bryce Swiggum Director of Information Services Infrastructure Nebraska Wesleyan University 5000 Saint Paul Ave, Lincoln, NE 68504 p: (402) 465-2169 bswiggum@nebrwesleyan.edu Term 7.1.2026-6.30.2028	Independent Universities (as recommended by the Executive Director of the Council of Independent Nebraska Colleges Foundation)
Dr. Jaci Lindburg Assistant Vice President for IT Strategy and Learning Technology University of Nebraska-Omaha 6001 Dodge St, EAB110P, Omaha, NE 68182 p: (402) 554-2020 jlindburg@nebraska.edu Term 7.1.2025-6.30.2027	Public Universities (as recommended by the President of the University of Nebraska)	Ms. Diona Hartwig Director of Training and Development University of Nebraska Brace Laboratory 305 510 Stadium Dr, Lincoln, NE 68588 p: (402) 472-0406 dionahartwig@nebraska.edu
Mr. Tom Peters, M.S. ED. Chief Information Officer Central Community College 3134 W Hwy 34, Grand Island, NE 68802 p: (308) 398-7365 tpeters@cccneb.edu Term 7.1.2024-6.30.2026	Community Colleges (as recommended by the Executive Director of the Nebraska Community College System)	Mr. Jesse A. Barto Manager of IT Enterprise Systems Central Community College 3134 W Hwy 34, Grand Island, NE 68802 p: (308) 398-7307 jessebarto@cccneb.edu
Ms. Cheri Polenske Chief Information Officer Nebraska State College System 1233 Lincoln Mall, Ste 100, Lincoln, NE 68508 p: (402) 471-2505 cpolenske@nscs.edu Term 7.1.2025-6.30.2027	State Colleges (as recommended by the Chancellor of the Nebraska State College System)	Dr. Paul Turman Chancellor Nebraska State College System 1233 Lincoln Mall, Ste 100, Lincoln, NE 68508 p: (402) 471-2505 pturman@nscs.edu

K-12

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Member	Representing	Alternates
TBD	Teachers (as recommended by the Executive Director of the Nebraska State Education Association)	Ms. Angela Blankenship Media Specialist Lexington Public Schools Pershing Elementary School 1104 N Tyler St, Lexington, NE 68850 p: (308) 324-3765 angela.blankenship@lexschools.org
Mr. Matt Chrisman Teacher-Technology Coordinator Mitchell Secondary School 1819 19th Ave, Mitchell, NE 69357 p: (308) 623-1707 mchrisma@mpstigers.com Term 7.1.2025-6.30.2027	Teachers (as recommended by the Executive Director of the Nebraska State Education Association)	Ms. Lori Feldman Teacher Lincoln Public Schools Lux Middle School 7800 High St, Lincoln, NE 68506 p: (402) 436-1220 lfeld@lps.org
Mr. Scott Isaacson Technology Director ESUCC 2320 N Colorado St, Fremont, NE 68026 p: (402) 721-7710 sisaacson@esucc.org Term 7.1.2025-6.30.2027	Educational Service Units (as recommended by the Executive Director of the ESU Coordinating Council)	Mr. Gregg Robke Administrator ESU 4 2301 Dahlke Ave, Auburn, NE 68305 p: (402) 414-3099 grobke@esu4.net
Mr. Lloyd Sommerer Technology Coordinator & Instructor Lincoln Lutheran 1100 N 56th St, Lincoln, NE 68504 p: (402) 467-5404 lsommerer@lincolnlutheran.org Term TBA	Private-Parochial Education (as recommended by the Executive Officer of the Nebraska affiliate of the Council for American Private Education)	TBA
Mr. Cory Gearhart Chief Information Officer Grand Island Public Schools 123 S Webb Rd, PO Box 4904, Grand Island, NE 68802-4904 p: (308) 385-5900 cgearhart@gips.org Term 7.1.2025-6.30.2027	Administrators (as recommended by the Executive Director of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators)	Mr. Matt Moore Director of Information Technology Papillion La Vista Community Schools 420 S Washington St, Papillion, NE 68046 p: (402)-537-6200 technology@plcschools.org
Mr. Leonard Kwapnioski Executive Director of Technology Columbus Public Schools 2508 27th St, Columbus, NE 68602 p: (402) 563-7000 x11517 kwapnioskil@discoverers.org Term 7.1.2025-6.30.2027	Administrators (as recommended by the Executive Director of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators)	Mr. Rob Uctman Coordinator of Technology Bennington Public Schools 11620 N 156th St, Bennington, NE 68007 p: (402) 238-3044 ruchtman@bennps.org
Ms. Elizabeth Kumru Board Vice President Ralston Public Schools 8545 Park Dr, Ralston, NE 68127 p: (402) 331-4700 lkumru@ralstonschools.org Term 7.1.2024-6.30.2026	Boards of Education (as recommended by the Executive Director of the Nebraska Association of School Boards)	Dr. Shavonna Holman Board Member Omaha Public Schools Teacher and Administrative Center 3215 Cuming St, Omaha, NE 68131 p: (531) 299-0222 shavonna.holman@ops.org
Mr. Gary Needham, Co-Chair Director of Technology ESU 9 5807 Osborne Dr W, Hastings, NE 68901 p: (402) 463-5611 gary.needham@esu9.org Term 7.1.2024-6.30.2026	Educational Service Units (as recommended by the Executive Director of the ESU Coordinating Council)	Mr. Wade Gibson Director of Technology ESU 11 412 W 14th Ave, PO Box 858, Holdrege, NE 68949 p: (308) 995-6585 wgibson@esu11.org

Non-Voting Liaisons

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Liaisons	Representing	Alternates
Dr. Mike Baumgartner Executive Director Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education 140 N 8th St, Ste 300, Lincoln, NE 68509 p: (402) 471-0029 mike.baumgartner@nebraska.gov	Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education	Dr. Kathleen Fimple Academic Programs Officer Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education 140 N 8th St, Ste 300, Lincoln, NE 68509 p: (402) 471-0030 kathleen.fimple@nebraska.gov
Mr. Chris Wlaschin, MSEd, CISSP Information Systems Officer Department of Education 500 S 84th St, 2nd Floor, Lincoln, NE 68510 p: (402) 875-0374 Chris.wlaschin@nebraska.gov	Department of Education	Ms.Christina Struebing State E-Rate Coordinator Department of Education 500 S 84th St, 2nd Floor, Lincoln, NE 68510 p: (402) 314-4201 christina.struebing@nebraska.gov
Dr. Matthew McCarville Chief Information Officer Nebraska Office of the Chief Information Officer 501 S 14th St, 4th Floor, Lincoln, NE 68509 p: (402) 471-3717 matthew.mccarville@nebraska.gov	Department of Administrative Services
TBD	Nebraska Educational Telecommunications Commission	TBD

Education Council Coordination:

Callie Richards

Education IT Programs Officer
(402) 471-7969
Callie.Richards@nebraska.gov