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Honor a Leader in your Life with a Donation to ICAN

Recognize an Impactful Leader at the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference

In celebration of authentic, inspiring and transformative leadership, for a donation to ICAN of $30 or more you can honor a leader who has made an impact in your life and/or professional career.

2024 Honoree Submission Closed

At ICAN we believe leaders are anyone that makes a difference – an empowering boss or coworker, favorite educator, trusted health care worker, inspiring community volunteer, dedicated public servant, special family member, or anyone that has motivated you to be your best! We also welcome any who would like to honor someone posthumously. Let’s celebrate authentic leaders who inspire, elevate and transform our lives and communities.

ICAN is now accepting submissions for the 2024 list of Honored Leaders. The list – see below – will be featured at the ICAN Women’s Leadership Conference on May 15, 2024 so our audience of 3,200+ can join you in recognizing their leadership and impact. Upon submission and receipt of your donation, your honoree will receive a special message from ICAN notifying them of your donation in their honor. Thank you for your support and effort to recognize this inspiring individual!

The deadline to submit a leader for inclusion on the 2024 recognition was april 19. It is now closed. Thank you!

Recognition for 2025 honorees will open in late Fall 2024.

2024 Honored Leaders

Kiran Ala – Cloud Infrastructure Engineer Lead, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Jessica Bailey – Provider Relationship Executive III, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Cami Beck-Miller – Quality Coordinator, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Darla Blevins – Community Health Worker, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Leah Bond –Director, Human Resources, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

 Janelle Bosan – Customer Service Manager, WoodmenLife
– Honored by Joclyn Moore

Amanda Bremer – Provider Reimbursment Administrator, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Janet Brunk – Sr Training & Documentation Specialist, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Stephen Condon – Enterprise Platform Strategy Leader, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

Chris Costello – Manager, Client Consulting, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Alex Covalt –HR Data Partner, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

Mr. Samuel Crawford – Retired Administrator, Omaha Public Schools
– Honored by Andrea Haynes

Tracy Crowell – Director HRBP & Talent Acquisition, WoodmenLife
– Honored by Marsha Graesser

Michael Curry – Training Specialist, Customer Service, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Kim Diggins – Supervisor, Life Safety, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Lance Dixon – Senior Vice President, Werner Enterprises | Mexico, Canada, and Temp Control Divisions
– Honored by Natalie N. Olsen

Melinda Duffy – Training & Documentation Specialist II, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Catrina Dunbar – Agile Project Manager, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

Paul Ferreris – Manager, Health & Business Analytics, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Shari Flowers – General Counsel and VP Compliance, Nebraska Methodist Health System
– Honored by Jen Anderson

Christian Gallardo – IT Compliance Program Manager, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

Karah Gardner – Senior Agile Project Manager, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Carol Geary – Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center
– Honored by Michael Geary

Jo Giles – Executive Director, Women’s Fund of Omaha
– Honored by Women’s Fund Staff

Kathy Gilreath – Partner, Aras
– Honored by Tracy Stuart

Elizabeth Gochenour – Training & Documentation Specialist II, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Dr. Jeffrey Gold – Chancellor, University of Nebraska Medical Center, EVP and Provost, NU System
– Honored by Aileen Warren

Nicholas Gray – Senior Software Engineer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Tanya Helfrich – Sr. Software Engineer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Michael Hemenway – VP CHRO, WoodmenLife
– Honored by Marsha Graesser

Allison Hicks – Training & Documentation Specialist II, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Brandi Hobbs – Manager, Customer Service II, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Darin H. – Senior Software Engineer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Wilbur Jenkins – Executive Vice President & COO, WoodmenLife
– Honored by Marsha Graesser

Pam Kurz – Group Underwriter III, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Robin Leaders – Clinical Pharmacist, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Miranda Mayer – Senior Training & Documentation Specialist, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Maria Mayorga – Supervisor, Group Billing & Stop Loss, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Jessica Maddox – Supervisor, Claims, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Shannon Melton – Chief Operating Officer, Ignite Nebraska
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

Denise McCauley – CEO & President, WoodmenLife
– Honored by Marsha Graesser

Marcie Peterson – Director Clinical Operations, Children’s Nebraska
– Honored by Amber Phipps

Tracie Pettijohn – Supervisor, RFP & Inter-Plan, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Nancy Phipps – Inspiring Community Volunteer
– Honored by Amber Phipps

Paula B. Pittman – Vice President Human Resources, Methodist Health System
– Honored by Stephen L. Goeser

Michelle Pool – Claims Analyst, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Lindsay Ray – Customer Service Representative II, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Rana Schreiber – Chief of Staff, NRC Health
– Honored by Molly Murphy

Joshua Shapland – Sr. Enterprise Architect, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Jennifer Sharpe – Enterprise Product Owner III, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Ashlei Spivey – Executive Director, I Be Black Girl
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

Jenni Stoll – Vice President Marketing, Methodist Health System
– Honored by Stephen L. Goeser

Sue Tatby – Senior Agile Project Manager, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Curtis Thompson – Service Engineer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Cody Townsley – Sr. Software Engineer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Aileen Warren – President & CEO, ICAN
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer and Alexandra Warren

Jessica (Jay) Warren-Teamer – Director Diversity and Inclusion, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by Thomas Warren, Sr. and Richard J. Webb

Alex Watts – Cloud Security Engineer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Joni Wheeler – EVP Talent and Enterprise Solutions, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

Laurie Willburn – Vice President Total Rewards & People Strategies, Children’s Nebraska
– Honored by Amber Phipps

Ada Wilson – VP of People Development and Culture, Nebraska Medicine
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

Mardell A. Wilson, EdD, RDN – Provost, Creighton University
– Honored by Natalie N. Olsen

Brandy Wojtkiewicz – Manager, Claims, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Shasta Wragge – Omaha/Lincoln Market President / Plains Region SVP, BMO
– Honored by Aileen Warren

Katrina Wulf – Enrollment Services Specialist, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer

Morgan Young – Senior Marketing Strategist, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by BCBSNE Leadership Team

Past Honorees

2023 Honored Leaders

Jon Aronson* – Former Dean of Men, Benson High School
– Honored by Hal Daub

Karen Authier
  – Honored by Shirley Siebler

Karen Baldwin – Founder of The Baldwin Group and Former ICAN Faculty Member
– Honored by Sally Anderson

Holli Bingham – SVP Renewal Management, Genesys Cloud Services, Inc.
– Honored by Leslie Stoltmann

Cathy Burrell – Retired, Southeast Warren Community Schools Teacher for 31 years
– Honored by Julie Lillig, Jodi Clendenen, Kate Rice & John Burrell

Dana Coonce – CHRO, Medical Solutions
– Honored by Liz Hall

Brenda Council – Community Volunteer & Former Elected Official
– Honored by Thomas Warren

Melissa Crawford – SVP & Chief Marketing Officer, Physicians Mutual
– Honored by Tim Reed

Art Crukshank* – Former Pastor, Benson Presbyterian Church
– Honored by Hal Daub

Kay Durfey – Council Bluffs Community School District
– Honored by Tabatha Durfey

Kathy English – Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Children’s Hospital & Medical Center
– Honored by Amber Rose Phipps

John W. Ewing Jr. – Douglas County Treasurer
– Honored by Eric L Ewing

Doug Glass – Retired, Union Pacific Railroad
– Honored by Lorraine Chang

Travis Gutierrez*
– Honored by sister, Stephanie Gutierrez

Susan Henricks – Retired, Former ICAN President & CEO
– Honored by Amy McLaughlin, Natalie Olsen and Tracy Stuart

Cecil Hicks – Director of Talent Development and Culture, Immanuel Communities
– Honored by Lisa Taylor-Jones

U.S. Senator Roman Hruska*
– Honored by Hal Daub

Dr. Cheryl Logan – Superintendent, Omaha Public Schools
– Honored by Aileen Warren

Linda Lovgren – Strategic Counsel, Emspace + Lovgren
– Honored by Ashley Rae Turner

JoAnn Martin* – Retired CEO, Ameritas
– Honored by Brian Hastings

Liz Mazzotta – CAO, Mutual of Omaha
– Honored by Aileen Warren

Pam Mortensen – WoodmenLife
– Honored by Marsha Graesser

Elizebeth Murphy – President, Emspace + Lovgren
– Honored by Lynn Stoller

Sara Olson – UNO
– Honored by BJ Reed

Melissa Page – Office Manager & Paralegal, Gourley Rehkemper & Lindholm PLC
– Honored by Kayla Zevenbergen

James M. Paxson* – Former President, Standard Chemical Manufacturing Company
– Honored by Hal Daub

Deb Schorr – District Director – U.S. Congressman Flood’s Office, Former Lancaster County Commissioner
– Honored by Allison Schorr Zach and Melissa Schorr

Martha Sedky* – Formerly Omaha Public Power District
– Honored by McKell Purnell

David L. Smalley – United States Army Reserve, Brigadier General
– Honored by Amber Rose Phipps

Naydia Smith – Vice President of North America & Division Lead at Everest Insurance
– Honored by Lisa Taylor-Jones

Roy Smith* – Former President of HP Smith Ford, Former Chamber President
– Honored by Hal Daub

Dr. Deborah Smith-Howell – University of Nebraska at Omaha
– Honored by Dr. Juan Casas

United States Federal Judge Lyle Strom*
  – Honored by Hal Daub

Lisa Taylor-Jones – Human Resources, Methodist Health System
– Honored by Kiara Taylor, Jasmine Brown & Jourdyn Jones

Gina Urbanski – Director of Operations, ReRuns “R” Fun
– Anonymous Donor

Aileen Warren – President & CEO, ICAN
– Honored by Jay Warren-Teamer, Alexandra Warren, Linda Cunningham, Mary Antanelis and Nicole Mitchell

Jay Warren-Teamer –  Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Nebraska
– Honored by Alexandra Warren

Thomas H. Warren, Sr. – City of Omaha
– Honored by Kathy J. Trotter

Regent Barbara Weitz – University of Nebraska Board of Regents
– Honored by Dr. Joanne Li

Nancy Williams – No More Empty Pots
– Honored by Ashley Rae Turner

Gail Yanney – Burlington Capital
– Honored by Dele and Arike Davies

*This leader is being honored posthumously