OPSF Board of Directors
The Omaha Board of Education created the Omaha Public Schools Foundation in 1984 as a vehicle for enriching the educational experiences of Omaha Public Schools’ students.
The Foundation exists to raise funds for projects and programs which cannot be funded by tax dollars. The initial “start up” funding for the Foundation was a gift of $1,155.71 from the Omaha Public Schools Instruction Department.
The Omaha Public Schools Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors. The Board consists of community leaders dedicated to raising funds and dispensing them for educational projects and programs that are not included in the regular operations of the Omaha Public Schools. The Foundation’s funds have and will be used to encourage the development of new and innovative projects, scholarships for students, teacher recognition awards, Kids Club, and extended day care programs for students.
In addition to funding learning opportunities that exceed the financial capability of the general budget, the Omaha Public Schools Foundation encourages broad-based community support and active interested citizens. The teacher awards and classroom grant projects funded directly by the Foundation provide a catalyst for raising teacher morale by providing a resource for developing innovative instructional practices. Many of these projects have later become part of the school’s regular curriculum.
Through these projects, awards, and programs, the Omaha Public Schools Foundation seeks to sustain this community’s tradition of excellence in education.
Kari Potts
Vice President
General Manager North America
Global Agriculture
Board President
Renee Campbell
Senior Vice President
Investor Relations & Treasurer
Valmont Industries, Inc.
Vice President
Board Finance Chair
Clara Ohr
Senior Attorney Adviser
Loan Programs Office
U.S. Department of Energy
Board Secretary
Matthew Ray
Interim Superintendent
Omaha Public Schools
Board Treasurer
Keith Station
Deputy Chief of Staff
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
City of Omaha, Mayor’s Office
Board DEI Chair
Heidi Kaschke
Director, UNMC High School Alliance
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Board Governance Chair
Alexander Kinkead
Optician
Robert Max Opticians
Board Communications/Marketing Chair
Marcos Mora
Executive Director
Casa de la Cultura
Dr. Derrick A. Nero
Assistant Professor
College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences
University of Nebraska at Omaha
Tracy Casady
Omaha Public Schools
Board of Education, Subdistrict 9
Eric Hochstein
Owner
International Spices – Fremont, NE
Art Brown
Dean of Information Technology
Metropolitan Community College
Melissa Shapiro
Annual Meeting Director
Berkshire Hathaway
Kathy Poehling
President
Omaha Education Association
James W. Freeman
Retired Educator
Senior Director for Student Affairs at UNO
Senior Director of Inclusion at UNO
Retired Administrator for OPS
Craig R. Christiansen, PhD
Retired Educator/Lecturer
Jennifer Rodriguez
Site Coordinator
Heartland Workforce Solutions
Channing Bunch, MBA
UNMC Student Success
Director of Student LIfe Inclusion and Diversity Office (SLIDO)
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Avery Brown
Facilitating Attorney
Tenant Assistance Project