Speakers
| Speaker | Date | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| Kate Bolz - NOTE MEETING ROOM SWITCH | Jun 12, 2026 |
Community Health Endowment of Lincoln
 For June 12, we will be in the Lancaster/Nebraska Room (south of our regular meeting room). BIO Kate Bolz is the President and CEO of the Community Health Endowment, working to make Lincoln the healthiest community in the nation. Kate has extensive nonprofit and government experience. She served as the State Director for Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture and as a Mayoral Aide for Economic Development for the City of Lincoln, Nebraska. She served for eight years as a State Senator, leading efforts to invest in higher education and human services as Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee. In addition to her government work, she served as the Executive Director of the Nebraska Association of Service Providers (an association of community-based disability service providers) and as an adjunct professor at Union College. Kate earned a bachelor’s degree from Nebraska Wesleyan University and a master's in social work from the University of Michigan. A proud 6th generation Nebraskan, Kate Bolz grew up on a family farm in Otoe County, Nebraska. She and her husband Sean are the proud parents of their son Michael. |
| Lincoln South Rotary Annual Meeting | Jun 19, 2026 |
Changing of the Guard
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| Jason Prokop, Executive Director | Jun 26, 2026 |
First Five Nebraska
BIO Jason oversees First Five Nebraska’s policy and communications work. He previously was External Affairs Manager at the Nebraska Department of Transportation where he helped grow relationships with elected officials, local governments, community organizations and citizens. A Crete native, Jason returned home after spending several years in Washington, D.C., serving in senior positions for U.S. Senator Ben Nelson, including Legislative Director and as a senior policy advisor. He also was Chief of Staff to the CEO at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, the U.S. standard-setting and regulatory support organization for the chief insurance regulators from the 50 states, District of Columbia and five U.S. territories. Jason received a B.S. from Nebraska Wesleyan University, where he double-majored in political science and communication studies. Jason and his wife, Jennifer, live in Lincoln with their two children. |
| No Meeting | Jul 03, 2026 |
Enjoy the Independence Day Holiday
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| Amanda Barker and Randy Bretz | Jul 10, 2026 |
Weave Project
 Help Us Weave our Social Fabric Back Together There’s little doubt that we live in a divided society. We see it in our national politics and feel it in the digital walls we build around ourselves. But here in Lincoln, we have a unique opportunity to push back against the tide of isolation. We can move beyond merely living alongside one another and start intentionally weaving our lives together, build a stronger community and have a positive impact on the future of our country. One of the most promising initiatives currently taking root is the Lincoln Community Foundation’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project. Through this initiative, small grants can help foster projects by individuals and organizations which will bring us together as a community. And in doing so, we’ll be setting an example for people across the United States. Lincoln Community Foundation Community Director of Community Engagement Amanda Barker, and one of Lincoln’s more connected citizens, Randy Bretz will present how this unique project came to be and how people of Lincoln can be involved. Lincoln has always been a city of connectors and builders. We worked together to build a world-class university, a vibrant downtown, and a park system that is the envy of the Midwest. But the most important thing we can build today isn't made of brick and mortar. It is made of trust, shared stories, and the quiet, persistent work of weaving a community where everyone belongs. Amanda Barker is Director of Community Engagement with the Lincoln Community Foundation and project director for the Foundation’s Weave: The Social Fabric Project. In recent years she’s served as an advisor to Lincoln’s Mayor, Director of Civic Health Programs with Civic Nebraska, and work with the Nebraska Tourism Commission. Randy Bretz is an experienced and innovative leader/administrator with background in communications of all sorts, sales and marketing, business administration, and education administration. I'm active in retirement teaching at Nebraska Wesleyan University, involved in Lincoln's downtown Rotary Club, helping encourage people to weave together our social fabric and serving on a number of boards. |
| Brian Rockey | Jul 17, 2026 |
Nebraska Lottery
 BIO Brian Rockey was appointed Director of Lottery and Charitable Gaming on July 1, 2016. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Creighton University, a Master of Arts from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Brian previously served the Lottery Division in various capacities, including Marketing Manager, from startup in 1993 through 2011. He then worked for International Game Technology (IGT, formerly known as GTECH), the primary contractor for the Nebraska Lottery.
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| Abigail “Abby” Cawley | Jul 24, 2026 |
TRF Peace Fellow
 Abigail “Abby” Cawley of Lincoln had a dream: she had already collaborated on published work on stabilizing post-conflict states, but she wanted to deepen her understanding of the stabilization of societies after conflict in order to be of better service internationally.
An alumna of Nebraska Wesleyan University, while working as an adult skills coordinator for Lincoln Literacy, she learned that the Rotary International Foundation sponsors programs in peace studies at six centers around the world. Peace scholars pursue Masters Degrees or Certificates in understanding and resolving conflict, in development studies, in many fields that help them create an environment that makes for peace.
With the support of District 5650, Abby applied for a fellowship and applied for admission to Uppsala University in Sweden, where the Rotary Peace Center offers a Master of Social Science within the program of Peace and Conflict Studies. After a long wait, Abby learned recently that she has been approved for a fellowship and admitted to Uppsala, where she will begin studying this Fall.
We look forward to hearing more from Abby about her studies when she happens to be in Nebraska and to seeing her contributions to Rotary’s mission of peace.
To learn more about Peace Fellowships at Rotary International, click here.
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| Jenna Bartja | Jul 31, 2026 |
Nebraska Passport Program
 BIO After nearly six years as Adventure Travel Specialist, with the proud accomplishment of leading efforts to secure Nebraska’s first International Dark Sky Park, Jenna will stay the course in helping Nebraska dream big. Her current role focuses on educating stakeholders on the importance of tourism and its role in community vitality, collaborating on statewide tourism initiatives, and creating a destination development program to support Nebraska’s dynamic tourism industry. Jenna graduated from Georgia College with a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science. Pursuing her love of travel and passion for the outdoors, she secured an internship within the Science and Resource Management Division's Vegetation Program at Grand Canyon National Park. One year was not enough to soak up the thrills of Grand Canyon! After nearly five years working in various roles within the park, she concluded her time there as Day-Tour Program Coordinator for the Grand Canyon Conservancy Field Institute. Jenna moved sight-unseen to Lincoln, Nebraska in the fall of 2018. She now lives in the beautiful East Campus neighborhood with her husband + two dogs and serves on her community organization board. When she's not busy tending to her garden, you may spot her cycling Lincoln's world-class trail system. |
| No Noon Meeting at Venue | Aug 14, 2026 |
Attend the Social / Silent Auction
 We encourage everyone to attend the Lincoln South Rotary Club Foundation Social and Silent Auction Friday 8-14. The noon meeting of Rotary has been cancelled that day. |
| Margaret Jacobs | Aug 21, 2026 |
Center for Great Plains Studies
 BIO Margaret Jacobs became the Director of the Center in 2020. She has been at UNL since 2004 and is the Charles Mach Professor of History. She is the author of four books and over three dozen articles, most of which focus on the history of Indigenous child removal by the governments of the United States, Canada, and Australia, from the late nineteenth century up to the present. Since 2015, Jacobs has been researching how these three nations and everyday citizens in them are reckoning with and making redress for human rights abuses against Indigenous peoples. She held an Andrew Carnegie Fellowship from the Carnegie Corporation of New York from 2018-2020 for her project, Does the United States Need a Truth and Reconciliation Commission? She published After One Hundred Winters: In Search of Reconciliation on America’s Stolen Lands in 2021 and has co-founded a multimedia project with journalist Kevin Abourezk called Reconciliation Rising. Jacobs also is co-director with Dr. Susana Grajales Geliga (Sicangu Lakota), an Assistant Professor of History and Native American Studies at UNO, of the Genoa Indian School Digital Reconciliation Project. She was the 2015-16 Pitt Professor of American History and Institutions at Cambridge University in England. She was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in October 2019. "I relish the interdisciplinary nature of the Center for Great Plains Studies and I love working with fellows and affiliates from all four NU campuses," Jacobs said. "I’m particularly enjoying our partnership with the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma on the Walking in the Footsteps of our Ancestors project." |
| Hasan Khalil | Aug 28, 2026 |
Lincoln International FC
 BIO
Hasan Khalil, an accomplished musician, barber (Golden Scissor) and an advocate, was born in 1984 on Mount Sinjar during the Iraq-Iran War, where his family sought refuge on the mountainside. As the son of a musician who recorded numerous cassettes documenting stories about genocide and Yazidi heritage, Hasan's early years were shaped by the ongoing conflict and his family's struggle for survival. Hasan's father continued playing the Saz instrument and used music and art as a way to teach the younger generation, including Hasan and his friends, about past stories, ensuring that their voices could be heard in the future. In 1988, the Iraqi army captured Hasan's father for the third time, which could have led to his execution, but he managed to escape. That same night, Hasan's family fled to Syria, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their journey. In Syria, Hasan's family resided in a refugee camp established by UNHCR, where they lived for 11 years amidst numerous struggles, including deprivation, hunger, and childhood trauma. These experiences have deeply influenced Hasan's advocacy for refugees and marginalized communities. Hasan’s father, undeterred by adversity, continued playing the Saz instrument and used music and art as a way to teach the younger generation about their cultural heritage and the struggles of their community. This upbringing instilled in Hasan a deep appreciation for music, storytelling, and cultural preservation. In 1999, they immigrated to Buffalo, New York, USA, where Hasan embarked on a path of resilience and determination. Despite facing challenges such as cultural shock, poverty, and social injustice, Hasan found solace and purpose in music and barbering. Music became a means for him to share stories of survival, resilience, and cultural heritage, while barbering transformed his life and provided him with a platform to give back to the community. Over the years, Hasan has become a beacon of hope and empowerment within the Lincoln community and beyond. His music reflects the rich tapestry of Yazidi culture, advocating for diversity, inclusivity, and understanding. Through performances at cultural celebrations, festivals, and community events, Hasan has impacted thousands of people, bridging cultural divides and fostering unity. Currently based in Lincoln, NE, Hasan continues to be actively involved in community initiatives, youth education, and cultural preservation efforts. He is the founder of Lincoln International FC, an organization that promotes cultural diversity and unity through art, music and sports. Hasan's journey is a testament to the power of resilience, hope, and the transformative role of music and art in preserving cultural heritage and building stronger communities. |
| No Meeting | Sep 04, 2026 |
Enjoy the Labor Day Weekend
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| Gretchen Bren | Sep 11, 2026 |
District Governor 2026-27
 Gretchen Bren’s life has been profoundly impacted by her Rotary journey. Through her experiences she has seen how much power each of us has through Rotary to impact our world. Gretchen is a Paul Harris Fellow+8, a Level 1 Bequest Society member and Major Donor Level 2 and spearheaded the Polio Plus Society in District 5650. Her spouse—Gary Bren—is a former District Governor for District 5650 (2016-17) and is also a facilitator for Rotary Leadership Institute and Visioning, and took over as the End Polio Now chair for District 5650. Gretchen received the Citation for Meritorious Service from the Rotary Foundation and the International Service Award for a Polio-Free World. In 2019, Gretchen was honored with the District 5650 Cadwallader Award – the District’s highest honor for someone who has made monumental contribution in one or more areas of service with Rotary. Outside of Rotary, Gretchen has worked in the computer industry doing training, programing and web design. She is a Microsoft Certified Application Specialist Master Instructor and Microsoft Certified Professional. Since 2016, she has been at Turner Technology as the Director of Special Projects. Gretchen has been married to Gary since 1989, and is the proud mom of two cats, Artemis and Shadow. In her free time, she loves to read, drink fine wines and travel, and recently started stand up paddleboarding. |
| Melissa Hayes-Connolly | Sep 18, 2026 |
OLLI at UNL
 BIO
Melissa Hayes-Connolly, who previously served as director of the Cooper Center, the Academic Resource Center at Nebraska Wesleyan University, has been named the new director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (OLLI at UNL). She will join OLLI on March 2, succeeding retiring director, Bob Michl.
"I am excited to join OLLI at UNL as its new director and to be part of the College of Education and Human Sciences," Hayes-Connolly said. "OLLI is a fantastic program with an engaging, dynamic, and intellectually curious membership. As a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, I love OLLI's mission! I want to continue the high-quality programming and membership support that already exists and seek opportunities to grow OLLI's impact in new and exciting ways."
In her role at Nebraska Wesleyan University, Hayes-Connolly provided strategic leadership, oversaw daily operations, and trained and supervised peer tutors in support of student success. Her professional strengths include university administration, teaching, curriculum development, and academic coaching.
“Melissa brings both a deep understanding of higher education and a genuine appreciation for lifelong learning,” Michl said. “Her collaborative spirit, thoughtful leadership, and commitment to serving learners of all ages make her an outstanding choice to lead OLLI into its next chapter.” Hayes-Connolly earned her bachelor’s degree from George Mason University, her master’s degree from Old Dominion University, and her Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Outside of her professional work, she enjoys kayaking, reading, sewing, and spending time walking with her husband, Des, and their rescue dog, Penny. With her experience and passion for education, Michl said Hayes-Connolly is well-positioned to build on OLLI’s strong foundation and continue its tradition of enriching the lives of adult learners across the community.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (OLLI at UNL) is an adult-learning membership program designed for men and women 50 years of age and older. Partnering with the College of Education and Human Sciences, OLLI provides stimulating and varied noncredit educational opportunities. Along with great courses, OLLI also offers many social and cultural events, interest groups, and travel opportunities. OLLI at UNL is one of 124 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes across the United States.
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| No Meeting At The Venue | Oct 23, 2026 |
Attend the District Conference
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| Tom Kerfoot | Nov 06, 2026 |
The Rotary Foundation
 BIO Tom Kerfoot joined Children’s Nebraska in January of 2016 as a Director of Development for Philanthropy. Tom Tom completed the Certificate in Fundraising Management through the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is Tom has served in leadership roles for a number of area organizations, and is Past-President for the Suburban Rotary Tom has received numerous awards and recognition for his volunteer work in the community. He was recognized as |
| No Meting | Nov 27, 2026 |
Enjoy The Thanksgiving Holiday
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