Jalin Gerdes: Executive Director
Stephanie King: President
Debra Novak-Zeman: Vice President
April Roggasch: Treasurer
Jaci Ballou: Secretary
Sheri Blaha: Community Member
Lori McArthur: Kearney Public Schools Social Worker
Carrie Kracl: University of Nebraska- Kearney Professor of Teacher Education
Valerie Nigro: Kearney Public Schools School Counselor
Seth Blank: Big Friend Representative
Sara Paider- Kearney Public Schools Director of PK-5 Education
Nathan Dennis: Kearney Police Department School Resource Officer
Angie Drahota: Ravenna Public Schools Counselor
Dan Speirs 1953-2023
Dan was a Big Friend, volunteer and led our agency as Board President for decades; his advocacy for the program and the community was admirable. The Friends Program will honor Dan’s legacy by keeping his kindness and generosity in the forefront of our daily work. He is dearly missed.
The article below outlines Dan's impact that he made on one of his Little Friend's, Roan. Roan is now a counselor at Horizon Middle School and stated that "He was smart and so humble, and he was patient with me... all that I am I owe to him".
https://kearneyhub.com/opinion/konz-part-of-dan-lives-on-in-roan/article_9b56e938-ccb2-11ed-8998-a7a7df5435c3.html?fbclid=IwAR2Gg7kzouS-EIQfbNfh7d8CTpIN248QMQt3KWVhSjkXktRChTCNgxYiOqg
