MarkeTech Speaker Profiles
Keynote: Chris Russell
Chris Russell, operations manager, wears many hats at Google, one of which is the manager of the Google data center in Council Bluffs, lowa. He has a degree in Computer Science with a minor in Business Management. Chris comes from a background of managing global lT infrastructures, having direct experience with implementing and managing lT in over 35 countries.Ashley Blickenstaff
Ashley Blickenstaff is a Nebraska native from Stamford, NE. Blickenstaff has worked on the GROW Nebraska staff for four years as a technical writer and in public relations. Her passion lies in helping business owners effectively and efficiently grasp online spaces to market their products to a larger market area and create an online community of devoted customers to promote their products to a larger market area and create an online community of devoted customers.Blickenstaff attended Missouri Western University where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and attended Colorado State University for her graduate studies in Public Communication and Technology. Blickenstaff is planning on beginning her doctoral program in August 2010 at CSU also in Public Communication and Technology.
Monica Braun
Monica Braun is a native of south central Nebraska and was an Extension Agent with the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service for ten years, serving in Holt County and Douglas County. She was a Training Specialist with the Nebraska Health and Human Services System for five years. Currently, Monica lives in Seward, NE and is a Business Specialist with the Center for Rural Affairs-Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP). In this position she serves ten counties in southeast and south central Nebraska, working with entrepreneurs, small business owners and REAP association members to enhance their business management skills and access loan funds. Monica assumed the position of Director of the REAP Women’s Business Center in 2006 and coordinates the REAP business training across the state.
Cori Callan-Ciurej
Cori Co-owner of Nebraska Business Coaching, LLC, is an advocate of the richness of human capacity. As a visionary, professional business coach and motivational speaker, she empowers her clients and audiences to answer the question, “Why Not?” She has spent over 20 years researching and working in public school systems, corporate business, and the world of private enterprise.
As a result of her professional experiences across several Midwestern cities and rural communities, she passionately asks those around her to re-define their personal and professional goals. Whether working with students, clients, or business CEO’s, Cori continues to challenge and nurture their personal/professional awareness, attitude, and quality of life.Steve Drzaic
Steve has worked at the Nebraska Department of Revenue since 1984. He has gained tremendous tax knowledge in his tenure there having worked in many divisions and positions in the Omaha office. Steve currently uses this wealth of tax knowledge in the Communications section of the Policy division to educate taxpayers in all tax categories in order to facilitate maximum voluntary compliance. Steve also volunteers his time and talents with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program and tax preparation for nonresident alien students in the Omaha area.Scott Durbin
In January of 1991, Scott joined The Harry A. Koch Co. and is a licensed property/casualty, life, and health agent; consultant and broker in over 20 states. He has been awarded the Accredited Advisor in Insurance designation and is currently pursuing his Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter designation, having completed six of the ten courses. He is also a member of the National Association of Surety Bond Producers. Scott specializes in Construction, Manufacturing, Non Profit & School District risk management. He has been a presenter of risk management topics to groups including, AGC, ABC, NAM, UNMC, UNO, Large Church Risk Managers Association, and The Professional Insurance Agents of Nebraska.Kelli Weeder-Faltys
Kelli Weeder-Faltys, Co-owner of Nebraska Business Coaching, LLC, is a professional business coach. As a business owner, professional business coach, and adjunct business instructor/trainer, Kelli’s ability to empower others to do more than they ever thought possible, is in the forefront as she works with clients. Kelli has always had a passion for igniting entrepreneurs’ dreams and seeing business owners take their businesses to the next level. Kelli has a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration Comprehensive from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and a Master’s of Art in Management from Doane College. She has also held the position of VP of Marketing for a physical therapy practice. Currently, she serves on the Columbus Family YMCA Board and Leadership Columbus Alumni Board. She is an active member of the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneurship Task Force and American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Kelli lives in Columbus, with her husband and two daughters.
Tonia Franklin
Tonia Franklin is the Western Nebraska Regional Coordinator for the University of Nebraska Lincoln NebraskaEDGE program. She holds a bachelors degree from the University and will have her Master’s in 2011. Tonia has experience in community development, management, web site design, social media campaigns, and marketing. Tonia is also a founding member of NxBizSuccess, a web site that serves as an online community for entrepreneurs and is the acting website manager. Tonia serves on four state wide networking committees for Partnership for Rural Nebraska and volunteers in her local community and church. She also owns a private marketing firm, with specialties in social media and e-newsletter campaigns and helps operate a family farming operation.
Connie Hancock
Connie is an Extension Educator working for the University of NE Extension offices in Cheyenne and Kimball-Banner Counties. Her area of focus is providing educational programming to communities and businesses in the areas of Building Your Online Presence and Community Capacity Building. Connie’s main interest lies in helping communities and businesses focus on the New Economy and the impact of technology on economic development.Marilyn Schlake
Marilyn Schlake is the Associate Director of the NebraskaEDGE and NxBizSuccess.com programs within the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Since 1995, Schlake has provided leadership and direction for community-based entrepreneurial training programs for adults and youth. Schlake co-authored and edited a national training program for agricultural businesses, “Tilling the Soil of Opportunity: NxLeveL Guide for Agricultural Entrepreneurs” and was recently nationally recognized for her role as co-editor and writer of the EntrepreneurShip Investigation, a middle school entrepreneurial curriculum. Schlake serves on the National eXtension Entrepreneurship Communities of Practice, Board of Directors of Community Development Resources, University of Nebraska Entrepreneurial Task Force, Extension Entrepreneurship Workgroup, the Nebraska Entrepreneurial Taskforce and numerous other small business related committees. Schlake operates a family farm with her husband near Cortland, NE and volunteers for numerous church and community activities.
Brad Smith
Brad joined the Harry A. Koch Co. in 2002. He assists his clients in designing and implementing cost effective benefit plans that help attract and retain employees. He helps identify common company exposures due to inadequate coverage, and makes recommendations that help reduce these risks. Brad is a licensed Life, Health, Annuity, & HMO agent, and is currently in the process of obtaining his Registered Health Underwriter designation.Phil Stalnaker
Phil Stalnaker has been working in marketing since 2001, but developed a specialty with internet and social media advertising starting in 2004. While in the marketing department at a local university, Stalnaker engineered a marketing campaign for the school that reached 1.5 million qualified leads for a cost of under $200. Since then, he has earned a reputation as a leading source of internet and social media marketing and currently manages accounts for multiple businesses through his job at JM Web Designs.