Take Flight Farms

Lisa Roskens, Chair
Lisa is a graduate of Stanford Law School and Stanford University where she founded, competed with, and coached the Equestrian team. She is a NARHA Registered Instructor and has attained EAGALA Level II certification. On a professional level, Lisa prepared and implemented the plan to raise sufficient funds to support a United States Senate campaign, and has extensive fundraising experience in the Omaha charitable community. In addition to her knowledge of horses and experience in fundraising, Lisa brings a strong business development background to Take Flight Farms. As Chairman of the Board, President & CEO of the Burlington Capital Group LLC, she is responsible for growing the existing business, developing new business opportunities and raising capital.

Maurice Cox
Maurice Cox, CFP, has been in the financial services industry for over 35 years. He worked with Oppenheimer funds and E.F. Hutton and Company before joining the America First Companies and relocating to Omaha 20 years ago. As President of America First Programs, he has been charged with the responsibility of fund raising and marketing for the America First public companies. He is past president of the Nebraska Council to Prevent Alcohol and Drug Abuse, Mercy High School board, and current president of the board of CHAD.

Elizabeth Crnkovich
Elizabeth graduated from Creighton University School of Law. She served as Deputy Count Attorney, Douglas County, Nebraska, prosecuting cases in Juvenile Court, and subsequently supervised the Juvenile Division of the County Attorney’s office. She was appointed a Judge of the Separate Juvenile Court of Douglas County in 1995. Elizabeth is a member of the Nebraska Bar Association, Omaha Bar Association, Nebraska Separate Juvenile Court Judges Association and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. She is a member of the board of Trustees, Mid America Council of Boy Scouts and the Downtown Rotary.

Norma Deeb
Norma holds a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education, a Masters in Elementary School Administration and a Doctorate in Administration, Curriculum & Instruction for Elementary & Secondary Education. She spent 26 years in the Omaha Public Schools as a teacher, elementary and secondary school principal and summer school director. During her tenure in education, she was listed as one of the Top 100 Educators in North America, by Executive Educator magazine. She left OPS to become Executive Director of Girls Incorporated of Omaha for 8 years. Norma has recently returned to OPS as principal of Springville Elementary School. She enjoys serving the Omaha community in various volunteer activities, as well as cooking and traveling. Quality time with her nieces and nephews is her greatest love!

Susan Dennis
Susan is the Vice President of Freeman Company, a member of the Board of Trustees of Bellevue University, and has served on the Boards of several community organizations. As the parent of a 13 year old rider, Susan is a firm believer in the effectiveness of horseback riding in building self esteem, and fostering respect and discipline in young people.

Scott Hazelrigg
Most recently, Scott served as the Executive Director & President of the Board of Trustees of the Strategic Air & Space Museum in Ashland, NE. In this role, he was responsible for all Museum operations, including strategic planning, budget development and fundraising. He presently serves on the District 66/Westside Community Schools Board of Education in Omaha, and is an advocate for public education working with legislators, business and education leaders to further education in Nebraska. Scott is a member of the Nebraska State Bar Association, a YMCA Youth Basketball Coach and a mentor through the HOSTS Mentoring Program.

Brenda J. Helget, CFRE
Brenda has worked in the nonprofit field for 15 years and been showing horses for over 30 years. She began her professional career at the United States Dressage Federation, followed by employment with the Nebraska Council to Prevent Alcohol and Drug Abuse and The Omaha Home for Boys. She holds a Certificate of Fundraising Management from UNO and is a Certified Fundraising Professional (CFRE). In 2007, Brenda served as President of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Nebraska Chapter. Brenda is currently employed by the Methodist Hospital Foundation as the Annual Giving Coordinator.

Jonna Holland
Jonna holds a BA in International Affairs, an MBA and a PhD in Marketing from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. She is currently a professor in the Marketing department of the College of Business Administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Jonna has been active with service learning over the past 10 years, assisting her students in developing advertising and marketing plans for over 20 local non-profit organizations. She serves on the marketing committee for Boys and Girls Clubs of Omaha, is on the Advisory Board for the New Community Development Corporation, volunteers with the Child Saving Institute, and has developed the Alternative Gift Market as part of the Fair Trade Fair at her church.

Larry Kavich
Larry, representing the third generation of a fourth generation family-owned business, is the Chairman of All Makes Office Equipment. He has successfully transitioned his primarily retail business into one of the Midwest's leading providers of contract office furnishings. Larry is a life-long resident of Omaha, a member of the University of Nebraska Medical Center Board of Counselors, and is active in a number of community organizations.

Tom Malone
Tom has a 30-year background in business operations as a public accountant, corporate accountant, auditor, IT business owner, consultant and project manager. Currently, Tom is the Senior Finance Project Manager with Aspen Holdings. Tom has extensive volunteer experience with a variety of youth organizations, and has attended the Safe Environment certification for volunteers who work with children. In addition to serving on the board, Tom helps with Take Flight programs at the farms.
Lynda Molyneaux
Lynda has been employed by Omaha Public Schools for 30 years. She has a masters degree in guidance and counseling , and has been a secondary level counselor for 22 years. Currently, Lynda is the Guidance Director at Omaha Central High. Lynda has owned horses since her youth, and has a Level I EAGALA certification which enables her to facilitate some sessions at the farms.

Jackie Okun
Jackie holds her Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is licensed both as a mental health therapist and as an addiction counselor. Her bilingual skills help her in working with the ever-growing Latino population. Jackie is currently employed at Alegent Health in their Behavioral Health Department where she works with teens and adults to help treat their primary disease of addiction.

Rick Putnam
Rick is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Kansas and University of Kansas Law School. He has practiced with the Baird Holm Law Firm in Omaha for 25 years and is Chairman of the firm's Business, Tax and Estate Planning Section. He has served on the Board of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, and as President of the Board of The Omaha Theater Company for Young People, Institute for Career Advancement Needs, and Fontenelle Nature Association. Rick is currently a member and President-Elect of the Board of Girls Inc., and a member and Vice President of the Board of the Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Foundation.

Lori Scott
Lori holds a BA degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Special Education, and a Masters degree in Public Administration. She has worked in the non-profit field for over 20 years, mainly with disabled youth and adults. Most recently she worked at Quality Living, Inc., serving as Program Director for 7 years and Director of Marketing and Development for 3 years. She is currently a full-time mom and serves on the Metropolitan YMCA Board of Directors, the United Cerebral Palsy fundraising committee, the QLI guild board, the QLI corporate board, and the UNO Women’s Walk.

Sue Seline
Sue is past president of the Omaha Children’s Museum and serves on the Catholic Charities Board and the Westside Foundation. She has served on the board of TeamMates Mentoring program and the Autism Spectrum Advisory Board to the State of Nebraska Department of Education. Sue has a background in broadcast news, having worked in both radio and television, and continues to voicework, marketing and public relations. She and her husband have four children, ages 9-14.