DANSILVIA.COM
A BLOG ABOUT OMAHA & NEBRASKA
Stephanie Bradley checks out some of the inhabitants of the Scott Aquarium at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. Bradley, in her role as Director of Fisheries in Transition for the World Wildlife Fund, provides education to fisheries around the world to help promote sustainable fishing practices. Nebraska native encourages sustainable fishing It’s about a 1,300-mile drive from Omaha to the Atlantic Ocean near Wilmington, North Carolina. Heading the opposite direction, it’s about 1,700 miles to the Pacific Ocean near Monterey, California. So, can Nebraskans have an impact on the oceans from their centrally located, landlocked state? Stephanie Bradley, an Elkhorn resident and 1997 graduate of Burke High School, thinks so. Bradley is the Director of Fisheries in Transition for the World Wildlife Fund – United States (WWF-US), a charitable organization focused on wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. She has been a part of WWF since 2011, operating out of her home office in Elkhorn since 2014, despite the distance from the seven seas. “Our team was always pretty spread out and we had figured out how to work together virtually really well,” Bradley said. “Then, with COVID happening, everyone has had to figure that out. Everyone now knows what it’s like to be on Zoom. Because so much of our work involves working with other countries, we have just always had to communicate virtually with our colleagues.” At WWF-US, Bradley leads the Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) team. FIPs draw together multiple stakeholders including governments, fishers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academics, and supply chain companies, to improve fishing practices throughout the world. FIPs focus on providing information and training to fisheries on best practices. A fishery is defined by several factors: the species of fish, the method by which it is caught, and the location. “There's quite a community now of people who implement fishery improvement projects,” Bradley said. “There's currently around 160 of them worldwide, of which about 30 are led by WWF. We’ve had a lot of uptake over the years, which has been great.” Working with the WWF has taken Bradley across the globe to places such as the Bahamas, Ecuador, and Thailand. Seminars were conducted in person. However, the COVID-19 pandemic forced Bradley and the WWF to develop online courses. That effort was underway even before the pandemic hit as a way to further grow the initiative. “We wanted to get the training out to more people, more easily,” Bradley said. “We ended up working with a company (SweetRush, a San Francisco-based business) that specializes in online training programs. We developed the content in partnership with several other NGOs that we work with in the sustainable seafood space.” Those training courses are now available to fisheries around the world. In fact, anyone can access the seven online courses on the WWF website. “Engagement has been good so far,” Bradley said. “We’ve received some positive feedback and some suggestions for additional modules. I think that means people find it useful.” So how can Nebraskans do their part to support sustainable fishing practices and a healthy ocean in general? Dr. David Manning, an Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, offered some insights. “We may feel far away from the Gulf of Mexico, but our actions in Nebraska’s watersheds are connected to these ecosystems and fisheries downstream. Our impact on water quality here in Nebraska can be felt miles away, because streams and rivers carry more than just water to the ocean – they hold dissolved materials that come from the land and move them to the ocean like a giant conveyer belt,” Manning said. “Some of those materials, especially nitrogen and phosphorus, are important for aquatic plant (algae) growth, but when their concentrations are too high, they cause algae to cycle between booms and busts. Once the algae go bust, or die and break down, the microorganisms that eat the dead algae suck all the oxygen out of the water, creating a dead zone in coastal oceans like the Gulf of Mexico where the Mississippi River drains into it.” “That a lack of oxygen, or hypoxia, can be detrimental to fish populations living near the Gulf coast. We are connected to the Mississippi by the Platte and Missouri Rivers, so we really can’t mind our own business when it comes to farm runoff and other pollution from Nebraska’s rivers.” Manning explained that the largest sources of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in the Missouri River watershed are manure, and farm fertilizers. Combined, these two sources are estimated to contribute 60% of the total nitrogen and phosphorus that is transported by the Missouri River downstream. “Fortunately, there are many ways to reduce our impacts, such as promoting water infiltration into soils, instead of directly running off into streams,” he said. From West Coast Work to Midwest Living When Bradley began her career with the WWF, she worked in a small office with two coworkers in Palo Alto, California. When those colleagues departed for new roles, it made sense for Bradley to work from home. It made more sense to do that from her hometown of Omaha rather than absorbing the higher cost of living that goes with the West Coast. “It was just so expensive. We wanted to be near my family, so we moved back to the Midwest,” Bradley said. “I’m still performing the same role, but I just do it from Omaha.” So, she packed up with her husband Austin, a lawyer, and their then two-year old son. She was also pregnant with her daughter at the time. Bradley had moved to the West Coast in 2006 for a job as a Fisheries Research Manager for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program. That followed graduation from Duke University, where she earned a Master of Science in Coastal Environmental Management. The Seafood Watch program works to improve the sustainability of global fisheries and aquaculture by helping businesses and consumers make better seafood choices. “We produced pocket guides that explained what seafood is better to eat based on the impact that the fishing is having on those species in the ocean,” Bradley said. “It was a great step into the sustainable seafood movement where I met so many of the colleagues that I still work with today. Plus, Monterey is beautiful.” The experience with the Seafood Watch program helped inform Bradley’s work with the WWF, said Dr. Larry Crowder, one of Bradley’s professors at Duke. “At the Seafood Watch program, the approach to sustainable fishing is really trying to influence seafood consumers,” said Crowder, now the Edward Ricketts Provostial Professor and Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University. “If consumers know which species are sustainable, they can choose to buy those sustainable species, which will create some market pressures for fisheries to operate in ways that are more sustainable.” East Coast Education After graduating from Burke in 1997, Bradley made the decision to attend college over 1,300 miles from home at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. The Marine Biology program at the school, located on the Carolina coast, drew her there. “That amazes me looking back. I was a very, very shy, timid person,” Bradley said. “I just knew that I wanted to do this and that's where I needed to go. It was nerve-wracking. I remember my parents driving me to North Carolina and dropping me off. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I'm so far away and I don't know anyone.’ I got lucky and developed really good friendships from the start. Those people were North Carolina natives. On breaks, they would take me home with them.” Following graduation from UNC-Wilmington in 2001, Bradley took a job as a Research Analyst with the Cadmus Group, a consulting company that works in energy, water, and transportation among other things. The job involved environmental consulting, but not truly in the areas in which Bradley was most interested. “I worked there, but it wasn't on the marine side. It was more on groundwater type of stuff for the Environmental Protection Agency,” Bradley said. “I wasn't loving it because it wasn't really my area of interest.” Bradley recognized that the positions she wanted contained a mix of science and management, many of which required a master’s degree. She returned to North Carolina to earn a graduate degree at Duke, which included a significant amount of time at the Duke University Marine Lab in the coastal town of Beaufort, NC. “That is still, hands down, one of the best years of my life,” Bradley said. “One of the main things that we talked about was fisheries and seafood and how destructive fishing practices are and all the bad ways that fish are caught.” Bradley had found her passion. “I thought ‘oh my gosh, I need to do something about this.’ This is what I need to focus on,” said Bradley, who did her master’s research project on the effective management of Blue Crab, one of the largest fisheries in North Carolina. “Beaufort is a small town in North Carolina, right on the water, and the Marine Lab, it's one of the biggest things in Beaufort. A lot of the classwork really applied to our work on the water. That experience helped me recognize that the ocean conservation space was where I wanted to be.” Crowder said Bradley’s passion for the ocean and wildlife was evident early on. “It was clear that Stephanie was one of the very best students in her cohort,” said Crowder. “From the time she left Duke, she’s really been entirely invested in sustainable seafood. First, doing the legwork to inform consumers, then working with those fisheries to help them improve their game. Stephanie has done everything you could hope for from a student at Duke to not only advance her career, but also advance the cause of sustainability and conservation.” Now Bradley wants to share that passion. "I don't think people realize the impact that their choices make on the ocean. We're landlocked. We don't have any impact on the ocean, right? But litter and runoff flow into the rivers. That ends up in the ocean and hurts the animals that live there, the habitats that are there," she said. "Food choices have an impact as well. Don't purchase fish at a restaurant or in the supermarket that are endangered (such as Atlantic and Southern bluefin tuna, totoaba, and freshwater eel)."
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Maureen Beat, the author of Letters to Lucky, will display her work at the Illustrators of Children's Books exhibit beginning on Sunday, May 1 and running through Sunday, June 5. The exhibition will take place at the Sunderland Gallery (inside the Cultural Center) on the campus of St. Cecilia Cathedral, 3900 Webster Street in Omaha. The event kicks off with a reception on May 1 from 1-3pm. Gallery hours are Noon-4 pm. Closed on Monday.
Beat will display 18 pieces including 17 prints from Letters to Lucky. One of her favorites from the book is “Lost and Scared.” “I like it because I painted it with such a vivid cobalt blue and the light from the street lamp focuses on her,” she said. “That is the premise of the book: a little dog that was terrified before she was rescued and was completely transformed into a gentle, loving dog in the neighborhood.” The 17 signed 16” x 20” archival prints of the illustrations from the book will be for sale. The original watercolor of the Letters from Lucky cover will also be on display, but not for sale. Other artists on display include Lisa Pelto, Jeramie King, Ted Koozer, Cherri Yost, Lisa Smith, Tom Kerr, and Paula Wallace. “I am looking forward to the Opening Reception on May 1st and meeting the other artists, networking, attendees as well my friends and family,” Beat said. “I know that this exhibit will be geared toward families so I hope there will be many children there at all of the receptions.” Sharks and Jets, Montagues and Capulets, Targeryans and Starks - great literary rivalries all. In each story, romantics dare to cross those lines for love. So what’s the modern day, Nebraska equivalent? While it doesn’t usually result in swordplay (let’s keep it that way!), passions run hot between fans of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Creighton University Bluejays. Especially in the late fall as the two schools get set to square off on the basketball court. So who is the couple crossing the Bluejay-Husker lines? Dr. Jonis Agee and Dr. Brent Spencer, Professors at Nebraska and Creighton, respectively, working in the same field - creative writing. The couple married in 2001, after a decade or so of flirtation. The slow burn The pair first became aware of one another in the 90s, running in the same Midwest writing circles. While they enjoyed each other’s company, romance did not spark right away. When Spencer first started teaching at Creighton in 1992, he tasked himself with meeting as many writers from the region as he could. “I met Richard Duggin, Art Homer, and others at UNO. We got in the habit of hanging out together. Every once in a while, they'd mention this writer, Jonis,” Spencer said. " ‘Oh, you'd love her,’ they said. ‘She's so smart and funny and good-looking’.” The Omaha group created a joint reading series bringing in authors from around the Midwest and around the country. Agee, working at the College of Saint Catherine in St. Paul, Minnesota at the time, was among them. “She came down for her reading at the UNO campus. She came in her boots and a cowboy hat. This woman is a combination of Susan Sarandon, Bonnie Raitt, and Calamity Jane,” Spencer said. Agee was immediately impressed with Spencer as well. “Man, I have a crush on this guy!” Agee said. “I did. We kept seeing each other at AWP (Association of Writers and Writing Programs) events. I thought he was so mysterious.” Spencer largely kept to himself during the conventions, but it wasn’t so much being mysterious or aloof. “Fear of crowds,” he laughed. Agee, a graduate of Omaha Central High School, would come through Omaha on book tours or to visit relatives and would make a point to connect with Spencer. “I would just say I'm going to be in town, we would meet and have supper or something,” Agee said. “There was all this charge and energy, but nothing ever happened. We were just always connected. And then nine years later, nine!” What happened nine years later was a job offer from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. That put the relationship on a more geographically compatible plane. Spencer had spent some time in the Twin Cities as a Writer in Residence at five area schools including Saint Catherine’s. “That’s when we finally made a good connection,” Agee said. Spencer helped Agee house hunt in the Lincoln area after she accepted the UNL job. “I was always including Brent in my plans. We were driving around with the realtor. We would go to a house and I'd say ‘Now here's my study and here could be yours.’ It was really nice because he would give his opinion and we would try to imagine living there. So, it just seemed to unfold so naturally.” The couple was married in 2001. The band of the late blues legend Magic Slim, a Lincoln resident at the time, played at the wedding. Working together As you might expect, the pair collaborate on projects in a number of ways including offering feedback on solo projects. While criticism of one's literary work can often sting, the couple manages to avoid hurt feelings -- most of the time. “He did make me cry early on. He yelled at me ‘you're a better writer!’ Agee said. “But he’s never made me cry since then.” They’ve influenced the way one another approaches the writing process as well. Spencer is the more meticulous of the two, while Agee has a more free-flowing approach, getting her thoughts down and going back to rewrite and edit later. That’s changed over time though. “She has a different way of working than I do, she’s more freewheeling. I have lately come to embrace it thinking that's the better way. My approach had been more meticulous, trying to make sure everything is spelled correctly and punctuated correctly -- trying to do too much at once.” The pair have collaborated on a number of projects including a screenplay for an unreleased film about auto racing for b-movie legend Roger Corman. “We got a phone call. I picked it up that night and a woman said Roger Corman's office is calling for Jonis Agee,” Spencer said. “I’d met Roger Corman years before and I’m just a huge movie fan. I just held the phone out and said, ‘whatever this man asks you to do, just do it’.” Corman’s interest was likely spurred by Agee’s book Taking the Wall, a collection of short stories about motor sports. The movie, tentatively titled Full Throttle, featured Christopher Lloyd of Back to the Future and Taxi fame. Corman, a motorsports fan, had read the book and hired Agee to pen a script. Agee had no experience writing a screenplay, so the couple collaborated on the project. Of course, Spencer had never written a screenplay either. “I’d never even seen a screenplay,” Agee said. “But we were like ‘oh, sure we can write a screenplay. No problem’.” The movie was shot in Louisiana, but ultimately not released. Corman was unhappy with the racing sequences, Spencer said. “They had used the wrong cars and all kinds of things,” Spencer said. “At one point, (Corman) was going down to reshoot the racing scenes himself, but I don’t think it ever happened.” However, Corman did send a print of the film to his writers. Solo projects Of course, more than a few projects written by the pair have been published. Among Agee’s works are novels The Bones of Paradise, The River Wife, Strange Angels and Sweet Eyes, among others. Strange Angels and Sweet Eyes both earned Notable Book of the Year recognition from the New York Times. “Everying thing she does is so original and fully imagined. She has such a wonderful sense of landscape. It makes me think I'm an amateur,” Spencer said. “She gives her characters a great sense of humor.” Spencer’s credits include novels Rattlesnake Daddy, Are We Not Men?, The Lost Son, and All Done with Dying. His short story The True History was included in The Best American Mystery Stories, 2007, edited by renowned author and journalist Carl Hiaasen. Spencer’s work has appeared in GQ, The Atlantic, and McSweeney’s. He also recently published A Handbook for the Online Student to help guide students new to the online experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. Character development and dialogue are some of the things that make Spencer’s work stand out, Agee said. “Brent is great, and I mean, truly great at getting into the dark psychology of his characters,” she said. “He has a cinematic imagination. He's always teaching me about dialogue. My characters want to talk like Faulkner. His characters are much cleaner and succinct.” Both share William Faulkner as a primary influence. Spencer’s favorites include giants such as Ernest Hemingway and Charles Dickens. A trained actor, Spencer is also a Shakespeare fan. “I've read and reread a lot of Shakespeare and studied Shakespeare in classes. I've acted in Shakespeare plays since I was 15,” Spencer said. “There's so much hidden craft in there, so much writing that was meant to help the actors. It’s an amazing blueprint for an actor.” Agee admires southern writers like Flannery O'Connor, Eudora Welty, Ron Rash, and Alice Hoffman. “If I could figure out how to write like Alice Hoffman, I would be so happy,” Agee said. “Her characters can do some fairly dark and crazy stuff, but there's always this sense of life that is maintained. There is a way to survive this life and come out on the other side of it or not be destroyed by your disappointments and mistakes. I like writers like that.” Hawkeye history The pair share another influence - the University of Iowa and its stellar creative writing reputation. Although not on campus at the same time, Agee earned her bachelor’s degree in Iowa City. Spencer attended the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, famous for producing writers such as John Irving (The World According to Garp), WP Kinsella (Shoeless Joe), and Marilynne Robinson (Gilead). Both Agee and Spencer praised the creative culture at Iowa for instilling the confidence necessary to pursue a career as a writer. “I had always written on the side, in the stolen moments of the day -- not telling people because I was afraid. I did tell my parents and they literally said, ‘You're not going to do that. We have a job lined up for you in a sewing factory.’ I had nothing against real work. I’ve always had hard jobs, but I thought ‘I want to do this and why can't I do this’,” Spencer said. “ Iowa was the place where I thought, ‘this is the place where you get to do this, where this is the most important thing.’ I'd never been given permission like that. That was the main thing for me -- to be allowed to do the thing you loved and to live the dream you're dreaming.” In the classroom and Brighthorse Books They try to offer that same permission to be creative in their classrooms today. “I think it's making a space for students' imaginations and making it possible for them to have those dreams and giving them those skills,” Agee said. While Agee favors realism in her own writing, many of her current students, influenced by things like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones, are working in fantasy and science fiction. “We've got dragon writers!” Agee said. “I was like, ‘okay, what do these dragons eat?’ There has to be realistic details under the fantasy. They still have to write well. I want them to be able to create characters that we can empathize with. If they’re going to get into this, I want them to do it as well as they can.” The couple extended that creative space beyond the classroom when they launched Brighthorse Books. The company serves as an avenue to publication for authors of poetry, short stories, and novels. Each year they ask for submissions in those three categories offering a $1,000 prize and publication to the submissions judged as best. “We're both teaching young writers and know how hard it was to get published,” Agee said. “We came up with this model and we thought, ‘we can do this.’ We've just been so impressed with the submissions over the years.” For submission information visit: Brighthorse Books Submission Manager On-court rivalries and in-class success So will there be any divisiveness when the Huskers and Bluejays men’s and women’s basketball teams square off on the court in the coming days? Not really to tell the truth. While Agee keeps track of the basketball teams as well as the Husker volleyball squad, Spencer is only vaguely aware of Creighton’s on-court product. “She follows a lot. I am a bit out of it,” Spencer said. “I was in the Student Center a few years ago trying to get a cup of coffee. All these students in front of me were huddling around this tall guy. It turned out it was (former Creighton star and now seven-year NBA veteran) Doug McDermott. They had to tell me who that was.” “I knew more about him,” Agee said. “I said, ‘He's going to go pro. He's good’.” The couple is more aware of the athletic department and student-athletes off the court and in the classroom. Each has been impressed with the diligence shown in ensuring that players are getting to class and doing the work. “Every student-athlete, male or female, regardless of the sport, I get a checkup every month from the athletic department,” Agee said. “They ask about their attendance, their behavior, their assignments as a whole. They are good students.” “One of the reasons I like teaching at Creighton is that notion of care for the individual that they have and the Jesuit ideal,” Spencer said. “I get those same notices for every student. ‘How is she doing? Is he having a hard time?’ There's a lot of discussion like that. That, to me, is the way it should be.” Maureen Beat’s Letters to Lucky, featured on this blog earlier this year, is piling up accolades and recognition. The children’s book chronicles the relationship between Beat’s beagle, Lucky, and neighborhood children. Beat had been inspired to write the book after Lucky passed away to acknowledge the impact she had on Beat’s family and the neighborhood children. Beat was recently featured in the Marian High School magazine (pages 38-39) as well as on the Omaha Dispatch website. The articles document the process that Beat went in writing and illustrating the book as well as marketing it after it was published. Beat so enjoyed the process that she is now hard at work on a second book, Go Gizmo Go. “The Gizmo book is just being written in a journal with bits and pieces as the rhyming 'couplets' come to my mind,” Beat said. “I have not yet put them together to tell his story in chronological order. I know I want to begin with when he was just a baby pup. The litter was all boys, and all black, except he was the only one with white eyebrows, beard and 'boots'” This time around, Beat is shopping for an agent and hopes to get both Lucky and Gizmo picked up by a major publisher. “The query process is quite arduous because agents want specific genres,” Beat said. “I have also learned to check that they are accredited Association of Author's Representatives (AAR), a publishing industry trade group. Until that point, I will continue to self-publish. I have learned so much about the publishing industry.” Beat encourages others to take a crack at writing and illustrating as well. I would tell other aspiring children's book authors or illustrators to keep honing their skill because it takes time. The writers should not rush,” she said. “They should run it by friends and family to see if it flows. I would advise illustrators to have a distinct style, so it is recognizable. Good illustrators are paired with good writers. It is rare to find a writer who illustrates their own book.” Dr. Leland Barker earned his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science at Creighton University in 2010, followed up with a master’s degree in Kinesiology from Cal State-Fullerton in 2013, and then… joined the circus. Following his time at Fullerton, Barker moved to Las Vegas, the hometown of his now-wife Aurora, a Creighton graduate herself. He was looking for an opportunity to put his degrees to work. In Las Vegas, the circus is always in town and those high-flying acrobats, dancers, and athletes of all sorts could benefit from the knowledge of an exercise expert. Barker joined the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil as a Performance Scientist and later served as a Strength and Conditioning Coach for the organization. Now, he is bringing that experience into the classroom as an Assistant Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at his alma mater, Creighton. Circus Act Barker had been academically accepted into the Ph.D. program at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, but had to wait for funding to become available. His mentor at UNLV, Dr. John Mercer, suggested getting involved with some community organizations, collaborations the University was trying to foster as well. A fortuitous text from a friend alerted Barker to an internship opportunity with Cirque Du Soleil. Soon, he was helping performers propel themselves into the air in shows like KÀ, Mystère, and O. “It allowed me to get my foot in the door and do things that were aligned with what I wanted to,” Barker said. “I applied and they liked me enough to give me the gig. I worked 10 to 20 hours a week, helping them with the performance science projects that they were running.” The internship helped establish a connection between the UNLV program and Cirque Du Soleil. A relationship that has become a difference maker for the school. “Through Dr. Barker’s effort, the relationship between UNLV and Cirque was amplified,” Mercer said. “Having the ability to connect with Cirque Du Soleil allows students an opportunity to work with elite athletes in unique performance settings. This gives the student a new perspective in issues related to sports performance.” Barker helped collect data and manage project logistics over a four-to-five-month period, but Cirque did not have additional funding for the position beyond that. Barker brought Mercer and the leadership at Cirque together to find a solution. “They were able to get me state funding to do my Ph.D.,” Barker said. “So, I continued to work with Cirque in roughly the same capacity. I also started all my duties with UNLV, teaching and research.” At that point, Cirque Du Soleil was operating eight different shows in multiple casinos along the Las Vegas Strip. “Cirque is just different because there's no off-season. They're just working nonstop,” Barker said. “I tried to keep the volume of training down a little bit, so they're not getting too beat up. We focused more on fundamental skills and building habits. I tried to make sure they were not too tired, make sure that they could still do their show safely, and feel good about what they're doing.” Eventually, Barker moved to a position working almost exclusively with O, the featured show at the Bellagio. One of Cirque Du Soleil’s longest-running shows, the company’s website describes O as a show that “pays homage to the magic of theatre - from simple street performances to extravagant operas - where all is possible, and life’s drama unfolds before our very eyes. World-class acrobats, synchronized swimmers, divers and enchanting characters demonstrate their aquatic prowess in, on and above the water resulting in an extraordinary experience.” “That was my favorite show,” Barker said. “I got to meet people from all around the world. It's such a global company. Artists are coming from all over the place. Getting to work with Europeans, Russians, South Americans. It was a really cool experience to work with people from such different cultures.” Running with the Rebels Barker may have picked up some juggling tips from his acrobatic friends as he balanced his work with Cirque with his responsibilities as a Ph.D. student at UNLV. “Even though it's a lot to juggle, the experience really prepared me for a full-time professor position,” Barker said. “It's not always smooth sailing. Trying to figure out dissertation stuff is a bumpy road.” Barker authored and co-authored numerous articles during his time at UNLV and had several published in the Journal of Applied Biomechanics and the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research among others. Titles included “Acrobatic Trampoline Act: A Description of Acceleration Profiles in Training and Shows Using Wearable Technology” and “Relationships Between Countermovement Jump Ground Reaction Forces and Jump Height, Reactive Strength Index, and Jump Time.” “Dr. Barker is very thorough in critically evaluating data, being innovative in developing methodological approaches, and generating new questions from the research conducted,” said Mercer, who collaborated with Barker on several articles. “He is very open in discussing ideas and adapting when presented with new information or information from a different perspective.” In addition to his work with Cirque Du Soleil, Barker had access to the NCAA Division I athletes at UNLV, which he used to conduct experiments and collect data. “That was always nice, because we could get access to a whole team and collect data in a day,” he said. “I was looking at deceleration strategies, movement strategies related to jumping. We did a lot of jumps, a lot of loaded jumps. Because of the nature of biomechanics, we can collect a ton of data. The big challenge is figuring out what kind of data I want to use for a specific question.” While Barker gained experience as a researcher, he also developed his skills as an instructor, teaching classes in each semester of his Ph.D. program. “The UNLV Ph.D. program was pretty young at the time, so we had a nice small group of students,” he said. “We had a lot of opportunities. Not every Ph.D. student can say, "I taught every semester in addition to doing my research." Back with the Bluejays Following the completion of his Ph.D. program, Barker continued to teach part-time at UNLV. He and Aurora were comfortable in Las Vegas, and she had a solid job as Admissions Director at Bishop Gorman High School. That allowed him to look for the best opportunity rather than simply the next opportunity. His interest was piqued when an opportunity became available at Creighton. “I had attended a few conferences and had an inkling that there might be a position opening up,” he said. “My wife loved her job. We loved our home. It had to be a special opportunity. We made the decision within a day or two. She has some family here in Omaha as well. That made the decision easier.” Barker started his job at Creighton in August 2019. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic struck just two months into his second semester on the job. “It was definitely a challenge, but Creighton made some excellent adjustments,” he said. “That first half-semester required a lot of adaptations on the fly. A lot of people worked their tails off -- faculty, administrators, students -- to make this past year pretty solid.” Barker, who attended high school at Mounds Park Academy in St. Paul, Minnesota, can relate well with his students having been in their shoes just a few years ago. He made his college choice based largely on the influence of the parents of a high school friend, both medical doctors, who spoke highly of their experience at Creighton. He considered Pre-Med initially, but gravitated toward Exercise Science as his academic career progressed. “I just kind of fell in love with Exercise Science,” he said. “I loved sports and I loved the human body -- trying to make it better and learning how to do that.” Barker credits Dr. Joan Eckerson, a professor during his undergraduate studies and now the Chair of the Exercise Science and Pre-Health Professions program, who helped him identify his academic and career path. “She’s a great friend and mentor to me,” Barker said. “She helped me recognize that I had a knack for this kind of thing. That really planted the seed.” Eckerson recalls Barker as a bright, engaged student with a high aptitude for math and statistical reasoning. Like a lot of students, he was searching for a career path that would allow him to pursue his passion. “He was trying to figure out what he wanted to do -- like most of our students. He had intentions of attending professional school as a freshman, but his heart just wasn’t in it and, to his credit, he listened to his heart,” Eckerson said. “As he took more and more courses in the major, he developed a strong interest in strength and conditioning. As graduation neared, I told him I thought he’d enjoy academia as a profession and that I would be happy to write him a strong letter of recommendation.” When a position opened at Creighton, Barker’s credentials made him a perfect fit. “We were specifically looking for a Ph.D. trained biomechanist; therefore, his academic preparation was ideal for the position,” Eckerson said. “Lee’s certifications in strength and conditioning and experience working with Cirque Du Soleil and USA Snowboarding definitely set him apart from our other candidates. He has the ability to adjust his approach based upon what each athlete needs because of his experience.” Barker and some of his colleagues from the Department of Physical Therapy are currently working with some of the athletic teams at Creighton with a long team goal of developing a ‘Bluejay Sports Science Institute’ that would foster interdepartmental collaboration and career development opportunities for Creighton students. “It’s that kind of passion and vision that makes Lee special and we’re glad to have him back ‘home’,” Eckerson said. Barker enjoyed his Creighton experience outside the classroom as well, claiming a couple of intramural basketball championships. He and his teammates were then recruited by Creighton women’s basketball coach Jim Flanery to form a practice squad to match up against the Bluejay team. “They’re great because you need to be able to simulate more quickness or athleticism sometimes,” Flanery said. “It also gives our players a chance to practice against somebody different. That can bring a different level of competitiveness.” Barker would frequently find himself matched up against all-Missouri Valley Conference point guard Chevelle Herring. “Now that he is a doctor, you understand why he was a good practice player,” Flanery said. “So much of being a good practice player is following directions. He guarded Chevy a lot in practice. Chevy was all right hand, so we tried to have him sit on her right hand to make her go left. Thise types of things are important, being able to run an opponent’s offense to simulate game play.” Home Front
Barker may have scored his biggest win at Creighton in a different sport - ultimate frisbee. It was through that participation that he met his future wife, Aurora Driscoll. “I was at a party put on by one of the upperclassmen. She was there,” he said. “I wasn’t smooth or anything, but I just wanted to talk to her and thought she was cute. I sat down, probably really awkwardly, but we just made a little connection, and it went from there.” The couple were married in the summer of 2013 and welcomed their first child, Felix, in the winter of 2020. While arriving during a pandemic might not be ideal, Felix did have the benefit of having both parents at home for a time. “It was actually a good time to be pregnant and have a baby,” Barker said. “Aurora was amazing with labor and everything leading up to it. She’s tough and a champ. Felix let us off the hook a little bit. He’s been sleeping great ever since he was six weeks old. He’s had a couple of teething nights, but those have been rare. He eats well. He’s just a good-spirited baby.” While the new school year will certainly bring its share of challenges, the Delta variant among them, there is no doubt that Barker, his family, and his extended Creighton family will have the flexibility to handle it. Lucky always knew how to draw a crowd. Author and artist Maureen Beat chronicled her journey with Lucky, her rescue beagle who passed away at 13, after 10 years with Beat and her family, in her recently released children’s book, Letters to Lucky. Lucky had an impact beyond the Beat family, becoming a favorite among neighborhood children. Beat even set up a mailbox in her yard in which the youngsters would drop off letters to the canine companion. Some of those letters appear in the back of Beat’s book. The book is currently available at the Bookworm, 2501 S. 90th Street in Omaha, as well as several other locations including the Nebraska Humane Society in Omaha, Rosie Jane at 50th and Leavenworth, and the most popular online retailers. “Lucky became so popular that this beagle had her own mailbox! She received fan mail from the children in the neighborhood,” reads the book’s description. “The rhyming verse format makes Lucky's story even more appealing to younger children, especially for early readers in primary grades. Hidden "easter eggs" are found within the beautiful watercolor illustrations.” In addition to writing the story, Beat, a freelance artist, illustrated the book. “What I enjoyed most about writing the book was the freedom to express myself. I was totally motivated because I did the book for ME and it was not artwork for hire,” Beat said. “I started the manuscript in June 2020 (the week after Lucky died). I visualized every single illustration as I was writing.” Revisions were part of the process for both the words and the illustrations. “I am my own worst critic, and repainted three of the illustrations so they met my standards,” Beat said. “I revised the story line many times, so it would make sense to the reader. I also decided to add 2 more parts while illustrating the book.” Lucky proved to be a crowd favorite again, as Beat’s book signing drew a large crowd at the Bookworm, on May 29, 2021. “I was very pleased with the turnout for the book signing event,” Beat said. “There was a steady line of customers for the two-hour duration. Most of the people were friends, (Letters to Lucky FB) members, and people who had simply read about the event in the Omaha World Herald.” Beat, who works in the Office of Student Retention at Creighton University as well as a freelance artist (check out her website at www.artexpressionsltd.com), attracted support from her Bluejay colleagues at the signing. “I had at least 12 people with Creighton connections, either current or past,” she said. Beat promoted the signing well in advance and worked with Hannah Amrollahi, the Bookworm’s Children’s and Young Adult Department Manager, to come up with a unique concept for the signing, the bookstore’s first in-person event coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. “‘I specifically asked for the Saturday before Memorial day as that would be the one year anniversary of Lucky's death. Hannah suggested it be a 'celebration of life' so it would put a positive spin on the event,” Beat explained. “Hannah was inspired by the block party illustration (in the book), so that is where the theme came from. We recreated that scene with the tent and checkered cloth table and treats. We also had puppy chow and cookies which were placed in the actual mailbox.” Amrollahi could not have been more pleased with the event. “The crowd truly felt like a neighborhood that had gotten together to celebrate Maureen's book and a sweet and loveable dog,” she said. “She did a great job of advertising the event across many channels and tapping into her personal network. Working with us well ahead of the event, having a proposal, and a marketing plan meant it was well organized and smooth to execute. When you are a self-published author you are your own marketing department and agent so it is important to understand this work will continue as long as you want to connect with readers.” Beat is hard at work on another children’s book, Go Gizmo, Go - The Life of a Puppy. “It's another true story about our new mini schnauzer, Gizmo,” she said. “I'm writing/saving the couplets in my phone as I think of them, and keeping an album of pictures for reference material.” Some of Beat’s other artwork, as well as Letters to Lucky, can be purchased through her Etsy store at www.artexpressionsltd.com. "Hey, is that lamp looking at me?" Well, maybe. The steampunk-inspired artwork of Omaha’s Dave Drzaic has a way of bringing lamps and light to life. Using salvaged metal piping and some old-school camera equipment among other materials, Drzaic creates unique light fixtures and other items to bring new life to the vintage material. You can see Drzaic’s work on his website at www.thevintageaddict.com or meet the artist in person at the Omaha Rockbrook Village Arts and Crafts Festival on Saturday, May 22, 2021, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Steampunk is defined as a style of design and fashion that combines historical elements with anachronistic technological features inspired by science fiction. Drzaic is all about it. “People just do wondrous things with steampunk -- it’s just glorious. You have billowing jet-powered balloons and dirigibles, and all this with top hats and goggles,” Drzaic said. “For me, it is taking unique pieces that I find and creating something new from it that no one else would have envisioned.” Drzaic uncovered his passion for vintage material in a utilitarian manner. He needed to furnish his apartment when he first moved out on his own some 40 years ago. “I just found vintage pieces that I could put in my apartment. That is where I basically started. I have been collecting things and stuff for 30, 35, 40 years,” he said. After wrapping up a 30 year career at Union Pacific where he held a number of roles with an emphasis in Information Technology, Drzaic turned his attention to this vintage material and what he could create from it. “I found these cameras that I had from 25 years ago. I thought they were cool then and I thought they were cool now, and I am thinking, ‘What can I do with these things’?” he said. “The forms that these cameras have are just beautiful. I merge them with the black iron to create this piece and I love it." The cameras frequently form the ‘face’ of the piece giving them a futuristic ‘Wall-E’ robotic look, while still retaining a sense of nostalgia for bygone days. “This is something that people will look at and say, 'Boy, that's interesting'," Drzaic said. “I hate to part with them because they are all gorgeous, but I like other people enjoying it as well.” Drzaic will hit up flea markets and farmers markets to find new material to work with as well as some local spots. An Omaha native, Drzaic grew up near the stockyards in South Omaha and attended Gross High School before earning two degrees at Creighton University, a Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Computer System Management. “I have never left Omaha,” Drzaic said. “I have traveled around the world, but never left the city.” Creighton’s reputation as a business school, it’s emphasis on Catholic and Jesuit education, and the sense of community fostered by the school is what attracted him to the Bluejay way. “I tell you what, those Jesuits are hard teachers and hard graders. The classes were small back in the day which was nice,” Drzaic said. “Creighton really creates a sense of community. I graduated with hundreds of students, and all of the thousands of students that have graduated since then, we all have that shared experience. The leadership of the professors was outstanding. You could tell they wanted to be there. They wanted to teach and they came in every day excited. They made me the person I am.” While Drzaic has the soul of an artist, it was all business, while in school -- almost anyway. “It was nothing but computers, business, and basketball. I attended every game from 1980 to this year,” he said. Drzaic’s Creighton experience powered him through a long career at Union Pacific (UP). His network of connections through Creighton and UP helped power his artistic career especially at start-up. His knowledge of Search Engine Optimization keeps the business chugging along. "I have gone through and optimized my webpage to increase my ranking and I continue to do that," he said "That is something that is very important that any small entrepreneur, whether you are in art or you are selling supplies, needs to understand. You might be thinking you have the best website out there, but if Google does not find it through these SEO standards, then it’s all for not.” Dr. Chris Krampe, Director of Fine Arts and Humanties at the College of Saint Mary, was recently named Cathedral Arts Project’s Executive Director and hopes to create some synergy between the two positions. “We are already seeing some of that, and we have plans to continue down that road in the immediate future. CSM has a fantastic mission in its own right, and brings a really fresh perspective that I think our community recognizes for its inherent value,” Krampe said. “These two organizations can bring their unique talents together, and everyone will benefit.” CAP is currently exhibiting Illumination of the Word: Icons from the Prosopon School through Sunday, March 28. A Bach Birthday concert will be held Sunday, March 21. Visit www.cathedralartsproject.org for more information. Krampe succeeds CAP founder Brother William Woeger, who has served in the position for 35 years. Krampe’s work with sacred music and collaborations with Dr. Martina Saltamacchia (Medieval and Renaissance Studies at UNO) put Krampe on CAP’s radar. “So many of my personal and research interests align with CAP,” Krampe said. “CAP has a very specific and unique mission - to promote Cathedral Culture through artistic events and programming. CAP is a continuation of a long, illustrious process of sharing the artistic, philosophical, and theological ideals most prized in our society. Sometimes those change from generation to generation, but the Cathedral has always played a prominent role in the discussion.” Krampe came to the College of Saint Mary in 2015 and has enjoyed the Omaha arts scene ever since. “Before I moved to Omaha I had heard that its art scene was nothing to scoff at - people in the city take it seriously,” Krampe said. “There are so many awesome opportunities. A few years ago UNO, CSM and Brigid St. Brigid Theater hosted legendary early musician Benjamin Bagby in a really unique performance of Beowulf. He performed it as epic poetry (how it originally was intended to be done), from memory in Anglo-Saxon. We had about 400 people attend the event. After the performance he was shocked so many people attended that event - he performs it all over the world, in major venues, and Omahans showed out in far larger numbers than he usually sees. He stressed how lucky we all were to be in a city that values culture so highly. We agreed!" Krampe is originally from rural Iowa and attended Drake University where he further developed his love of all types of art, graduating in 2004. “I’ve always loved imagining, stories, pictures, and sounds,” he said. “I started taking private organ and piano lessons at Drake in junior high, and by high school was attending college music classes there as well. I had a love for art, but my understanding and skill set really took off during the Drake years.” Krampe credited two of his Drake professors for further inspiring him -- Dr. Carl Staplin and Robert Lien, his organ and piano instructors. “Two people who are no longer with us, but will always be with me,” he said. “Dr. Staplin was the head of the Organ and Church Music department. He was one of kindest, most decent human beings I will ever encounter. I owe so much of my happiness and success to these two people - there is no way I could ever pay them back for their patience and outstanding guidance.” He went on to earn both his master’s degree and Ph.D. at the University of Kansas. Among the memories garnered as a Jayhawk is experiencing the 2008 Men’s Basketball National Championship celebration, while in Lawrence. “KU won, and my wife and I were watching it in Lawrence. The announcement came that school was cancelled in celebration for the win, and we headed down to Mass Street,” he said. “There were tens of thousands of people packed in the street, hanging from light posts, and on business rooftops. It was peaceful, fun, and one of my fantastic memories. Lawrence was just this really quirky, fun place.” His experience at KU helped lead him to the College of Saint Mary. “I was “discovering” in academia that I had an ability to administer fine arts programs,” Krampe said. “I realized I could help serve my institutions in this capacity. I’d never thought about that before - graduate study in the arts focuses solely on perfecting artistic skill and technique. I got to a point where I started looking for the right kind of job to take the next step in fine arts administration, and CSM was an absolutely perfect fit for what I think powerful learning looks like. I knew that I wanted to be a part of what CSM was doing.” Let’s face it, as 2020 comes to a close, we could all use a drink. Like so many small business owners, the COVID-19 pandemic put a dent in Brianne Schuler’s primary source of income as the owner and co-founder of Energize Nonprofit Consulting. One could hardly blame her for seeking out a cold beer for a bit of comfort. However, Schuler took it one step further. No, it wasn’t two beers (everything in moderation, folks!), but rather by landing a position as the Executive Director of the Nebraska Craft Brewers Guild. “I’ll consider joining the guild a serendipitous event in my life and the highlight of a challenging 2020! My consulting work (previously my primary job) was highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic; all of my contracts were ended early due to COVID,” Schuler said. “When I saw this position listed, I was very intrigued by the idea of marrying two of my passions – small nonprofit organizations and craft beer – into a job. I feel blessed that I was chosen to represent the industry through my role as Executive Director.” Schuler took the role with the Guild, a trade association for craft beer in the state which brings together the collective strength of 54 breweries and cideries members, in June 2020. Her role is to help the Guild foster a Nebraska-centric community that is informed, enthusiastic, and actively creating unity among its members on market and public policy issues to create the most business-friendly climate for craft brewers. “I can say that hands down, the best part of my job is getting to meet with each of our members – the brewery owners, staff, and patrons – that make this industry so special. My goal was to meet with each of our 54 brewery members before the end of the year (I’m not quite there, but I’m at 35 and counting!) to listen to their stories, enjoy their brews, and find out how the Guild can support them,” Schuler said. “Behind every brewery are amazing stories as to how and why they opened the doors and I love to surround myself with passionate, creative individuals like our members. And obviously, BEER! I’ve loved trying the amazing beers and ciders our state has to offer.” 2020 has certainly placed unexpected challenges on to the craft brewing industry. According to the Brewers Association’s most recent member survey, nearly 1/3 of small breweries reported they were uncertain if they would still be open at this time next year. Schuler encouraged consumers to shop local. “Choosing to support local breweries is paramount. Our members have made it easy to safely shop local and are offering crowlers and growlers to go, curbside delivery, and increased can and bottle options for patrons,” she said. “Purchase gift cards, merchandise, and craft brews as holiday gifts – every little bit helps. In addition, there are free ways to support breweries – engage with them on social media, share their posts, write a review, tell a friend!” The general public can also support the Nebraska Craft Brewers Guild by purchasing an Enthusiast Membership to the Nebraska Beer Alliance – they’ll receive discounts at Nebraska breweries and cideries and some Guild swag. Businesses are also welcomed to join as Industry Supporter or Retail Members.” Local breweries have some holiday-themed concoctions in addition to their well-established creations to help folks welcome in 2021 with a hearty cheer. Schuler mentioned several offerings produced by the 54 breweries and cideries members of the Guild. “Our members put out a lot of great holiday beers. A couple I can think of off the top of my head that are eagerly awaited each season are Kinkaider’s Snow Beast Winter Ale and Infusion’s Gingerbread Vanilla Bean Blonde, but each of our breweries offer unique takes on the season,” she said. “ Winter means stouts, stouts, and more stouts!!! (my favorite, can you tell?) I also love hard cider, and you’ll find lots of great holiday ciders in Nebraska as well. Nebraskans can find all our brewery members via our website (Nebraska.beer) and find great local craft brews in their local area.” Schuler has earned two degrees at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, a bachelor’s degree in Theatre, and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in Non-Profit Management that she completed in December 2019. “I have nothing but praise for the program. I feel that the classes I took directly correlated with the work I was doing (and continue to do) in the sector. The professors shared real world experience as well as academic knowledge, my classmates each brought their personal experiences in the public and nonprofit sectors, and the assigned work was timely and well thought out,” she said. “The program absolutely enhanced my existing leadership and fundraising skills (echoing my career experiences) as well as equipped me with some skills I was not as adept at like financial management or research and analysis.” Schuler praised the faculty in the Public Administration program, singling out her advisor, Dr. Tara Bryan, in particular. “Each of the professors in my program added value – but I would be remiss if I didn’t give some extra “love” to my advisor – Dr. Tara Bryan,” Schuler said. “Her ability to offer both academic guidance as well as career support were very influential in my decision to start consulting work. I’m grateful for her lending an ear for many hours of frustration and fear as I made the decision to go out on my own. She is an amazing mentor, instructor, and leader.” Schuler knows that even more than a frosty mug of Nebraska-brewed ale, it’s friends and family that are helping us all pull through the unique challenges that 2020 have brought to us. “I’m lucky to have a supportive circle – my husband, my step kids, and my parents. My parents raised me with the belief I could achieve anything I wanted to if I was willing to work hard for it. I got my first job bagging groceries at Bakers at 14 because I wanted to be able to buy a car when I turned 16. I paid for college with a combination of student loans and worked a full-time job while attending both undergraduate and graduate school. I had the opportunity to be the first person in my family to receive a college degree,” she said. “My husband has the patience of a saint. I took a leap of faith in 2018 when I left my full-time job to launch Energize Nonprofit Consulting, and he is the primary reason I felt the confidence to do so. When less than six months later I suggested buying a second business (Driftwood Paddle Adventures), he took a deep breath and said, “let’s do it!” While we’ve had our challenges, it has been fun and rewarding exploring new opportunities together. He’s the rock in our relationship. My step kids, too, are fantastic and are always ready to help – my stepdaughter is in year two of working for Driftwood and I look forward to my stepson joining the team in 2021. I love having the chance to work with my family and think we are stronger together!” Color + Motion = Energy. That equation comes to life in the artwork of Omaha-based Jasmine Greenwaldt -- her Dancer series in particular -- while her Wild Flower and In Bloom collections burst off the canvas as well. The Omaha-based artist works primarily in acrylic, but also produces in oil pastel, charcoal, and ink as well. “I would describe my painting style as expressive, fluid and raw. I work with a lot of additives to give an array of texture," Greenwaldt said. "I prefer these mediums as it allows me to build layers faster and work at a more intuitive pace. I have been painting since I was a little child and was always highly encouraged by not only my teachers, but my family as well.” A gymnast growing up, Greenwaldt strives to capture motion in her work. “I have always loved dance. The movement and fluidity is inspiring and has had a large influence on my own work,” she said. “Music and nature have also played a large role. I often listen to music as I paint and end up getting caught up creating for hours on end.” Greenwaldt earned two bachelors degrees, in Marketing and Painting, at Minnesota State - Mankato, and stayed at the school to teach, while earning her masters degree in Painting. “I loved my experience at Minnesota State-Mankato. I had wonderful teachers and colleagues. They are actually the reason I stayed for my masters program instead of going elsewhere. They are not only phenomenal people, but artists as well,” Greenwaldt said. “Many of the professors have artwork on display in museums and in international exhibits.” Greenwaldt loved to see her students grow during her teaching experience, but missed creating in her own studio. “I have thought about going back to teaching when I am "retired", but I honestly don't know if I will ever want to retire,” she said. “When you love what you do, each day doesn't feel like work.” In addition to her art, Greenwaldt is Realtor with the Key Group at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Ambassador Real Estate, a position that prompted her move from Minnesota to Omaha in 2016. “I studied Marketing in college as well. A lot of artists love creating, but don't know where to go from there. Having a business mindset has been really helpful for me. A huge part of the reason I moved to Omaha is actually because of my Real Estate team, The Key Group,” Greenwaldt said. “When I came to visit, not only did I love my team and the business side of things, but I realized this is an opportunity for my creative side as well. I could stage the homes with my art and not only sell the homes, but sell my paintings as well, which is how I got my artwork into the Street of Dreams and private collections.” Greenwaldt’s work is currently on display at the Artists Cooperative Gallery and The Jewell in Omaha, and the Burkholder Project in Lincoln. She may be announcing additional displays soon. Additionally, she has a large home studio that she shares with potential clients. “I love the fact that I can grab a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and walk right upstairs to start painting,” she said. “Yes, I may have accidentally sipped my paint water and swirled brushes in my cup a few times.” She is currently working on additions to the dancer series and some figural drawings/paintings. Like the rest of the world, Greenwaldt is dealing with the problems created by COVID-19. “The Pandemic has been a whirlwind. I feel fortunate that it has not affected me as intensely as I know it has some. Both galleries I display in were shut down for a while,” Greenwaldt said. “I was scheduled to have two large gallery openings right at the beginning of the pandemic. One was canceled and one turned virtual. On the bright side, I have work ready for my next show and have still sold artwork via my website and private tours.” Check out her work at www.jasminegreenwaldt.com. |
AuthorI am a professional communicator with experience in journalism, public relations, marketing, advertising, and technical writing. I strive to tell the great story regardless of the medium. Archives
April 2022
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