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Connections
Nebraska Women's Leadership Network
Janessa Hageman ’21 (Student only event)
Career coaching started for Janessa as a college undergrad, where she was a peer career advisor. After a stint in consulting she returned to UNL where she now serves as an Assistant Director for the College of Business Career Center. She specializes in career development curriculum, internship/job search strategies for business majors, and creating materials to assist with all areas of professional development while considering current employers' needs
Janessa is passionate about creating growth and promoting resiliency when coaching professionals in reaching and expanding career goals that align with their priorities, strengths, and values. No matter what her role is, she works diligently to ignite goals, create partnerships, and achieve results while keeping the momentum going with a unique energy.
Dominique Kelley-Johnson ’12, ’14 (Alumna success story)
A leader on the best women’s basketball team in Nebraska history, Dominique Kelley-Johnson has been a passionate leader and mentor as a teacher and head girls basketball coach at Lincoln High School. Named the Dr. Barbara Hibner Mentor of the Year in Lincoln by Girls and Women in Sports and Fitness in 2021, Kelley-Johnson is also passionate about social justice issues in the Lincoln community and around the nation.
A 2012 graduate of the College of Journalism and Mass Communications, Kelley-Johnson also earned her master’s degree in education administration from Nebraska in 2014. From 2015-17 she was an assistant coach at Drake University and has spent the last three seasons as the head coach at Lincoln High, leading the Links to three straight winning seasons while helping several of her players earn college scholarships.
Victoria Baker (student success story)
Victoria Baker is a junior journalism major from Papillion, Nebraska. She is grateful for former journalism Professor Joseph Starita for introducing her to Dominique Kelley-Johnson, and for guiding her in her journalism career. Baker is also grateful for the Nebraska Alumni Association for this amazing opportunity. Outside of journalism, she is a resident assistant, peer mentor, and a former orientation leader.
Aakriti Agrawal ’16 (Breakout speaker)
Aakriti Agrawal, a 2016 alumna from UNL’s College of Business, taught herself to computer program upon graduating and was able to see the lack of female representation in STEM fields first-hand. Wanting to break that unfortunate cycle, she co-founded Girls Code Lincoln, a grassroots nonprofit that helps bridge the gender gap in technology.
Aakriti balances nonprofit volunteering with a full-time job as a Data Governance Analyst at Ameritas. She remains involved in the community through her work with local nonprofits and the university. Aakriti was awarded an Inspire Women’s Founders Award for her philanthropy, has given a TEDx talk about closing the gender gap in tech, and enjoys painting and traveling.
Heather Ropes ’89 (panelist)
R. Heather Ropes has lived border to border and coast to coast in the United States and rarely travels without her drawing supplies. Her exposure to art began at an early age in Montana and Santa Fe, NM. Her great-grandmother’s readings from Unity Church’s Daily Word made affirmative text another early influence. Prayer partners of many faiths encouraged Heather to write a book of prayer and affirmation, while others encouraged her artistic expressions. Joyfully, she presents her unique mix of hand-drawn art, uplifting affirmations, and text to ponder in Pencil Strokes: An Affirmation Coloring Book.
Jenna Vitosh ’08, ’09, ’10 (panelist)
Jenna Vitosh graduated from the University of Nebraska with undergraduate degrees in Civil Engineering and Design and a Master of Architecture degree. She is an active alumna, serving as an advisor for Mortar Board and a member of the Nebraska Women’s Leadership Network.
Jenna has been a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones since 2011, where her focus is serving mature, successful women as they prepare for and enjoy retirement. She also currently serves as Vice President for the Girls Code Lincoln board of directors, and recently, served as president of the board at the Montessori School for Young Children. In 2019, Jenna’s passion for serving women in Lincoln blossomed into a business when she opened the doors to Arrive Coworking + Community. Arrive is more than just a coworking space, it is a community focused on helping women entrepreneurs achieve their dreams.
Rebel Sjeklocha (panelist)
Rebel Sjeklocha is a senior studying Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communication with minors in Law and Business as part of the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program. She has been involved in a variety of clubs and organizations including the CASNR Student Advisory Board, Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow Club, Husker Equestrian Team, UNL Rodeo Club, and her sorority, Chi Omega.
Professionally, Rebel has completed internships with the Nebraska Rural Radio Association, the Cowboy Channel, and Adams Land and Cattle, LLC. She also serves as an ambassador for the sport of professional rodeo as Miss Burwell Rodeo 2021. Through the Engler Program, she and her friend Amanda Most started a small business, WestWind & Co. Rebel hopes to leverage her rural roots and university experience to make a tangible impact in rural communities, the agriculture industry, and preserve the western way of life.
Paska Juma ‘19 (panelist)
Paska Juma is a Black Leaders Movement organizer and heads the organization’s Marketing Department. She also is a program manager with Google and is growing her own businesses, Jamila Beauty and Make Room, the latter an international speaking and corporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Masterclass initiative. Paska earned her bachelor’s degree from UNL in Ethnic Studies with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. She is a Lincoln High School alum and a first-generation college graduate. She and her family emigrated to the U.S. from South Sudan.
Paska is a leader who is breaking generational curses and chasing her dreams with an unshakeable focus. She is a dedicated social justice activist, driven by her faith and family, to advocate for necessary change to provide Black communities with the dignity and opportunities they have historically been denied.
Dr. Paul Read
Dr. Paul Read joined the Department of Horticulture at the University of Nebraska as Head in January 1987. He resumed the role of professor of Horticulture and Viticulture in July 1997. He received bachelor and master’s degrees from Cornell University sandwiched around three-and-a-half years as an Extension Agent in the New York Extension system. His current research is in tissue culture for horticulture crop improvement and on vineyard management issues to support Nebraska’s developing grape and wine industry.
He has served as president of the American Society for Horticultural Science, president of the Plant Growth Regulator Society of America and president of the American Chestnut Foundation. He is also the editor–in-chief of the International Journal of Fruit Science.