BUILDING BLOCKS FOR COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT - Key Persons
Ali is a small-town Nebraska native who lives near the Columbus area. Ali and her husband German have been together for 11 years and have 3 children between them ranging in age from 13 to 7 weeks. Ali enjoys playing volleyball, shopping, concerts, music festivals and watching her children participate in extracurricular activities.
Ali received her Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education from Columbus Community College where she graduated with honors from Pi Theta Kapa. She went on to Bellevue University to earn her bachelor's degree in Behavioral Science.
Ali has professional experience in childcare, pre-school teaching, and working with individuals with mental illness. She joined the Building Blocks team in November of 2015. Growing up, Ali loved children and always found herself caring for them or babysitting. "In my youth I had some rough times and it really helped to have my friends there to help me through it. After that I always wanted to make sure I was there to help others, even if it was just lending a listening ear. Working for Building Blocks is a happy middle of all the things I enjoy; working with the youth as well as the adults and knowing I am helping in some small way".
Job Titles:
- Bilingual Foster Care Specialist
Anna joined the Building Blocks team in September of 2020. Her favorite part of the work is getting to help families and children through difficult times and watch them as they grow from their experiences. Anna can relate to the children in our care, as her family had many moves while she was growing up, so she understands how difficult it is to establish yourself in a new school and community. She states, "It has made me learn to adapt to change easily." She hopes to be able to share this experience with the youth on her caseload.
In High School, Anna obtained her CNA and Med Aide certifications and worked in a long-term care setting until she graduated from College. Anna started at Northeast Community College and was a Student Ambassador during her time there. She then transferred to Bellevue University and earned her bachelor's degree in behavioral science. Anna has also spent time working with the Early Development Network in Columbus, NE. She is a Certified Medical Interpreter and has provided interpretation and translation services for the EDN, Vocational Rehab and now Building Blocks.
Anna and her son live near the Columbus area. He is a very active boy who keeps her on her toes most of the time. They are involved in track, soccer, and baseball. In Anna's spare time she goes to the gym, listens to music, and plans trips as she loves traveling.
Job Titles:
- Licensing & Foster Care Specialist
Beth and her husband David have 2 children: DJ and Hayden. The family enjoys camping, 4 wheeling, gardening, spending time with the horses, and family time with their extended family.
Job Titles:
- Resource & Licensing Supervisor
Bob earned his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska Omaha, and his Master's degree in Family Consumer Science from University of Nebraska Lincoln. He has taught the GED program in O'Neill for Northeast Community College for the last 13 years. He has been awarded GED "Instructor of the Year" twice.
Cody joined the Building Blocks family in August of 2014. He works primarily out of the Grand Island Office. "I started doing this work because I figured the best way to make the world a little better place is to work with children. In college, I worked in a child development lab and realized how great of an impact you can have on a child. I knew I would work with kids and eventually found my way to the fostering field. My favorite part of this work is knowing I am making a difference even if I don't see it now. I know finding children a safe placement will allow them to have the best opportunity for success and is the foundation for them getting the services they need."
Cody earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Nebraska. He is a trainer for "Common Sense Parenting" and "Rentwise". His professional experience includes: Visitation Center Executive Director, DHHS CFSS Specialist and RD, and Foster Specialist with BoysTown. He is current President of the Association for Child Abuse Prevention, active in the Sons of the American Legion and the 2021 "For the
Haley grew up in the Emerson, Nebraska area with her parents. She is the youngest of 5 children with quite an age gap between her and her next sibling, so she was able to enjoy parts of the "only child" lifestyle growing up. She and Willard (best friend and beagle) spend time together going for walks, snuggling up to a book or watching a crime show, whenever they get a chance. Haley also spends as much time as she can with her parents, siblings and 4 nephews and 3 nieces.
Hannah was born in Kansas but has lived in Nebraska almost all her life. She is engaged to Brady and is looking forward to a Summer 2023 wedding in sunny Florida. She has two rescue pups, Coco and Nori, who keep her on her toes every day. Hannah enjoys golfing, being outside, reading, and surrounding herself with good people.
Hannah received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Nebraska Kearney in Social Work and minored in Criminal Justice. She was awarded UNK's Social Work Student of the month. Hannah joined the Building Blocks team in April 2022 and, "I really enjoy the aspect of helping make foster homes a healthy environment for children to grow up in. I grew up with my dad being a foster parent so I have been able to witness how impactful being in a thriving foster home is for youth. I will strive to advocate for my parents when they need to be heard and need help getting their voice out there. Helping kids grow up in a safe, consistent environment is crucial in aiding their healthy development, and that is where I can help make a difference."
Hope grew up in Minnesota and lived there until she moved to North Dakota in 2019 (to chase after a boy). Luckily, that worked out and she married her sweet husband (Zac) in 2020. Their wedding was not at all how they imagined due to COVID, but was perfect in it's own way. They then moved to Hastings, Nebraska to be closer to Zac's family and hopefully experience more mild winters.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Director
- Executive Officer
- Founder
Jackie is on many state and local boards in regards to child welfare especially foster care. She is active in her church and has started many programs.
Jaime graduated from Wayne State College and began working for Building Blocks in August of 2011. "I was drawn to the profession after growing up with foster youth in & out of my home. My parents were foster parent for several years. I admired their passion for children and their drive to help children & families reunite. In that, I witnessed some of the hardships & challenges that the process has on youth & families and I wanted to be a part of guiding others in their journey and supporting children through the healing process. I've had different roles throughout my career; but currently I walk families through the licensing process & provide training opportunities to enhance their skills in parenting youth with a history of trauma & loss. I love what I do as I've got the opportunity to impact children's experiences in foster care & witness foster parents flourish."
Jaime married her husband in 2017 and they have four children. In her free time, she enjoys being with family, attending the children's activities, decorating, being outdoors & anywhere near the water on summer days.
"Moving forward in my profession, my personal goal is to continue to broaden my skills & abilities in the field so I can continue to be an asset to those I serve & provide support services to children and families in attempt to prevent challenges from escalating to crisis situations. My hope is to leave a memorable & lasting impact on those I support in their journey through foster care."
Jaye attended Augustana State University and obtained her Associates Degree in Sociology and Psychology. She is also a graduate of the McKennan School of Nursing in Sioux Falls, SD. Jaye didn't find her true passion until she managed a Target store in Scottsbluff, NE. They sent her to a business training program, and she has been in the business management field ever since.
Julie grew up on a farm in rural Nebraska and is the youngest of 5 children. She and her husband celebrated 29 years of marriage in 2021 and have 3 grown children. She was able to be a stay-at-home mom for most of her children's youth and was active in the Girls Scouts, youth Softball, youth Basketball, Special Kids Rodeo and other service projects. She was awarded the "Exceptional Girl Scout Leader" award during her leadership tenure with that program. Her family enjoys rodeo, fishing, crafting, and shopping.
Julie received all her Elementary and High School instruction at Elkhorn Valley and was active in all sports, band, and choir. She graduated from Chadron State College with a Bachelor of Social Work degree. She also played Basketball and Volleyball for Chadron State.
Julie joined Building Blocks in January 2019. Prior work experience includes Family Support Worker, Sign Language Interpreter, and Restaurant management. She was excited to join our team because, "I have always been drawn to the Social Services field. I had not been able to use my degree until now as we started a family and a farm, and that demanded my attention. I am finally able to use my degree, and help families grow stronger."
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant / File Auditor
Karen is a life-long Nebraskan. She grew up on a farm with her parents and 3 siblings. Karen graduated with honors from Butte High School and has spent the many years since learning from "The College of Life". Karen and her husband Virgil were married in 1988 and they have 1 grown daughter, Vanessa, who lives in Wayne, NE.
Karen enjoys genealogy research, local history preservation, outdoor photography, knitting and music. She likes going on road-trips with her husband, and spending time with friends drinking coffee or making s'mores around the fire pit.
Prior to becoming a part of the Building Blocks team, Karen was employed for over 28 years by Butte Implement Company as their Accounting Manager. She also spent time as their Interim Parts Manager. Karen served many years on the local Board of Education while her daughter was in school, and for over 10 years was the weekly "On Air" Butte Area News Reporter for KBRX Radio of O'Neill.
The addition of Karen to our Building Blocks team was the last great thing Building Blocks did in 2017, as she was hired on New Year's Eve. She was initially hired to be our Administrative Assistant, but we quickly learned she had talents in other areas as well, and she was asked to be our File Auditor not long after her hire. Karen says, "I do like helping other people as I feel I'm a "people person", but I really enjoy creating order out of chaos, so the actual organization and filing of documents is very rewarding and one of my favorite parts of the job!"
Laura grew up in the small town of Howells, NE surrounded by numerous family members. Her dad is the veterinarian in town and their farm was full of animals. She grew up showing horses and playing high school sports. Farm life taught her responsibility and discipline. At 16 years old, she started working in a local nursing home as a Certified Nurse's Assistant. That is where she found her love of meeting new people. After graduating high school, Laura went on to Wayne State College where she earned a Bachelor's in Human Services with a minor in Psychology, and a minor in Criminal Justice. She enjoys learning new things and experiencing new adventures.
Lauren joined Building Blocks in July of 2014. She previously provided Family Support and Visitation Services for The Counseling & Enrichment Center and was a Provisionally Licensed Mental Health Practitioner.
Job Titles:
- Bilingual Foster Care Specialist
- Foster Care Specialist
Mayra grew up in El Paso, Texas. She moved to Nebraska to be closer to more family in 2010 and has been a Nebraskan since. Mayra, her husband Joey, their son and their dachshund Kovu live in the Columbus area. Mayra enjoys photography, musicals and traveling.
Mayra graduated with her Bachelor of Human Services Degree in 2014. She immediately went to work in that field as a Family Support/Visitation worker and at a Day Rehab Center for Adults with Mental Illness. She joined the Building Blocks team in September of 2016. Mayra says, "Foster Care is something that has always been close to my heart, having grown up with foster siblings." Mayra is uniquely able to provide culturally competent support to our families who speak very little or no English.
Megan is new to Building Blocks joining the team in October 2021. She grew up in a very small town between Seward and York. She attended Doane University of a year before transferring to University of Nebraska Lincoln. She achieved her Bachelor of Science Degree in Education and Human Services with a minor in Communications.
Job Titles:
- Administrator
- Program Director
Rachael joined Building Blocks in March of 2002, while the organization was very small and still quite young. Rachael says, "Ever since I was a little girl, I knew that I wanted to work with children and make a difference in the world through the lives of children. My favorite part of this job is being able to help children grow in their ‘forever homes'." For most of her tenure with Building Blocks she has been at the helm of the day-to-day operations and says, "We have a great group of employees who make it easy to come to work every day."
Job Titles:
- Foster Care Specialist Supervisor
Randi grew up in Neligh, NE with both her parents and 2 older siblings. Randi and her husband Chad have 3 daughters ranging in age from 23 to 5. They have 2 dogs, Jaxson and Jayde. Randi enjoys cooking, baking, vacationing with family, shopping with her sister and reality TV shows.
Job Titles:
- Training & Recruiting Specialist
Tonya obtained her Bachelor's Degree from South Dakota State University in Brooking, SD in Biology and Secondary Education. After teaching for a couple of years she went to work in a lab testing blood samples and distributing blood products to area hospitals. She entered the Social Services field in Oct. of 2008 where she found her true passion.
She holds certifications as master trainer in Real Colors, Therapeutic Behavior Management for Foster Care, Psychological First Aid, Trauma Art Narrative Therapy, Trauma Informed Care, KINNECT, Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children, Becoming a Love and Logic Parent, and Positive Behavioral Intervention & Support (PBIS).
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Chief Financial Office
Traci attended Wayne State College for her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and her Master of Education in Community Counseling. Traci also has an Accounting Certificate from Northeast Community College. She hopes to one day get her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. She has worked in the human services field since college, including being a caseworker with the ICCU and youth services worker at Sunrise Place and a therapist. Traci is a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner and Licensed Professional Counselor who also holds national certification as an Adoption Competent Therapist. Traci is also credentialed to use the most recent trauma focused therapies including Neurofeedback, Brainspotting and EMDR.
Traci has been with Building Blocks since November 2008. Her favorite part of the work is that it is different every day and allows her to use all of her gifts while still helping families.
She is active in her community as the Staff-Parish Relations Committee chair for her church as well as being very active in the youth programing at the church and assisting with the technology during the services. She is a member of the Norfolk and Plainview Chambers of Commerce, member of the Plainview Housing Council, as has her own private practice, Tranquil Spaces Counseling LLC with locations in Norfolk and Plainview. She is also the Treasurer of CASA of Northeast Nebraska.
Traci was born and raised in Schuyler and spent her entire life in Nebraska. She is married and has 5 children in her blended family. She loves to read, work on all things technology, and be outside.