RISE BUSINESS ACADEMY
ADVISORY COUNCIL
The RISE Business Academy Advisory Council is a growing community of ambassadors supporting the program in specific ways.
Council member participation includes activities such as:
Speaking in class on their area of expertise.
Mentoring class participants.
Judging pitch competitions.
Recruiting other mentors, speakers, judges, and donors.
Coaching and mentoring program graduates in the early stages of their business.
Support the Business Academy with financial contributions used for operational costs, pitch competition prizes, and micro-loans to program graduates.
Advisory Council Members
Jim Reiff - Executive Director, Nebraska Enterprise Fund
BC Clark - Founder and President, Metro Omaha Women's Business Center
Joe Sova - Founder and President, Ideal Payroll Service
Brett Stohs - Cline Williams Director of the Weibling Entrepreneurship Clinic
Clinical Associate Professor of Law, University of Nebraska College of LawBen Navarro - General Manager, Customer Service First Exteriors
Chris Poore - Information Services Manager, Mutual of Omaha
Rachel Fox - Senior Manager of Learning and Development, Covr Financial Technologies
Founder, You Go Girl OmahaDevon Seacrest - Entrepreneur
Jared Anderson - Economic Equity & Inclusion Program Administrator, City of Omaha
Andrew Prystai - CEO and co-founder, Event Vesta
Scott Asmus - SourceLink Nebraska Network Builder; Nebraska Business Development Center
Scott Henderson - Managing Director, NMotion and Owner, CauseShift
Christina Oldfather - Workforce Development Director, Rabble Mill | The Bay
Melanie Phelan - Co-Founder and President, Evergreen Enterprises
Tyler Mohr - Founder, Mohr Success & Significance
President, Mohr Property and Ventures LLCRobin Kammerer - Owner Operator, Thai Pepper Restaurant
Felicia Frezell - CEO, Inveterate Solutions
Willy Theisen - Entrepreneur, Founder, Godfather's Pizza; Pitch Pizzeria
Meghan Griffel - Senior Billing Manager, Fiserv
Michael Wiseman - Six C Media
Michael Sciandra - Education and Outreach Coordinator, Choices Treatment Center
Rob Allmand- Commercial Banking Officer, Arbor Bank
Kathy Anderson- Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development
Danitalynn Almonte- RBA Grad & Owner, It’s From Within Therapeutic Services
Ian Finn- Vice President, StoneX Group
Tony Horner- RBA Grad & CEO, Fermented Felon
Amy Jurgens- Director of Entrepreneurship Center- SCC
Rhea Vinson- RBA Grad & Owner, Sweet Meatz
Eric Tompkins- Board Member & Former Executive Chairman, RiceBran Technologies
Greg Chambers- Founder, Chambers Pivot Industries LLC
Connie Sharpe- RBA Grad & Connie Joe’s Catering
“It has been wonderful working with RayShawn as well as being a part of the RISE Business Academy. RayShawn is an entrepreneur who is always looking for the next idea or way to improve his businesses. It's fun to work with "idea" people like Rayshawn, and it is awesome to be even a small part of helping those ideas become a reality. “
— ERIN ARTZ, RISE BUSINESS ACADEMY ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBER