Dave Aiken
Local Government Law, Public Finance
A native Nebraskan, professor David Aiken graduated from Hastings College and received his law degree from George Washington University, Washington DC. After graduating from law school, he joined the University of Nebraska Department of Agricultural Economics staff in 1975. Professor Aiken has published over 100 technical and popular publications dealing with water rights, environmental law, and agricultural law. He teaches online undergraduate courses in agricultural law and environmental & natural resources law.
Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel
Workforce
Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel is an Extension Specialist – Community Vitality, located at the University of Nebraska Panhandle Research and Extension Center in Scottsbluff. She brings to the position over 25 years of community development experience focused in the areas of new resident recruitment and retention, tourism development and community planning. Dr. Burkhart-Kriesel has held leadership roles in of several state and regional Boards, including Nebraska Workforce Development, South Platte Natural Resource District and most recently been a member of the Blueprint Nebraska statewide planning effort. In 2019 she was asked to participate in the USDA’s National Rural Workforce Innovation Network (RWIN).
Daniela Mattos
Economic Analysis, Sustainable Community Economics, Capstone
Dr. Daniela Mattos is a Professor of Practice and Coordinator of the Rural Economic and Community Vitality Online Program at the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She received her PhD in Community Development from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 2014, Daniela joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to teach courses related to Community Economic Development, where she developed a curriculum on rural and regional economic analysis and development.
Charlotte Narjes
Community Engagement
Charlotte Narjes is a Community Vitality Initiative Associate Extension Educator in the Department of Agricultural Economics. She has a Bachelors in Economics and a Masters in Ag Leadership from UNL. Charlotte has facilitated and developed educational programs, visioning and networking opportunities for rural communities including working with businesses through the Gallup EAS project. Currently, she is leading the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center that brings together communities and/or individuals to form a cooperative business around a common vision.
Marilyn Schlake
Action Strategies, Business Analysis
Marilyn Schlake is an Associate Extension Educator with Nebraska Extension Community Vitality Initiative and the Department of Agricultural Economics. She received her undergraduate degree from UNL College of Business and her Masters degree in Organizational Management, with emphasis in Entrepreneurship from Peru State College. Her focused areas are business, community and economic development. Schlake served as a Gallup Entrepreneur Acceleration System (EAS) coach and is currently certified as a Gallup Employee Engagement coach and Strategic Leadership coach. Marilyn currently chairs the Nebraska Entrepreneurship Taskforce and serves on numerous local and service organizations.