Meet Our Board!

Christian I. Espinosa Torres has been part of the Omaha community for over 16 years, leading efforts across civic engagement, research, and economic development with a deep commitment to inclusivity and empowerment. Currently serving as Assistant Director of the City of Omaha’s Human Rights and Relations Department, he oversees the Economic Development Division and partners with organizations like the Nebraska Enterprise Fund, U.S. Small Business Administration, and Omaha Chamber of Commerce to drive economic equity and inclusion. His career includes impactful roles such as Constituent Services Representative for Congressman Ashford, where he supported small businesses and helped constituents navigate federal agencies, and Civic Engagement Coordinator at the Heartland Workers Center. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Christian is passionate about community advancement and policy development, with a proven record of program management and public service. He continues to serve Omaha and beyond through volunteer leadership roles, including chairing the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative Board.

Christian I. Espinosa Torres has been part of the Omaha community for over 16 years, leading efforts in civic engagement, research, and economic development with a commitment to inclusivity. He currently serves as Assistant Director of the City of Omaha’s Human Rights and Relations Department, overseeing the Economic Development Division and partnering with various organizations to drive economic equity. His career includes impactful roles, such as Constituent Services Representative for Congressman Ashford and Civic Engagement Coordinator at the Heartland Workers Center. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Christian is passionate about community advancement and policy development, continuing to serve through volunteer leadership roles, including chairing the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative Board.

Tiffany is a dynamic and accomplished creative professional with extensive experience in community engagement, leadership, and advocacy. She currently serves as Vice President of Boys Town BOLD (Black Organization for Leadership Development), an employee resource group dedicated to fostering growth and leadership development.
Tiffany’s commitment to her community is evident in her five-year tenure as Chair of the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative (NECC) Policy Council for Early Head Start. She is also an active participant in various local committees and councils, including being a proud graduate of the NECC Parent Ambassador program. Her work in these roles fuels her passion as an advocate for early childhood education, positively impacting her children, other families, and the broader community.
With a professional foundation in education, Tiffany brings over 10 years of experience, including four years specializing in early childhood education. Her dedication to empowering others has been a driving force throughout her career and is exemplified by her six years of impactful service at Boys Town National Hotline. Recently promoted to Hotline Supervisor, Tiffany leverages her extensive training in crisis intervention and mental health support to provide compassionate guidance to individuals in emotional distress.
A skilled leader, crisis manager, and team builder, Tiffany thrives in roles that require resilience, empathy, and collaboration. Her passion lies in meeting people where they are and inspiring them to embrace a positive outlook while working toward brighter futures.

Identifying strategies and key opportunities are what drives Jesse’s work. With over a decade of experience in tax planning and preparation for individuals and closely-held businesses, he brings a level of expertise to help minimize current and future tax liabilities. As a trusted advisor, he collaborates with clients to implement tools and strategies for long-term success.

Tina Cherica is President of Heritage Omaha, where she leads initiatives that advance community development through public-private partnerships. Previously, she served as President and CEO of the Omaha Zoo Foundation, where she helped raise over $500 million to support the capital, conservation, and education efforts of Omaha’s Henry Dooly Zoo & Aquarium. She is also engaged in civic leadership through service with organizations such as NECC, Film Streams, and the Downtown Omaha Improvement District.

Charita Dailey is a vibrant young professional with a penchant for social change. Professionally, she serves as Director of Development for RISE Academy, a comprehensive reentry support organization with a mission to break generational cycles of incarceration. She is a spring 2020 alumna of The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a spring 2022 alumna of The University of Kansas with a master’s degree in educational psychology, and a current doctoral student in public administration at the University of Nebraska Omaha. Outside of school, work, and her role on the NECC Board of Directors, Charita is heavily involved in community work. At present, she serves as Networking Events Lead for the Greater Omaha Chamber Young Professionals Leadership Committee and Community Service Co-Chair for the Urban League of Nebraska Young Professionals. Additionally, she serves as Chief Theory Architect and Co-Founder of Change of Omaha, a hyperlocal organization focused on eradicating food insecurity, community revitalization, and providing basic needs at the grassroots level in northeast Omaha. Charita is a proud member of the Omaha Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and greatly enjoys making a local, national, and international social impact alongside her Sorors.

Nancy Edick, Ed.D. is an Emeritus Dean and Associate Professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. She has had a distinguished career in educational leadership, teaching, research, and community service, with a focus on teacher education and organizational collaboration.

Dr. Edick earned her Doctor of Education in Educational Administration and Supervision in 2001, with a dissertation on trust in mentoring relationships. She also holds a Master’s degree in Supervision and Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Throughout her career, Dr. Edick has held numerous positions, including Dean of the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, Associate Professor, Executive Director of the Metropolitan Omaha Educational Consortium, and classroom teacher in Omaha Public Schools. She specializes in organizational collaboration, teacher induction, culturally responsive teaching, professional development, and organizational trust.

Under her leadership, the college experienced significant growth, including a name change, record fundraising, expansion of research awards, and the development of new initiatives such as the Biomechanics Rehabilitation and Manufacturing Initiative and the Nebraska Policy Lab. Dr. Edick has also contributed extensively to education literature and has presented on various topics at national and regional conferences.

Her service includes leadership roles on boards such as Project Harmony and Completely Kids, participation in search committees, and recognition through awards including the Order of the Tower and Phi Delta Kappa Leadership in Education Award.

Jacqueline Huscroft-D’Angelo, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Scientist at the Oregon Research Institute in Eugene, OR. Her research is centered on improving behavioral health services and educational outcomes for children and adolescents, particularly those with emotional or behavioral risk factors. All of her federally funded grants contain a significant educational component, reflecting her commitment to bridging the gap between research and real-world school settings. These projects aim to create better support systems for students, families, and educators including improving outcomes for youth in foster care, strengthening parent engagement in education, and boosting the skills of students with learning disabilities. This expertise in evidence-based educational and behavioral interventions aligns directly with NECC’s mission to provide every child with a strong foundation for the future.

Andrea Jahn is Associate General Counsel and University Privacy Officer for Creighton University. She represents their health sciences schools in Nursing Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmacy and Health Professions for its Omaha and Phoenix campuses. Prior to joining Creighton, she was in private practice, specializing in health law.  She has given numerous presentations to healthcare providers and educators on a variety of legal issues.  She currently is a board member of the Nebraska Early Childhood Collaborative and the Douglas County Health Center Foundation.

Dr. Dalhia Lloyd is an early childhood education scholar and the director of professional learning at the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska. With a doctorate in human sciences from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Dr. Lloyd specializes in anti-bias, anti-racist, and culturally grounded approaches to support the optimal development of Black children. Her research examines the racial socialization and culturally specific parenting practices that shape young Black children’s experiences, as well as teachers’ interactions with racially marginalized learners. Passionate about dismantling racial inequities and reducing opportunity gaps in early childhood education (birth through Grade 3), Dr. Lloyd works to create more equitable learning environments that foster the success of all children. She worked closely with colleagues from Boston University to help establish the Assessing Classroom Sociocultural Equity Scale, an instrument used to measure equitable teaching practices.

In addition to research, Dr. Lloyd is deeply engaged in coaching and professional development for educators, leveraging her expertise to improve instructional practices and promote culturally responsive teaching. She has extensive experience working with educators and families and, as an early childhood coach, has collaborated with school-based personnel to implement policies and practices that support children’s learning and development. Her next initiative integrates her research with AI and virtual reality-based professional learning tools to enhance classroom practices and teacher-child interactions. Her commitment to equitable, high-quality, and early learning experiences strongly aligns with her commitment to her community.

Colten C. Venteicher’s practice focuses on estate planning and probate, real estate, and business and commercial law. Colten is a registered abstraction and a licensed title insurance agent in the state of Nebraska. He also counsels communities and businesses with economic development projects.

Colten graduated from the Creighton University School of Law in 2016, summa cum laude. In law school, Colten received CALI Excellence for the Future Awards for earning the highest grade of taxation of Business Enterprises, Business Planning, Legal Research and Writing III, and Professional Responsibility. He was a member of the Creighton Law Review, and his Note on tax increment financing was published in June of 2016.

Colten earned a Master of Business Administration as well as a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where he competed on the cross-country and track teams. He is a native of Omaha and a graduate of Mount Michael Benedictine. Colten is an active member of numerous community organizations involved in economic development efforts, including early childhood education, housing, and business recruitment and expansion. Colten is a former Trustee of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, which he attends with his wife and four children.