Our People

The staff at YES is committed to ending youth homelessness in Omaha. We do everything in our power to assist youth in crisis.

The YES board of directors represents a cross-section of our community and has a passion for our organization and those we serve. Our board members work hard to ensure long-term sustainability of the organization and oversee that the funds raised directly affect those in need.

Our Staff:

Leadership Team

Kalisha Reed
Executive Director
kreed@yesomaha.org

Randy Cates
Chief Financial Officer
rcates@yesomaha.org

Barb Farho
Director of Development
bfarho@yesomaha.org

Laura Schmuff
Director of Human Resources
hr@yesomaha.org

Erika Schwarting
Director of Operations
eschwarting@yesomaha.org

Programs

Curtisa Brye
Program Manager
cbrye@yesomaha.org

Blake Ream
Street Outreach Manager
bream@yesomaha.org

Nettie Scaife
MGH Lead
ascaife@yesomaha.org

Jalei Hobson
Rapid Rehousing Case Manager
jhobson@yesomaha.org

LaGina Jones
Admissions and Aftercare Case Manager
ljones@yesomaha.org

Dylan Murphy
Trafficking Advocacy Ambassador
dmurphy@yesomaha.org

Shavon Carr
Job Readiness Coordinator
scarr@yesomaha.org

Finance

Tracey Bendams
Controller
tbendams@yesomaha.org

Operations

Will Meinen
Quality Improvement Manager
wmeinen@yesomaha.org

Development

Maren Larsen
Grants Compliance Manager
mlarsen@yesomaha.org

Michael Watkins
Marketing and Communications Manager
mwatkins@yesomaha.org

Jenna Wilson
Community Engagement and Event Coordinator
jwilson@yesomaha.org

Office

LaDawna Doolittle
Administrative Assistant
ldoolittle@yesomaha.org

Our Board of Directors:

President
Kellie Harry
Mutual of Omaha

Vice-President
David Ortman
First National Bank of Omaha

Treasurer
Ashley Brooks
Arbor Bank

Secretary
Kelly Staup
Lindsay Corporation

Past President
Jeff Ziemba
D.A. Davidson

Members-at-Large

Megan Belcher
Scoular

Katera Brown
Youth Representative

Lynece Daiker
Kent Circle Partners

Casey Dyer
Union Pacific Railroad

Precious Lesley
Loud Nerd

Sherie Thomas
Omaha Police Department

Andy Wilson
Burnett Wilson Law, LLP

Our Board of Trustees:

Rex Beck
Steve Beckwith
Angel Carl
Cindy Hadsell
Marlene Hansen-Kaplan
Victor Kensler
Robert Michelic
Bryan Peterson
William Ricketts
William Wakefield