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 Law - Ben 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 Omaha - Erica Johnson - CEO/Executive Producer, Opus Collective Productions and Erica Jay Productions
- Devon Seacrest - Entrepreneur
- Jared Anderson - Economic Equity & Inclusion Program Administrator, City of Omaha
- Rebecca Cramer - Project Management Consultant
- 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 LLC - Robin Kammerer - Owner Operator, Thai Pepper Restaurant
- Felicia Frezell - CEO, Inveterate Solutions
- Willy Theisen - Entrepreneur, Founder, Godfather's Pizza; Pitch Pizzeria
