NLS LEADERSHIP BIOS
Corporate Board
Corporate Board is the governing body of NLS. They meet every other month.
Allison Sperry
Corporate Board President
Hey, Scary Sperry here! My formal name is Allison Sperry, but most people of NLS call me Alli or Sperry. I'm currently living in Omaha, NE, and I am a Histology Technical Coordinator at Methodist Hospital. I did my undergrad at Doane College where I played softball. I was part of the first team to ever make a regionals. I did my Masters of Healthcare Administration at Bellevue University.
I became involved with NLS in 2006 as a Senior Counselor. I had just graduated college and not yet hired at my first job. I was asked to be a counselor and told it would look impressive on my job applications. I arrived at staff training the night before seminar started and seriously thought I lost my mind. Needless to say, I fell in love and haven't missed a seminar since I first staffed.
I stay involved in NLS because I love being given a dose of hope for the future. I love watching young minds explore their potential and feel empowered. I also find myself learning something new with each activity, speaker, and reflection. I am thankful NLS uses the Strengths Finder, because I have used my strengths as talking points in cover letters and interviews. It also helps me find ways to keep motivated professionally.
I hope everyone sees NLS as the blessing that I do. I'm very thankful to Buck who brought me in all those years ago.
Contact Allison at asperry@nebraskaleadership.org or alli.sperry@gmail.com
Alex Wessels
Corporate Board Vice President
Hello NLS!!!
This is Alex Wessels, your VP of NLS! I attended my first seminar as a delegate back in 2009 at Doane. I am originally from Weeping Water, Nebraska but currently live in Beaver Lake, Nebraska with my wife and daughter. I attended Peru State College for my undergrad majoring in Business Management, Marketing, and Computer Management Information Systems. I also attended Midland University where I obtained my MBA. I work at First National Bank of Omaha in the IT department as a Business Analyst. I love everyone that I have had the opportunity to meet through NLS! NLS fundamentally changed my life all of those years ago and I love being able to now be part of that change for others. I look forward to continuing to serve all of our future leaders in our wonderful state.
Haley Fischman
Corporate Board Secretary
Hello, NLS! I'm Haley Fischman, Secretary of the NLS Corporate Board. I was born and raised in Lincoln, NE and attended UNL where I earned both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. I work in the Human Resources department at a Nebraska-based advertising and marketing agency.
Being part of NLS means being a member of a strong, supportive, and accepting community. I feel honored and privileged to have the opportunity to witness the growth of NLS delegates and the strong bonds formed among NLS alumni. I’m thrilled to have found this organization and look forward to meeting future NLS delegates!
Tracy Manning
Executive Director| Seminar Chair
Hello, my dears and my lovelies!
I’m Tracy (Sudbeck) Manning. I graduated from Hartington Cedar Catholic in 2005. I teach freshmen Physical Science and sophomore Biology at Benson High School in Omaha, NE. Go Bunnies!
I got involved with NLS by attending a one-day SLATE workshop in November of 2002 (Service, Leading, and Teamwork Education). This made me honorary alumni, and some friends drug me along to an NLS reunion that spring. From then on, I was hooked! NLS gave me a place where I could truly be myself. I was the Norfolk Club president, and I held various exec council positions such as special events coordinator, fundraising chair, and for a short while I was president, until I succumbed to the pressures of attending college out of state. I currently am a member of our corporate board, and have served as the Curriculum Chair for seminar!
I believe NLS is different from other leadership organizations for several reasons. One is our continuing education and professional development opportunities. Our quarterly reunions offer ways to try our hand at many different types of community service projects. We also integrate leadership, teambuilding, and networking activities at reunions. Another reason NLS is different is our emphasis on finding one’s authentic self. This is done through the Gallup’s Strength Finder assessment. We find out what our “superpowers” are and work to maximize our potential. We also practice the “Theory of the Dipper and the Bucket;” we celebrate each person’s unique talents, skills, abilities, and individuality every step of the way through seminar and beyond. Lastly, we emphasize involvement in communities of purpose. Our alumni have created and/or grown organizations to new heights, largely due to what they had learned at seminar.
I can safely say that I would not be who I am today if I had not gotten involved in NLS. I am forever grateful that I had the chance to find my true self at just the right time in my life.
NLS is not just a workshop; NLS is an open door.
Rees Klintworth
Corporate Board Member
Hello! My name is Rees Klintworth, and I’m a member of the board of directors for NLS. I attended seminar in 2010 and have been hooked ever since. Originally from Seward, I graduated from the University of Nebraska—Lincoln in 2016 with a degree in Computer Engineering. While in college I began an internship with Hudl in Lincoln, and stayed on full-time after earning my degree. I’m currently a software engineering manager, getting to balance my time between building software that powers cameras teams use to capture their sports film and managing a team of other engineers. In my spare time you can find me searching for a ski slope, taking a photo, testing out a new way to make coffee, or reviewing sneakers.
NLS was an organization that I immediately connected with as a sophomore in high school. It has given me some of my closest friends, and also challenged and pushed me to become a better person and leader. Through NLS I’ve learned how to understand and use my personal strengths in a way that can positively impact those around me.
Glenn Manning
Corporate Board Member
I’m Glenn Manning, from Wichita, Kansas. I graduated from Kansas State university in 2010 with a degree in Computer Engineering. I am a Senior Project Engineer working on a fuel savings project for Union Pacific Railroad in Omaha, Nebraska.
In my free time I enjoy cooking, cycling, and scuba diving when I can. I enjoy being part of the NLS Corporate Board because NLS has a way of creating really tight, long lasting friendships in just a few short days. I never see people connect like they do at NLS!
AJ Benker
Corporate Board Member
Greetings NLS!
I’m Andrew Benker. I joined NLS after seeing how energized the students were after returning from their summer seminar.
I grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, and completed my bachelors in Astrophysics from UNL as well as a Masters in Science Education. I have been teaching high school sciences for nine years. My time outside the classroom is spent reading science fiction, playing board games with old friends, and learning new skills like sailing or scuba.
I enjoy being involved in an organization dedicated to strengthening our students' grasp of their authentic selves.
Josh Garcia
Corporate Board Member
Hey NLS!
I’m Joshua Garcia and I attended seminar in Fremont in 2014. I graduated from Shelby-Rising City High School in 2016, received my Bachelor’s degree in Math 7-12 Education from UNK in 2020, and currently teach High School Math at Fullerton Public Schools in Fullerton, Nebraska.
My first year staffing was in 2019 and I have been loving it since! I always knew I wanted to come back and get involved and finally in 2019 something told me this was the year to do it. My only regret was not getting involved sooner! After five years without NLS, I still hadn’t experienced a place that showed me more love and acceptance!
I am passionate about NLS because of how welcoming and accepting they are to ALL! Being your Authentic Self is something I hold true to my soul and I LOVE giving people the opportunity to do just that. I love seeing people be HAPPY by just simply being themselves! As a staff member, we can provide guidance but the delegates put in the work to embrace their strengths and become some amazing leaders! NLS is my favorite place to be!
Katy Walker
Corporate Board Member | Recruitment Director
Hello my fellow Nebraskan Leaders,
I’m Katy Walker, and I have been involved with NLS for almost a decade. I graduated from Maxwell Public Schools in 2015, and I currently am a dispatcher for the Nebraska State Patrol. I live in North Platte with my partner and our very naughty cats. I’m an amateur artist, and always like to keep myself busy. I am a huge advocate for Western Nebraska, and feel that I bring a unique point of view to the NLS team. From working in my local community, through both my job and my voluntary work, to working through NLS, I am extremely proud of my state and what our future generations have to offer.
I love NLS because it helped me find my voice and passion for helping in my community. It has always amazed me that NLS is consistently there to welcomes you back with open arms, from our reunions, to the opportunities to stay involved as a staffer and council members. The people I met through this organization have been some of my biggest supporters and I would have never come this far without them. The home that you can find in NLS is like no other, and I am so excited to meet every new generation!