Meet Our Team
Executive Director
Laurel Oetken
Laurel Oetken serves as the founding executive director for Tech Nebraska and started her work leading the organization in August of 2023. Laurel has served in a variety of roles including previously leading the innovation and entrepreneurship division at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, creating marketing strategies for Nebraska-based and global clients during her time in traditional advertising, and served as one of the first marketing operational hires at Flywheel, one of Omaha’s largest and most successful technology startups. Laurel is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She currently lives in Omaha and is also an active volunteer for the Junior League of Omaha leading their fundraising efforts.
Executive Director
Laurel Oetken
Laurel Oetken serves as the founding executive director for Tech Nebraska and started her work leading the organization in August of 2023. Laurel has served in a variety of roles including previously leading the innovation and entrepreneurship division at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, creating marketing strategies for Nebraska-based and global clients during her time in traditional advertising, and served as one of the first marketing operational hires at Flywheel, one of Omaha’s largest and most successful technology startups. Laurel is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She currently lives in Omaha and is also an active volunteer for the Junior League of Omaha leading their fundraising efforts.
Executive Committee and Advisory Board.
Our Executive Committee and Advisory Board guide strategic decisions and oversee day-to-day operations for Tech Nebraska, driving our mission forward with expertise and dedication. Composed of industry experts, our advisors provide invaluable guidance, identify industry trends, and foster deeper connections within the tech community. Together, they fuel our association’s success, ensuring we remain at the forefront of technology and innovation.
Chris Dill
Chief Information Officer
Kiewit
Allie Hopkins
Global Server Operations Area Lead
Google
Rahul Jalali
Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer
Union Pacific
Stef Seger
Community Development Regional Manager
Meta
David Tomlinson
Chief Information Officer
Scoular
Kent Sona
Vice President & Chief Information Officer
Nebraska Methodist Health Systems
Steve Westerman
Vice President
Cox Business
Erin Waggoner
Senior Manager, State Government Affairs
Verizon
Dan Hoffman
Chief Executive Officer
Invest Nebraska
Brody Deren
Senior Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer
Trility
Bret Blackman
Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer
University of Nebraska System
Dan Harbeke
Regional Head, External Affairs and Public Policy
Google
Ryan Wade
Software Solutions Director
Lutz
