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Board & Staff
Staff
Jennifer Stuhmer has been a member of The Arc of Lincoln since 2014 and served as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the last 5 years. She was raised in North East Lincoln and graduated from Lincoln Northeast High School and Hastings College.
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She has been an ADHD Coordinator for the Northeast Family Center, ParaProfessional and Substitute Teacher for Lincoln Public Schools, and Deaf-Blind Family Engagement Coordinator for the Nebraska Department of Education as well as being a mom. Jennifer and her husband Ryan have one son. Damon is a senior at East High School in the Life Skills Department. Damon was born with multiple complex medical diagnoses including developmental disabilities. Damon’s life experiences have given Jenny a unique outlook and dream for The Arc of Lincoln and its community.
Bio coming soon.
Program Coordinator
Board of Directors
Jennifer Meints
President
Jennifer Meints is the board president for The Arc of Lincoln. She works for ACN here in Lincoln and has a huge passion for finding jobs for all abilities in our community. She has three children Emilee(21), Grace(17) and Jack(12), and is married to her high school sweetheart, Eric. Why advocacy is important to Jennifer...Seventeen years ago she was blessed with a beautiful little girl. In the past 17 years, they have learned patience, hope, how to work as a team, compromise and more medical terms and acronyms than one would want to know. Grace loves people, parties, and making people feel special. During their journey they have met some amazing people, found their passion in helping others. When Grace was young they felt very alone and unsure of their daughter's future. Their vow from then on was to do their best to make sure no other parent felt alone.
Alan Carlson
Vice President
Alan Carlson is a life long Arc member. He joined The Arc of Lincoln Board in January of 2020. He is also a member of the Lincoln Aktion Club and Lincoln People First. Alan enjoys playing cards and doing latch hook rugs in his free time. He also enjoys traveling, and has been to 48 of the 50 states and to 17 different countries. He believes advocacy helps people to speak up and get involved when decisions are being made about their life.
Mary Phillips
Secretary
Mary has supported children with disabilities and their families for over 30 years. She retired as a Director of Student Services from Educational Service Unit #6 in Milford, spent 16 years as a Special Education Supervisor with Lincoln Public Schools, and taught special education for 9 years. Mary’s passion is to help build advocacy skills with parents, students, and adults with disabilities. Besides serving as Secretary for the Board of the Arc of Lincoln, she has also served as President of the Board for the Arc of Nebraska, served on the Governor’s Council of Early Childhood Interagency Coordinating Council, supported Disability Rights Nebraska for Supported Decision Making and Lay Advocacy, and works as an IEP Facilitator across Nebraska. Mary is also the mother of Erin, an individual with disabilities, who also serves on the board as a self-advocate.
Mary Ells
Treasurer
Bio coming soon.
Deb Safarik
Board Member
Deb is the president of Down Syndrome Advocates in Action Nebraska (DSAA), an organization that empowers parents and individuals with Down syndrome to advocate for themselves and their loved ones. DSAA is proud to partner with DSAA Kearney, expanding support for families statewide. With a nursing background, Deb worked in home healthcare for over 20 years before retiring. She and her husband have four children. Their three daughters are married with children or pets, two living in Lincoln with six of their grandchildren, and one in Omaha. Their youngest, Paul, is 27. Six months after his birth, he was diagnosed with Down syndrome. At that time, no local support group existed, inspiring Deb and her husband to start one themselves.
Angie Willey
Board Member
Angie Willey has been an Arc of Lincoln board member for over three years, passionate about connecting and advocating for families of all ages with loved ones of differing abilities. After leaving her career as a Business Analyst to support her son Ben, she became deeply involved in volunteering and helping families find resources. Angie also serves as vice president of Down Syndrome Advocates in Action Nebraska, is a Master IEP Coach, and participates in various volunteer roles, including with ONE Coalition and Disability Rights Nebraska. In her free time, she enjoys crafting, gardening, and spending time with her family and their dog, Bolt.
Erin Phillips
Board Member
Bio coming soon.
Melissa Reamer
Board Member
Bio coming soon.
Michelle Brown
Board Member
Bio coming soon.