Omaha Magazine - Healthcare in 2021 - January/February 2021

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FROM THE EDITOR // LETTER BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN, MANAGING EDITOR

A HEALTHY YEAR

medical issue informs and ent erta i n s

I

think most people are happy that 2021 is here. A pandemic, murder hornets, a slow economy—most people thought 2020 was not their best year.

Health was certainly a part of 2020. Every newscast from March on devoted at least a part of their show to a health-related issue.

We at Omaha Magazine are excited for this new year, and we know health will continue to be a part of it. That’s one reason why we devote our January/February edition to health and wellness.

One feature talks about telehealth. I used a telehealth visit for the first time this year in spring for a call to renew a prescription. Some hospitals and doctors’ offices in the area saw their telehealth visits rise by over 1000% over the last year. It’s a trend that projects to continue growing as technology advances.

Another feature talks about Celiac disease. It’s a disease that has come to the forefront of conversations in recent years, especially as people have started following lower-carbohydrate diets. This article distinguishes between Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, and what happens when someone has Celiac disease, which is, in reality, only 1% of the world’s population.

Omaha Magazine has long partnered with March of Dimes for their Nurse of the Year Awards. Photographer Bill Sitzmann and I agree that this is one of our favorite events of the year. Our friends at March of Dimes go all out to honor these medical professionals, many of whom are hardworking, humble, and truly honored to win an award, and the dinner and awards show is impressive. This year’s awards show went virtual, but they still rolled ahead with a number of fantastic awards, from “Academic Educator” to “Women’s Health.” The winners of these awards are presented in this magazine.

Speaking of nurses, our adventure article is about nurse Steve Stang, who started a new career in 2019 as a traveling nurse. He has already been on a couple of fantastic adventures, and hopes this venture allows him to travel further. The 60-Plus feature is about the Nurses Honor Guard, a group that gathers for funerals of their fallen comrades.

Losing weight and/or eating healthy is a major goal each year for many Americans. Restaurateur Michael Schall lost a significant amount of weight and used that as inspiration to launch his restaurant Greenbelly.

His story is the dining profile this month. Those who want additional options for eating healthier while picking up takeout can find some in this issue. Omaha Magazine reviews Foodies, which focuses on fresh food, and features Heirloom Fine Foods meal prep and catering.

Each article in this issue touches the health and medical worlds, whether it is an arts and culture story about a doctor who wrote a book or a pharmacist who collects antique medical bottles. I hope you enjoy them all. * Note: The hotel edition of Omaha Magazine has a different cover and does not include all of the editorial content included in the magazine’s full city edition. For more information on our city edition, visit OmahaMagazine.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

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2021

TAB L E of CON T E N T S THE USUAL SUSPECTS 003 From the Editor A Healthy Year

006 Between the Lines 008 Calendar of Events 026 Adventure

A Natural Nurse

081 Obviously Omaha Healthy Altruism

099 Instagram 100 Explore!

104 Not Funny

Mens Sana in Corpore Sano

A R T S + C U LT U R E 014 Author

Sasha Shillcutt

016 Visual

Dany Reyes

020 Music

Cole Eisenmenger

022 Illustration Bob Donlan

SPECIAL SECTION 042 Premier Doctors

F E AT U R E S

028 036 // 4 //

036

GOING FROM 5 MPH TO 60 Telehealth Jumpstarted During Pandemic

GLUTEN-FREE FOR LIFE Controlling the Autoimmune Cascade of Celiac Disease

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

060 Nurse of the Year PE O P L E 032 Gen O

Mahika Kanchanam

034 Profile

Iqbal Ahmad

GIVING 064 Feature

COVID-19 Health Disparities in Minority Communities

066 Calendar

66 trees have been reforested

due to the printing of our last round of publications.

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Into the Future Telehealth Rises

60PLUS IN OMAHA

016

A B O U T T HE COV ER The future is now. Telehealth visits in 2020 increased by up to 1,900%. This month’s issue is all about health—from doctors who find groundbreaking research to nurses who travel to cancer survivors.

070 Active Living Ken Hites

074 Profile

Ronn Johnson

076 Feature

Nurses Honor Guard

078 Nostalgia

Keith Hetzten’s Medicine Bottles

080 Prime Time

William and Jeanne Penry

DINING 082 Review Foodies

086 Feature

Heirloom Fine Foods

090 Profile

Michael Schall

092 Dining Guide 102 Profile

Munchy Boys

082

read online at omahamagazine.com

Between

THE LINES A LOOK AT FOUR OMAHA MAGAZINE TEAM MEMBERS

GREG JERRETT—Contributing Writer Jerrett received his B.S. in sociology and English from Iowa State University in Ames long ago. He drinks on the job as a bar reviewer, and his hobbies include dehydrating kale and lacto-fermenting pickles. Jerrett is an old-school newspaperman who likes to brag way too much about being old school. Famous, brilliant, powerful, and scary people he’s interviewed include Tori Amos, Seymour Hersh, Paul Begala, Dennis Miller, Richard Simmons, and Steve King. He has a small slew of awards, and one of his favorites is The Great Plains Journalism award he won in 2017 for Best Magazine News Writing for “Dying for Opiates in Omaha” published in Omaha Magazine.

SUSAN MEYERS—Contributing Writer There’s only one thing Meyers likes better than practicing health and wellness, and that’s writing about it. A freelance writer and marketing consultant for more than 25 years, Meyers has been educating the public about how to make healthy choices through a variety of local and national magazines and digital platforms. When she’s not writing, you can usually find Susan doing one of her many favorite things—walking, hiking, running, rollerblading, swimming, weight lifting, yoga, group classes, or pickleball, to name a few. A mother of two children, four stepchildren, and a special grand puppy named Benji, Meyers and her husband, Bill Stock, also enjoy spending relaxing weekends at their lake house outside of Ashland, Nebraska, with family and friends.

KENT SIEVERS—Contributing Photographer Sievers, an Omahan since 1990, is a photographer on the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s strategic communications team. He has worked as an editorial/commercial photographer for more than 40 years, making the move to UNMC after 18 years at the Omaha World-Herald.

When he’s not working on campus, Sievers often wanders around Omaha, cameras in hand as he pursues his passion for street photography. Married with two grown children, Sievers’ artistic pursuits go beyond his work with a camera. He is also a published author with two novels to his credit and a third still in progress. Visit kentsievers.com for more info.

JANET BESSEY TILDEN—Contributing Writer Tilden is a full-time writer and editor who was born and raised in Fremont, Nebraska. Janet met Tom Tilden at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, and married him a year after graduation. The couple raised two sons together and lived in Chicago and Fremont before moving to the Benson neighborhood in Omaha in 2003. Janet was employed by Nelson-Hall, Scott Foresman, and Harper Collins publishing companies before starting her own business. As the sole proprietor of Executive Rewrites (exec-rewrites.com), she provides writing and editorial services to clients throughout the United States, including several companies in Omaha.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 VOLUME 38 // ISSUE 8

A beautifully heartbreaking musical that retraces the rise and fall of a five-year romantic relationship.

EDITORIAL Managing Editor

DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN Senior Editor

TARA SPENCER Associate Editor

LINDA PERSIGEHL Contributing Writers

KAMRIN BAKER · LEO ADAM BIGA · CHRIS BOWLING TAMSEN BUTLER · VIRGINIA GALLNER · GREG JERRETT KATY SPRATTE JOYCE · JEFF LACEY · SARA LOCKE KATRINA MARKEL · SUSAN MEYERS · NICHOLAS MOORE KARA SCHWEISS · JOEL STEVENS · LIZ STEVENS SCOTT STEWART · JANET TILDEN DOUGLAS “OTIS TWELVE” WESSELMANN

CREATIVE

Feb. 26 – March 21

Creative Director

MATT WIECZOREK Senior Graphic Designer

DEREK JOY

Visit omahaplayhouse.com for up-to-date ticketing options.

Graphic Designer II

MADY BESCH Contributing Photographers

JUSTIN BARNES · KEITH BINDER · COLIN CONCES SCOTT DRICKEY · JOSHUA FOO · WILLIAM HESS · SARAH LEMKE

SALES Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing

GIL COHEN

6915 Cass St. | (402) 553-0800 | OmahaPlayhouse.com Hawks Mainstage Series Sponsor:

Director of Sales

ED COCHRAN Senior Branding Specialist

MARY HIATT Publisher’s Assistant & OmahaHome Contributing Editor

SANDY MATSON Senior Sales Coordinator

ALICIA HOLLINS Branding Specialists

DAWN DENNIS · GEORGE IDELMAN

OPERATIONS Operations Officer & Local Stubs Ticketing Representative

JOSHUA PETERSON Ad Traffic Manager

DAVID TROUBA Distribution Manager

DREW PERSIGEHL Accounting Associate

KENDRA HILL

EXECUTIVE

Make your reservation today! Free timed tickets and masks required. Visitor guidelines, exhibition information, and current hours can be found at bit.ly/JoslynVisitorInfo

Executive Publisher

TODD LEMKE Vice President

GREG BRUNS Associate Publisher

BILL SITZMANN For Advertising & Subscription Information:

402.884.2000 Omaha Magazine Vol 38 Issue VIII, publishes monthly except February, April, August, November, December, totaling 8 issues by Omaha Magazine, LTD, 5921 S. 118 Circle, Omaha, NE 68137. Periodical postage at Omaha, NE, and additional offices and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Omaha Magazine, 5921 S. 118 Circle, Omaha, NE 68137

IMAGE: Thomas Lawrence (British, 1769–1830), Portrait of Sir Samuel Shepherd (detail), 1796, oil on canvas, Joslyn Art Museum, Gift, through purchase, of Helen and Ted Kolderie, 2005.28. Photograph © Bruce M. White, 2019

2200 Dodge St. | Omaha, NE (402) 342-3300 | www.joslyn.org

@joslynartmuseum

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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15

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EVENTS

» Exhibitions « AMPLIFY ARTS

Located at 1419 South 13th St., Suite 103.

Amplify Arts promotes unity, innovation, and progress in the arts. Their shows are always by local artists, and they span ideas ranging from political to progressive. Admission: Free. 402.996-1092.

—amplifyarts.org

ANDERSON O’BRIEN FINE ART GALLERY

Located at 3201 Farnam St., Suite 6109. New

works (sculptures, paintings, pottery, blown glass, jewelry, etc.) from Midwest regional artists are continuously on display. 402.884.0911.

—aobfineart.com

GERALD R. FORD BIRTHSITE AND GARDENS

Located at 3202 Woolworth Ave. The ornate

Victorian house was one of the finest homes in Omaha. The three-story, fourteen-room house reflected the status of its wealthy occupants, the King family. 402.444.5955.

—nebraskahistory.org/conserve/brthsite.htm

LANDLOCK GALLERY

Located at 4011 Farnam St. Th is is Omaha’s

newest art experience centered in the Blackstone District, and it features artwork that encourages interaction by new and emerging local artists.

402.658.1332.

—landlockgallery.com

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

MAPLE ST. CONSTRUCT

Located at 5912 Maple St. Th is Benson-area

gallery that looks to bridge the discourse between artists from Los Angeles and the Midwest through local and West Coast exhibitions. 402.525.0330.

—maplestconstruct.com

MALCOLM X BIRTHSITE

Located at 3448 Evans St. One of the most piv-

otal figures in Civil Rights history was born in this North Omaha location, which includes stunning gardens and a greenhouse. 402.881.8118.

—malcolmxfoundation.org

MUSEUM OF SHADOWS

Located at 1110 Douglas St. This museum was

recently voted one of the most haunted in the world and has been seen on the Travel Channel. The museum houses over 3,000 verified haunted artifacts, donated from across the United States and multiple countries. Admission: $15.

402.885.7557.

—museumofshadows.com

PANOPTICON

Through Jan. 12 at Garden of the Zodiac, 1042 1/2 Howard St. Anchored in feminism, Nancy

Friedemann-Sánchez’s art is informed by North and South American cultural forms that fuse and cross-pollinate. She draws on historical iconography women would paint, such as flowers, lace, and birds. This exhibit is a collaboration with Charley Friedman. 402.341.1877.

—gardenofthezodiacgallery.com

TRADITIONAL TEXTILES

Through Feb. 27 at El Museo Latino, 4701 S. 25th St. This exhibition presents a selection of tex-

tiles created by the indigenous people of Mexico.

The traditions have survived and are maintained through their culture, dress, and indigenous languages. Tickets: $5 adults, $4 students, $3.50 seniors and students K-12, free for children under 5. 402.731.1137.

—elmuseolatino.org

INTIMATE ACTIONS

Through February 27 at Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, 724 S. 12th St. Curated together

under the rubric of Intimate Actions, these three solo exhibitions are centered on the theme of intimacy and how it enters into representations of the body, one’s connection to space and surroundings, and our relationships. Joey Fauerso: Inside the Spider’s Body interweaves personal experiences in relation to our own humanity through concepts related to gender, family, and contemporary culture. Paul Mpagi Sepuya: Drop Scene is rooted in an atypical type of studio portraiture, combining elements of storytelling through the use of camera placement, mirrors, curtains, studio workprints, and person to person contact. Maria Antelman: Soft Interface focuses on the human experience, with this exhibition focusing on our relationship to the past and our connection to the natural environment. Together, the three artists call to mind the expansiveness that is humanity, and through a variety of lenses, offer intimate views of strength and fragility. Admission: Free. 402.341.7130.

—bemiscenter.org

COMMUNITY

OMAHA’S

Through March 1 at K ANEKO, 1111 Jones St.

As people have sheltered with their closest community, they discovered what it means to be removed from the outside world. Many depended on technology to connect with others. People found comfort and sometimes discomfort in their limited surroundings. This exhibit includes artwork by Watie White, Pamela Conyers-Hinson, and Therman Statom. Admission: Free. 402.341.3800.

—thekaneko.org

MAGAZINE

REVISITING AMERICA: THE PRINTS OF CURRIER & IVES

Through April 11 at Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St. In 2016, Conagra Brands donated

nearly 600 Currier & Ives lithographs to Joslyn Art Museum. This exhibition sheds new light on the famous firm’s artistic and commercial practices, revealing the complex social relationships and surprising modernity of its lavish prints, which found their way into the homes of tens of thousands of Americans in the 19th century. Admission: $10 adults, free for students with ID, Joslyn members, and children under 17. 402.342.3300.

—joslyn.org

THE

FUTURE

OF BUSINESS OMAHAMAGAZINE.COM/PAGES/SUBSCRIBE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR

Four Old Market

Unique décor, ornaments and collectibles for every season. oTannenbaum.com • 402-345-9627

BUG SQUAD

ORIGINS

children will explore the science behind each bug’s unique abilities and traits while realizing their own superpowers. Families will encounter real bugs and huge animatronic bugs. 402.342.6164.

—ocm.org

variety of art, from the paintings and assemblages of Graceann Warn to the photographs of Jason Papenfuss to the textile works of Michael James.

Admission: Free. 402.502.8737 —modernartsmidtown.com

Through April 11 at Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St. In this immersive world of insects,

Fresh chocolates and fudge made in our own kitchen.

OldMarketCandy.com • 402-344-8846

Jan. 3-Feb. 28 at Modern Arts Midtown, 3615 Dodge St. This mixed, modern-art show features a

THE NITTY GRITTY ON A STREETCAR CITY

ART FACULTY BIENNIAL

Jan. 19-Feb. 18 in Weber Fine Arts Building at UNO, 6000 Dodge St. The works of both students

Through April at General Crook House Museum, 5730 N. 30th St. The exhibit is about

Travel essentials plus souvenirs and Nebraska-made gifts.

OldMarketSundries.com • 402-345-7646

VIRTUAL TOUR

Ongoing online, created by Boystown Hall of History, 14100 Crawford St. Anyone

can view the sights of the iconic Boystown from the comfort of their own home. The Hall of History virtual tour includes stops such as Relics of the Past, Art and Symbolism, and The Dream Continues. Admission: Free. 531-355-1111.

—boystown.org

MONA2OMAHA FRED OTNES: A COLLAGE Authentic Italian desserts, coffee, and FlavorBurst TMice cream.

DolciOldMarket.com • 402-345-8198

All located at 10th & Howard // 10 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

and faculty will be shown in this twice-yearly exhibition held in the art gallery at UNO. The art faculty will show works in the main gallery while the art club will show works in the Hexagon gallery. Admission: Free. 402.554.2796.

—unomaha.edu

Omaha’s streetcar system, operating from 1868 to 1955, and includes artifacts from the cars, a streetcar seat, replica uniforms, and route maps.

402.455.9990.

—DouglasCoHistory.org

Beginning in January at Gallery 1516, 1516 Leavenworth St. Fred Otnes’s collage works have

appeared on magazine covers, movie posters, and postage stamps. Born in Junction City, Kansas in 1925, the family moved to Lincoln, Nebraska when Otnes was still a child. After working as an artist at The Lincoln Journal, Otnes later became an illustrator for national magazines including The Saturday Evening Post and Collier’s. Admission: free. 402.305.1510.

—gallery1516.org

Feb.

06

GUITAR —THE INSTRUMENT THAT ROCKED THE WORLD

Beginning Feb. 6 at Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St. More than 60 guitars and nearly

100 historical artifacts will be on display to immerse viewers in the heart of music. This exhibit allows people to experience the rush of the world’s most recognized musical instrument through the powerful lens of science. Visitors can play a Guinness Record-breaking 43.5 foot long guitar and discover how the selection of different materials and strings, fused with electromagnetism and amplification, create an elaborate device that has revolutionized music. Admission: $11 adults, $8 seniors (62+), $7 children (3-12), free for children under 2 and members. 402.444.5071.

—durhammuseum.org

OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR

BRITTNEY FOSTER & NANCY LEPO

PAUL SIMON SONGBOOK

SCHUBERT, UNFINISHED

Foster and pen-and-ink pointillism artist Nancy Lepo are shown together in this exhibition. Admission: free. 402.595.2122.

—artscouncil.nebraska.gov

the craft of songwriting, from his years with Simon and Garfunkel through his fourteen solo albums.

Simon has won 12 Grammy® Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Award) and is a two-time inductee into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.

Experience his classic songs, including “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” “The Sound of Silence,” “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” and “Graceland.” Times and tickets vary. 402.345.0606 —ticketomaha.com

private birthday gift for his wife, Cosima, became known as a work of uncommon beauty after finally getting published. Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite is a perfect foil, each work using the delicate lines of individual instruments to build gentle colors and impressions. “Unfinished” though it may be, Schubert’s Eighth Symphony is both stirring and romantic, a favorite of the symphonic repertoire.

Bartók’s Dance Suite will finish the concert with an incredible burst of energy, a series of exuberant movements for a full orchestra. Times and Tickets TBD. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

Beginning Feb. 19 at Fred Simon Gallery, 1004 Farnam St. Mixed-media/abstract artist Brittney

» Concerts « RECAPTURED

Jan. 9 at Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St.

ReCaptured is a melting pot of musicians from the Midwest that came together to pay tribute to one the greatest bands in the history of rock music. A band that they all grew to love—Journey. Tickets: $15-$25. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

DWORAK’S SYMPHONY NO. 8 WITH ANDRÉ WATTS

Jan. 15-16 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1300 Douglas St. Omaha is thrilled to welcome

back the world-renowned André Watts, performing Ravel’s masterpiece Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. Written for a soldier who lost his right arm in World War I, the work seems to make two hands superfluous, fusing gorgeous melodies and seemingly impossible technique for the soloist.

Maestro Wilkins closes with Dvorak’s Symphony No. 8, a work he considers part of his conducting DNA. Times and tickets vary. 402.345.0606 —ticket omaha.com

Jan. 30-31 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1300 Douglas St. Paul Simon forever transformed

RANKY TANKY

Feb. 5 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1300 Douglas St. Translated loosely as “Work It,” or

“Get Funky!” Grammy Award-winning Ranky Tanky performs timeless music born from the Gullah culture with mixtures of gospel, funk, R&B, and jazz. Their debut album was featured on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross and the TODAY show. It also soared to the No. One position on the Billboard, Amazon, and iTunes Jazz Charts.

The group features singer Quiana Parler, singer/ guitarist Clay Ross, trumpeter/singer Charlton Singleton, bassist Kevin Hamilton, and drummer Quentin Baxter, These accomplished artists have come together to revive a “Heartland of American Music” born in their own backyard 7:30 p.m.

Tickets: TBD. —ticketomaha.com

Feb. 7 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1300 Douglas St. Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll, intended as a

BAHL CONDUCTS MENDELSSOHN

Feb. 12-13 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1300 Douglas St. Strauss’ ode to one of legend’s

most notorious philanderers, Don Juan, is just as adventurous in its storytelling as it is in execution for the orchestra, with blazing technique meeting soaring melodies across the ensemble. New to Omaha, violinist Angelo Xiang Yu, “unfazed by every challenge […] a tone of absolute purity and intense beauty” (The Spokesman), makes his debut with Chausson’s exquisite Poème. The “Prelude und Liebestod” from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde, is an epic filled with magic, betrayal, and insurmountable love. Times and tickets TBD. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

HOTEL DESPERADO

Jan. 22 at Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. A thoroughly authentic tribute to The Eagles

founded by veteran musicians with a drive to create the purest homage possible. Hotel Desperado delivers the ultimate Eagles experience with a profound dedication and purity that is unmatched.

8:30 p.m. Tickets: $15-$25. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 11 //

OMAHA MAGAZINE | EVENTS CALENDAR

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

Feb. 26, 28 at Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St.

On the eve of his wedding to the lovely Susanna, Figaro must outwit his master, Count Almaviva, who has amorous designs on the bride-to-be. Conductor Steven White and director Dean Anthony team up to delight audiences, leading a stellar cast in this satire of the aristocracy, bringing back the characters from The Barber of Seville as they skillfully maneuver around each other in this lively and romantic comedy. Feb. 26 at 7 p.m., Feb. 28 at 2 p.m. Tickets vary. 402.346.7372.

—operaomaha.org

» Family & More « WINTER WONDERLAND

Through Jan. 3 at Fontenelle Forest, 1111 Bellevue Blvd. N. Fontenelle Forest’s Great Hall has

JASON MORAN AND THE BANDWAGON

Feb. 18 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1300 Douglas St. A leading force in new

jazz, composer-pianist Jason Moran plays with an unmistakable sense of funk, fluidity, and freedom. Together with his group The Bandwagon, bassist Tarus Mateen and drummer Nasheet Waits, deliver an explosive combination of classical and contemporary jazz styles. 7:30 p.m. Tickets: TBD. —ticketomaha.com

» Stage Performances « MODULATION, PRESENTED

BY OPERA OMAHA

Jan. 8 (Available to stream through Jan. 16), online. As society continues in a form of sus-

pended animation, people look to art. Modulation is a digital, self-guided exploration of the times created by 13 of the most provocative and diverse voices in the contemporary music idiom. Traveling through themes of isolation, identity and fear, with the connection of breath, an electrifying auditory and visual journey of new creations awaits. Tickets: $25. 402.345.0606.

—ticketomaha.com

THE LAST FIVE YEARS

Jan. 15-Feb. 7 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. Th is is an intimate look

at a five-year relationship. The story is presented in chronological order by Jamie, the man, and in reverse by Cathy, the woman, with the two versions of the story meeting only once—at their wedding in the middle. Times and tickets vary.

402.553.0800.

—omahaplayhouse.com

// 12 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

HOW TO BUILD AN ARK Jan.

22

Jan. 22-Feb. 21 at The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. In this all-original onstage adventure, a young girl named Vita sets off on a magical journey to find National Geographic photographer Joel Sartore through his photos. For years, the real-life Sartore has devoted his time and talent to bringing attention to endangered species before they disappear. Tickets: $20. 402.345.4849.

—rosetheater.org

FELIPE ESPARZA

Jan. 29-31 at the Waiting Room Lounge, 6212 Maple St. Felipe Esparza is a comedian and actor,

known for his stand-up specials, “They’re Not Gonna Laugh at You”, “Translate This”, and his latest dual-release on Netflix, “Bad Decisions/ Malas Decisiones” (two different performances in two languages), his recurring appearances on Netfl ix’s Gentefied, NBC’s Superstore and Adultswim’s The Eric Andre Show, as well as winning Last Comic Standing (2010), and his popular podcast called What’s Up Fool?. Felipe is also developing a sitcom along with actor Omar Chaparro, producer Eric Tannenbaum and 3Pas (Eugenio Derbez’ production company). Felipe continues to sell out live stand-up shows in comedy clubs and theaters around the country. Times vary. Tickets: $27.50 in advance, $30 day of show. 402.884.5353.

—waitingroomlounge.com

GUTENBERG! THE MUSICAL

Feb. 12-March 14 at Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St. A pair of aspiring

playwrights audition their newest work—a big, splashy musical about the inventor of the printing press—for an audience of potential investors. This two-man musical spoof offers an unending supply of enthusiasm and laughs. Times and tickets vary.

402.553.0800.

—omahaplayhouse.com

become a Winter Wonderland for all to enjoy.

Fontenelle Forest staff invites people to come experience this festive holiday display of decorated trees and wreaths. Beyond Jan. 3, the forest becomes its own Winter Wonderland, with a variety of trails to hike, cross-country ski, or snowshoe.

402.731.3140.

—fontenelleforest.org

DC CENTRE BRIDAL SHOW

Jan. 10, at DC Centre Banquet Facility, 11830 Stonegate Drive. Each year, this show introduces brides to Omaha’s wedding industry businesses. The event includes a scavenger hunt.

12-4 p.m. Tickets: free. 402.393.7431.

—dccentre.com

OMAHA ENTERTAINMENT AND ARTS AWARDS

Jan. 17, TBD. Omaha’s premier awards show is

back for a 15th year. With a wide variety of categories in visual arts, music, and performing arts, Omahans are sure to see a favorite artist onstage at some point during this special evening celebrating the local scene.

—oea-awards.org

“I HAVE A CIVIL WAR ANCESTOR, NOW WHAT?”

Jan. 14 online, presented by Omaha Public Library. Civil War soldiers often left a rich gene-

alogical paper trail. Many of these records are tucked away at the National Archives in Washington D.C. Brian Rhinehart will explain what records are available for your ancestors only at the National Archives, what records are online already, and how to access all of them. These records may unlock some of the family stories that have been forgotten over time, as well as break down a brick wall or two. Admission: free.

Registration required. 402.444.4826.

—omahalibrary.org

VIRTUAL CATHEDRAL FLOWER FESTIVAL

PUBLIC ICE SKATING

moving online this year. Instead of fresh arrangements of plants and flowers, the Cathedral Arts Project will feature highlights of previous festivals through their website and social media pages.

402.558.3100.

—cathedralartsproject.org

who want to get out and experience some winter magic can skate at this public skate rink in midtown Omaha. There is a limit of 50 people, and skaters need to call ahead to the rink to reserve a spot, 402-444-7557. Dates and times are available online or by calling the ice rink’s hotline, 402-444-4955.

January, online. This beloved Omaha tradition is

HIBERNATE AND CREATE

Feb. 19-21 at HotShops Art Center, 1301 Nicholas St. Guests can participate in this two-day

event of fun and creativity, featuring optional classes, meals, and a dedicated space to create in any medium of their choosing. Registration required. Tickets: $165. 402.342.6452.

—hibernateandcreate.com

MAPPING NEBRASKA

Feb. 21 online, presented by Omaha Public Library. Micah Evans, native Omahan and map

collector, will explore Nebraska history from colonial times to the 1890s through a collection of maps, demonstrating how historical maps can help us uncover the stories of our own families and neighborhoods. 402.444.4826.

—omahalibrary.org

Motto McLean Ice Arena, 5015 S 45th St. Those

» Looking Ahead to March « DIAL M FOR MURDER

March 5-21 at Bellevue Little Theatre, 203 W Mission Ave. Tony Wendice has married his wife, Margot, for her money and now plans to murder her for the same reason. But when she kills the killer, he has a backup plan. Tickets: Adults $20/ Seniors $18/Students $10. 402.292.4391.

—bellevuelittletheatre.weebly.com

MENOPAUSE THE MUSICAL

March 7 at Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St. This hilarious musical parody set to classic tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s will have you cheering and dancing in the aisles.

7 p.m. Tickets: $45-55.

—ticketomaha.com

DON’T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS

March 19-April 25 at The Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St. It’s not easy being The Pigeon—you never get to do anything. But when Bus Driver has a crisis that threatens to make her passengers late, it’s this bird’s time to shine. Tickets: $25.

402.345.4849.

—rosetheater.org

Event times and details are correct as of presstime, but are subject to change. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many events are canceling and/or changing dates/time/ places as needed. Most venues base these decisions on direction by the Douglas County Health Department and Nebraska’s publication of guidance on canceling events and limiting the number of people in public gatherings.

Omaha Magazine encourages readers to visit venues' websites and/or calling ahead before attending an event or visiting a museum.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 13 //

B E C O M I N G

BR

AVE E N O U G H

Health Care, Handbags & a Haven for Women Leaders

// 14 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

A+C AUTHOR STORY BY KAMRIN BAKER // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

W

OMEN ARE MOTHERS and war heroes, tech giants and family counselors, teachers and CEOs, magazine editors and leaders. Contrary to years of patriarchal belief, women are complex individuals, who need not adhere to any binary, role, or expectation.

Dr. Sasha Shillcutt is her own special combination of titles: cardiac anesthesiologist and director of clinical research in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, founder and CEO of Brave Enough, gender equity researcher, author, podcaster, speaker, handbag designer, mother, and wife.

Although Shillcutt isn’t likely to rank any of these titles in a particular order, founding her company and digital community Brave Enough has allowed her to fully embrace all that she is.

“I believe women are overwhelmed and undervalued,” Shillcutt said. “We are told in academics that we need to stick to the path to promotion, to tenure.

There are times to be on that path, sure, but putting a noose around someone’s creativity defeats the purpose of academia. We need the innovation and ideas of women.”

Writing Between Grit and Grace [published by Health Communications Inc.] was a practice in vulnerability and healing for Shillcutt, who felt the selfhelp genre was lacking a conversation on the fi ne line of being both assertive and feminine.

“Most of us have elements in our jobs and lives that require us to have a lot of grit and a lot of grace,” she said. “We have to expand that margin and teach women that whatever makes you feel power is your femininity. Th at means something different to every woman.”

Brave Enough came to be when Shillcutt was in a rough patch personally and Shillcutt was once told by a group of professionally. After countless hours and male doctors that if she ever wanted dollars spent becoming a doctor, she was to be taken seriously in medicine, she prepared to throw in the towel. She had to be “brave enough” to fi nd “Her work on gender equity and her another way.

Her creative endeavors haven’t stopped there. Shillcutt recently released a Brave Enough handbag, which, despite her feelings of imposter syndrome, sold out in a day. She wanted to make something that women could carry in personal and professional spaces and feel confident. The inside of the black leather tote contains a gold bar inscribed with the affi rmation: “I am enough.”

“Don’t wait for your fairy godmother,” Shillcutt said. “I was waiting for someone to say ‘poof, I’ll help you!’ but I learned that you have to believe in your own ideas to get other people to believe in your ideas. When we’re connected, we have answers.”

Shillcutt’s friend and colleague, Dr. Julie K. Silver, an associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School, understands the value of lifting up women in medicine.

“Dr. Shillcutt is a tenured professor, a level that few women physicians ever achieve,” Silver said. “Her work on gender equity and her support of women in medicine have had support of far-reaching effects. Dr. women in medicine have had far-reach ing effects . Shillcutt has broken Dr. Sh illcutt has broken many glass ceilings and “I was experiencing bias many glass ceilings and and discrimination and actively lifted countactivel y lifted countless women up.” —Julie K . Silver kept overachieving to less women up. She have the same opporhas inspired tens of tunities as men, who thousands of women just…perform,” she said. “Th is led me to should ditch the red high heels. Th is physicians and has been a strong advoextreme burnout. After a year of putting stifl ing of her voice and individuality cate for them.” myself together, I realized I was really added to her drive to create a community lonely. I had isolated myself from other where women could wear whatever shoes Shillcutt has creatively explored and conwomen and had no female friends in they desired—and receive sincere complifronted the world of academia—bedazsimilar spaces. I just started this group ments, not snide remarks. zled lab coat and all—because she needed text and basically sent out a bat signal to to reignite her own fi re, but she has also nine women, saying: ‘Do you want to be “For a long time, I thought to be a serious learned how great an impact women’s my friend?’” doctor or scientist, I had to put away any networking can have on the world. warm-feely words,” Shillcutt said. “Every Th at bat signal soon attracted over sentence of research needs to be sourced “Women are the life-givers of this 12,000 women in medicine. Brave and factual, but writing the book, my world,” Shillcutt said. “So who do you Enough has become a global brand with editors said the fi rst chapter sounded like want to be the most empowered in our three principles: Helping women fi nd I was giving a prescription. They said, societies? Women of every race, every clarity, set boundaries, and connect ‘Sasha, we need your voice.’” ethnicity. You learn how to take care with one another. With digital forums, of yourself as a child from a feminine courses, retreats, style guides, a national Growing up an avid reader and writer, fi gure. Empowering women is the conference, and now Shillcutt’s book, Shillcutt tapped back into her innate most significant thing we can do in Between Grit and Grace, thousands of desire to create, called a friend at our society.” women are learning the art of being Harvard Health Publishing, and made “feminine and formidable.” something new.

Visit becomebraveenough.com more information.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

// 15 //

2020

NO GOING BACK

Finding F reedom in Canvas

REYES’ STYLE CENTERS AROUND PORTRAITS CONTOURED IN A M E S S O F B R I G H T C O L O R S T H AT ’ S R E M I N I S C E N T O F T H E P O P C U LT U R E M O V E M E N T. I T ’ S R O O T E D I N H I S A M E R I C A N E D U C AT I O N T H R O U G H T V A N D ’ 9 0 S P O P C U LT U R E , B U T I T ’ S A L S O T H E E Y E O F A S H Y P E R S O N W H O WA N T S T O S E E T H I N G S F O R W H AT T H E Y C O U L D B E . I T ’ S PA R T O F T H E R E A S O N H E D O E S N ’ T PA I N T S K I N T O N E S N O R M A L LY, O R T R Y T O M A K E H I S W O R K H Y P E R R E A L I S T I C .

I T ’ S A M E S S Y, A U T H E N T I C R E I M A G I N AT I O N O F L I F E .

// 16 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

A+C VISUAL

STORY BY CHRIS BOWLING // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 17 //

A+C VISUAL

T

he paint splashes across the canvas.

It’s late at night in the basement of Elva’s gallery on Vinton Street in South Omaha, and Dany Reyes is hard at work.

In pinks, blues, and greens, the 34-yearold traces across the canvas, trying to fi nd something in the faces of pop culture icons and ordinary Omahans alike.

Occasionally the acrylics splatter. A few years ago, he thought only a bad artist made those kind of mistakes. Someone who can’t do this for a career.

Now he embraces them.

“There’s no wrong in there,” Reyes said.

“Especially in the way I paint. I did it that way, and that’s how it stays.

And whoever enjoys my art, appreciates it for what it is. It’s just free.”

Th roughout his life, Reyes said, he rarely felt free.

Always shy, he kept his head low during school.

When he graduated, he couldn’t go to college due to his noncitizen status.

All he could do was work manual labor jobs.

In 2018, he decided to give it up. He wanted to paint.

Since then, he’s built a name for himself, sending commissions across Omaha and the country. But it didn’t come without perseverance and risks—a belief with no safety net that this is what he was meant to do.

“I created my freedom in canvas,” he said.

“ I WA S N ’ T T H E B E S T I N M AT H O R A N Y T H I N G , S O B E I N G G O O D AT T H I S G AV E M E A N E M P O W E R I N G F E E L I N G . L I K E , ‘ H E Y, I ’ M N O T G O O D AT T H E R E S T O F T H E W O R L D , B U T I N T H I S I A M . ’ ” — D A N Y R E Y ES Reyes’ family immigrated to Los Angeles from El Salvador in the early ’90s. He learned about America through classic movies and TV shows such as Th e Simpsons and Step by Step. But when it came to making friends, he was lost.

One day, another fi rst-grade student named Gabriel asked if Reyes wanted to draw. Soon Reyes was drawing all the time, imagining fantastical scenes in marker and pencil or recreating his favorite superheroes. In fi fth grade, a teacher asked him to do a 5-by-5 square-foot illustration of Martin Luther King for a school assembly. Soon everyone started noticing Reyes’ talent.

“My self esteem was really low,” he said.

“I wasn’t great in school. I wasn’t the best in math or anything,” he said. “So being good at this gave me an empowering feeling. Like, ‘Hey, I’m not good at the rest of the world, but in this, I am.’”

When Reyes moved to Omaha in 2000, he kept taking art classes at South High. But after graduation he couldn’t find a direction forward. He wanted to go to college because, to him, it seemed like all good artists did that. But without a social security number, Reyes couldn’t apply for grants or submit college applications.

All he could do, it seemed, was get a work permit. He drew off and on through the years, but never anything serious.

“I didn’t have [any] future,” he said.

“There was nothing for me. I was going to work until I died. And I was never going to do anything other than that.”

His wife, Amanda Finn-Reyes, could see the effect it had on her husband. The couple met in 2013, got married in May 2016, and now are raising four children.

Finn-Reyes said her husband had jobs that helped pay the bills, but he never stayed anywhere long.

“He was never somewhere where he felt like his work was validated,” she said.

In September 2018, Reyes was working as a crane operator at a steel mill, the best job he’d ever had at the time. One day, he decided he’d had enough. If he wanted to accomplish something with his life, it felt like time was running out. He wanted to become an artist.

The decision shocked Finn-Reyes, whose mind went to how the family could pay the bills and buy food if one parent was a struggling artist.

“When he said that, I don’t want to say I was upset,” she said. “I was just worried.

What happens if this doesn’t work? How long do we give you to fi gure this out?”

The couple agreed Reyes could have a few months to see if he could realize his dream.

He started creating paintings and trying to build a clientele. Sometimes he’d stand on the corner in the Old Market hoping someone would buy a painting or share his work.

Soon the word started to spread, commissions started coming in. After a year, Finn-Reyes stopped asking her husband to get a part-time job. Th is past year was even bigger for him. He started working with Elva’s on Vinton Street. At night, or during the day if his wife has a slow day of work, he paints in the basement, working on several commissions a week.

When he was a kid, he used to draw the things he wanted that his family couldn’t afford to buy. Now he has a savings account, and he and his wife bought their fi rst home together.

“I never thought I was going to be that,” he said. “I was always just a paycheck-to-paycheck guy.”

Reyes’ style centers around portraits contoured in a mess of bright colors that’s reminiscent of the pop culture movement.

It’s rooted in his American education through TV and ’90s pop culture, but it’s also the eye of a shy person who wants to see things for what they could be.

It’s part of the reason he doesn’t paint skin tones normally, or try to make his work hyperrealistic. It’s a messy, authentic reimagination of life.

Then COVID-19 happened.

In April, Reyes and his family went to a quinceañera in Grand Island. Not long after, the community became a national COVID-19 hotspot, and Reyes started feeling symptoms. Before long, he was in the hospital.

“I just kept thinking, ‘I can’t die,’” he said. “‘I’m fi nally doing something I love. Th is can’t take it away from me.’ It felt like the end.”

But Reyes recovered. When he left the hospital, he sent back a painting of Superman as a gift for the staff who cared for him.

The experience showed him what he needs to cherish in life—is family and the opportunity to make a living off his passion. But more than anything, it’s reinforced that he can’t lose this freedom.

Because now that he’s tasted it, he can never go back. Toward that end, he is currently able to lawfully work in the U.S. and is in the process of obtaining citizenship.

“Every time I went left or right, I was restricted because I’m not from this country,” he said. “I just became so upset. It was so unfair...There was something about me that nobody really saw. But when I paint nobody tells me, ‘Dany you can’t do it that way. That’s not how it’s done.’”

Visit danyreyes.com for more information.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 19 //

“

I’M JUST TRYING TO KEEP MY MUSICAL UNIVERSE FULL, THAT’S WHERE I’M LIVING MY BEST LIFE.

”

-Cole Eisenmenger

From left: Cole Eisenmenger and Kristen Taylor // 20 // JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

A+C MUSIC // Story by Virginia Gallner Photography by Bill Sitzmann // Design by Matt Wieczorek

Music and Memory

C

onnecting with audiences is an essential part of performing. From the festival circuit to intimate bar shows, local musician and multiinstrumentalist Cole Eisenmenger stays musically busy outside of his work as a music therapist.

A brief glance across his music room reveals many pieces of Eisenmenger: the lyrics notebook propped on his piano, the tapestry on the wall, the Mellotron synthesizer in the corner.

“They tell us in school, don’t just notice the person, notice everything around them,” Eisenmenger said, resting his guitar on one knee. “What things are on their wall?

What art and decorations are there?”

This awareness is learned from years of working in the field of music therapy.

Working with people who have special needs, or with people who are experiencing memory loss, Eisenmenger knows the importance of coming back to the present moment.

Eisenmenger first heard about music therapy in high school, when U.S. Congresswoman Gabby Giffords resigned after an assassination attempt left her with a severe brain injury. He was fascinated by the music therapy aspects of her rehabilitation.

At University of Kansas, he started as a music therapy major, taking courses in psychology, anatomy, and field research, followed by a practicum and internship.

His final semester in the program was completed at MusicWorx in San Diego, and he became a board-certified music therapist.

The American Music Therapy Association describes the field as “an established health profession in which music is used within a therapeutic relationship to address physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of individuals.” On a senate panel about music therapy research with famed neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks, Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead said that “the rhythmic manipulation of sound can be used for health and healing.”

At the beginning of his career, Eisenmenger saw many misconceptions about music therapy. One of the first companies for whom he contracted brought in a clarinet player, as a volunteer, to play soothing music for patients. He explained there is much more to music therapy than simply playing music, contrary to popular perception. It requires a deep understanding of human psychology, and even anatomy and physiology, and should be individualized to each patient.

Kite, with his wife Kristen Taylor on vocals. Their debut show was in early 2018 for New Music Mondays at The Waiting Room Lounge in Benson. They started as a straightforward folk-rock band with a southern twang. Their original guitar player, Connor Swanson, brought a grittier sound, wielding a slide guitar in the style of Derek Trucks. When Swanson moved to Austin, Eisenmenger and Taylor took the opportunity to explore new musical horizons.

“The choice of music, tempo, dynamic, melody, and mode…really can affect the human brain,” he said.

Over time, they developed a more psychedelic sound. Bringing in Tom Adelman and Jake Reisdorff (from The Midland Band), Eisenmenger moved them in a more progressive direction. Their songs remain grounded in folk and roots, with vocal harmonies inspired by Crosby, Stills, and Nash, as well as ballads drawing on the folk-rock style of Neil Young.

For certified music therapists, it is a very interactive experience, bringing in different instruments for individuals to use. (With the pandemic, Eisenmenger noted there is a need to have minimal contact with objects, so he has modified his processes accordingly.)

In his current position at Endless Journey Hospice, he works with people who have varying forms of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Music therapy is very effective for individuals who are nonverbal. “Sometimes afterwards, after you hear them sing, they might be able to communicate better.”

Eisenmenger can reach people through different sounds, like an ocean drum. “A certain song or sound can bring back a certain memory. A client will be talking about dancing with his wife or walking on a beach.” He uses these sounds to evoke memories and work past communication barriers, as well as to reduce pain and anxiety.

Many of these skills come to the stage with him. Eisenmenger’s profession enhances his intuition as a performer.

“Whenever you make music for someone or with someone, there is an exchange of energy. On a live stage, maybe the crowd isn’t feeling it too much, so maybe you change your set list a bit. Maybe you notice your stage presence is starting to be a bit obnoxious,” he said with a laugh.

Since November 2017, Eisenmenger’s main project has been Mr. E and the Stringless

Several songs on their 2019 album Siren Songs were characterized by woodwind, strings, and organ sounds on the Mellotron, a synthesizer made popular in the 1970s by bands such as The Moody Blues, The Beatles, and early progressive rock band King Crimson.

Recently, Eisenmenger has started some new projects. Taylor is the primary songwriter for Little Rooms, where Eisenmenger gives instrumental support. He has also started ethereal folk-rock project Wyrmwood, returning to his roots in the Americana world, and hopes to get together his old band The North Fork when time allows.

“I’m just trying to keep my musical universe full,” he said. “That’s where I’m living my best life.”

Right now, Eisenmenger is limiting his live performances to outdoor shows for safety reasons. He remains hopeful for the spring.

“Even if we’re not playing for other people yet, we’ve got to keep creating.”

Visit endlessjourneyhospice.com for more information on music therapy and facebook. com/MESKband for more information on Mr. E and the Stringless Kite.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 21 //

C AT C H I N G C H E M O BO B UP WI T H A+C ILLUSTRATION // STORY BY GREG JERRETT // CHEMO BOB BY BOB DONLAN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

THE AN T I H E R O ’S O R E I H AN T

// 22 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

G

“ILLNESSES CAN TAKE AWAY YOUR STRENGTH, AND OBVIOUSLY AFFECT YOUR MOOD AND ABILITY TO WORK, BUT I FOUND FROM EXPERIENCE THAT WORKING WAS THE KEY TO PULLING ME OUT OF DARK PAINFUL PLACES.” —BOB DONLAN

// A+C ILLUSTRATION //

“THE CHARACTER WAS MYSELF, MY ALTER EGO, WHICH WAS REALLY INTERESTING, BECAUSE I HAD DIALOGUE WITH MYSELF. AND BOTH WERE TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE. SO THE DIALOGUE WHEN WRIT TEN WAS REALLY KIND OF CONFUSED. IT WAS KIND OF CRAZY, BUT WITH THE PUPPET, I COULD PLAY OUT ASPECTS OF THE ILLNESS WITH A DETACHMENT THROUGH THE VOICE OF SOMEBODY ELSE.” —BOB DONLAN

T

here’s nothing funny

about cancer. In fact it’s unfunny enough to have its own saying, “as serious as cancer.” Whether through personal experience or at the side of a friend or relative, few people’s lives have gone completely untouched by the disease. Fighting cancer in the time of Coronavirus can be even more difficult, as COVID-19 is a significant stressor on its own.

“The fi rst thing they tell you when you have cancer is try to remain as positive as you can,” said Bob Donlan. The 57-year-old is a local artist, writer, actor, cartoonist, set designer, and playwright, with an MBA from the University of Kansas. Donlan shared his story in a (very) socially distanced interview on the porch of his Aksarben-area home on an unfortunately chilly day.

Donlan was first diagnosed in 2013 with colon cancer, which has since metastasized and is at stage 4 after two previous remissions. Donlan has been undergoing a new treatment involving DNA therapy, which gives him a reason to be positive. He has his up days and down days, but he is doing his level best to follow doctor’s orders to keep a positive disposition.

“To stay positive, they recommend you do things like watch comedies instead of violent or dark fi lms,” Donlan said.

However, he hasn’t limited himself to simply watching comedy. With his own set of skills, Donlan looks on the bright side of life by taking a walk through its dark and uncomfortable places fi rst.

“I’ve relied a little more on writing and cartooning. Illnesses can take away your strength, and obviously affect your mood and ability to work, but I found from experience that working was the key to pulling me out of dark painful places.”

So begins the origin story of the antihero’s antihero, Chemo Bob. Donlan created Chemo Bob initially as an alter ego puppet for a 25-minute workshop play.

He had, at one point, considered turning his one-man—and to be fair, one-puppet—show into a longer production. // 24 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

“I took a crack at a cancer play originally, but that’s tough. Because for one, the subject matter kind of drives your audience away for the most part. I mean, not a lot of people want to sit and listen for an hour and a half about chemotherapy or something,” Donlan said, acknowledging that his goal is that of any playwright.

“I just wanted to have them be produced and watched at whatever level. I found that one to be a challenge to write and ended up using a puppet to kind of balance out the fear of cancer. It’s hard to be afraid of a puppet.”

The puppet was Donlan, or at least what Donlan thinks of as a version of him, one who can talk and joke about anything, making it more easily digestible.

“The character was myself, my alter ego, which was really interesting, because I had dialogue with myself. And both were talking directly to the audience.

So the dialogue when written was really kind of confused,” he said. “It was kind of crazy, but with the puppet, I could play out aspects of the illness with a detachment through the voice of somebody else. My writing and my paintings have not only been a way for me to personally heal and process, but also hopefully help someone else going through a similar circumstance.”

Chemo Bob lives on as a cartoon published as a zine. Donlan recalled that it all began by reflecting on appointments and difficult conversations with doctors. He said the Chemo Bob comics he started doing were, and continue to be, an important part of his life.

“They help[ed] me keep my sense of humor and accept stuff that was unacceptable. Cartooning somehow took its power away,” Donlan said while recalling a particularly difficult consultation about a serious procedure. “I remember a doctor coming in and telling me if the next thing we tried didn’t work, we would have to cut me open from the neck to below the belly button and open up my abdominal cavity to dose it with chemotherapy medications and then staple me back up. To me that just seemed like a Frankenstein kind of thing to do.”

Donlan went home and drew a cartoon of his doctor holding a chart explaining the procedure to his character. In the cartoon, the doctor explains the procedure and then says, “What do you think of that?” Chemo Bob, sitting on the exam table replies, “I think you have the wrong chart.”

“The punchline didn’t have to be funny, but it did help defuse the kind of the horror of it,” Donlan said.

The latest issue is called “Chemo Bob vs.

COVID-19 Virus.” As Donlan said of previous works, it is more about easing tensions during the complicated times in which we live than belly laughs. In one, Bob is asked how long he’s been social distancing, to which he replies, “Homecoming 1981.” In another, Bob “fi nds the balance” between narcotic constipation and chemo-induced diarrhea as he sits upon the toilet with his arms outstretched like a gymnast. While too dark for some, anyone who’s experienced a serious medical condition will see the humor in facing illness with a stiff upper lip, or, better yet, a smile.

As a mentor, Donlan also shines. Friend and collaborator Christopher McLucas met Donlan while working at Legend Comics & Coffee. The two hit it off.

They liked each other’s style, and Donlan later did the artwork for McLucas’ children’s book Th e Giggle Farm.

“Bob has been an inspiration and an even better friend,” McLucas said, adding that Donlan’s constant drive to paint or write is motivating. “Th rough all of his ups and downs he’s always at the desk.

Bob is what all artists want to be when they grow up.”

Donlan is still a working artist during his illness. Inquiries about his work or for commissions, contact donlanrobert@yahoo.com

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// 26 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Nebraskan

Steve Stang wanted to see other parts of the country. He served three years with the Signal Corps in the Army Reserves in Georgia after graduating high school in the mid-1980s, and the experience opened his eyes to other places.

Like many, however, he settled down after returning to Omaha. He enrolled in nursing school and found a job soon after graduating.

“When I graduated in 1989, I knew I wanted to be in critical care,” Stang said. “I spent 13 years working nights and weekends in the ICU at Clarkson Hospital, then transferred to the cardiac catheterization lab, where I could work day shifts and still be in critical care. Three-and-a-half years later, I switched to electrophysiology. I’ve been specializing in EP for 16 years.”

ADVENTURE // STORY BY JANET TILDEN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

Age and the rigors of his job had taken their toll on his body. He described himself as “pretty heavy,” and the first few hikes he took in Georgia were only 2-3 miles. He was motivated to keep hiking by his love of mountains and his passion for nature.

On his days off, Stang hiked up and down Stone Mountain and Kennesaw Mountain. “We went all over the place.

I took my camera with me and started shooting pictures of the mountains and the flowers and the trees,” Stang said.

A former coworker also recommended a weight-loss program called Optavia, which pairs customers of the program with a coach to help keep them on track and focuses on changing unhealthy habits.

By June 2020 he was hiking seven to 10 miles a day.

Stang returned to Omaha in June to relax and spend time with friends and family. His daughter is 23 and works as a vet tech, and his son is 21 and handles the house and yard while his dad is traveling. Stang was all set to go to his next assignment in Tacoma, Washington, in August 2020 when he received a call from Atlanta with some sad news. The new friend who had given him the hiking stick had passed away suddenly at age 47. He returned to Atlanta for the memorial service, putting off his next adventure.

Stang chose Tacoma because a friend lives nearby, and he arrived in September 2020.

He enjoyed exploring the area for a few days, but then the wildfires made the air quality too hazardous for outdoor exercise.

a Natural Nurse He retained his love of travel, going places when his schedule allowed, such as annual trips to the Rocky Mountains (usually in Colorado) for his birthday.

In 2019, he switched careers to one that would allow him to pursue his dual passions of travel and nursing. He became a traveler, a medical professional who accepts temporary assignments.

His niece, Allison Wissman, was his recruiter at RTG Medical in Omaha, and she knew that Stang would be an excellent traveler.

“I was confident that he was not going to back out if something was not exactly what he expected,” Wissman recalled. “He’s mature and adaptable, with a ‘make it work’ mindset. Those are key aspects of a successful traveler.”

Stang’s first assignment was at Emory University Midtown Hospital in Atlanta in December 2019. While there, Stang asked his coworkers to point him toward the nearest mountains so he could go hiking. He went to an REI store for hiking boots, and a new friend gave him a hiking stick.

“I thought this would be a good opportunity to take control of what I was eating because I could do my own thing,” Stang recalled.

Stang’s first assignment in Atlanta ended on March 14. He was planning to take a week off in Omaha and then return to Atlanta for a 10-week assignment. Then, COVID-19 broke out, and the lab in Atlanta stopped doing elective procedures for a few weeks.

“My one-week furlough at home ended up being a four-week furlough,” Stang said. He remained active in Omaha, working out at his friend’s martial arts studio, pursuing his woodworking hobby in his garage workshop, and spending time with family.

When he returned to Atlanta, he went right back to work. “They still weren’t up to full capacity, so I had to supplement my shifts,” Stang said. “I worked in the COVID ICU for two weeks, then went back to the EP lab for the rest of my assignment.”

When he wasn’t in the hospital, he was in the mountains, experiencing new natural wonders. “I always went hiking on my days off,” he said. “It was springtime and much prettier than it had been in the winter when the trees were bare.”

“For almost two weeks I had to stay indoors, and it smelled like a campfire every time I went outside,” Stang said.

“Not exactly what I had envisioned for my adventure. Then we had a big rainstorm and the air quality was healthy again, so I spent some time exploring Pike Place Market in Seattle.”

He eventually got back to hiking, and by early November had hiked four different mountains in the area. Between the diet program and the hiking, Stang has lost 118 pounds. He’s healthier, and he’s happy in his new role as a traveler.

“At this point in my life I want to experience as much as I can. I’ve always believed that travel can enrich your life in ways that nothing else can,” Stang surmised.

“I’m very happy for him,” said Wissman.

“I’m proud of him, and I’m excited to see where traveling takes him, personally and professionally.”

Visit rtgmedical.com for more information.

GOING FROM 5 MPH TO 60 T E L E H E A LT H

J U M P S TA R T E D

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Roger Sanford is trying to play it safe.

The 56-yearold resident of Slone, Iowa, about 75 miles north of Omaha, has faced “one thing after another”—a brain aneurysm, kidney failure, liver cancer, and a heart valve in need of replacement.

His doctors want to keep COVID-19 off that list.

“They really do not want him out at all,” said Amy Cain, his girlfriend and caregiver.

“They are afraid he was so sick that they don’t want him out and about.”

So, when Nebraska Medicine suggested Sanford meet with his doctors using telehealth, they jumped at the opportunity.

FEATURE // Telehealth

“I

t’s so much easier,” said Cain, who attends Sanford’s appointments with him. “It is like talking to them in person. They’re right here in the living room with us, basically.”

Many patients have discovered that telehealth— using video or telephone conferencing technology, also called telemedicine or virtual care—is a convenient way to get questions answered, learn about test results, and other visits that don’t require a direct physical examination or access to specialized equipment.

Telehealth visits nationally peaked in mid-April as the coronavirus pandemic spread across the country, according to surveys by the Commonwealth Fund, but they have grown to about 6% of overall patient visits.

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center in Omaha has dramatically grown its use of telehealth over the past year.

Dr. Jennifer McWilliams, medical director for virtual care at Children’s, has used technology to visit remotely with patients for more than a decade. She joined the hospital six years ago to improve access to mental health support for children in rural parts of the state.

“The hospital itself really started to look at how we could develop a virtual care program,” McWilliams said.

The program in behavioral health had been growing at a “pretty good clip,” with talks of expansion underway in early 2020. “And then COVID hit,” she said.

“Almost literally overnight, we switched our entire department from seeing kids face-to-face in our office to seeing kids via telehealth in their homes,” McWilliams said. “We’re continuing to see the vast majority—probably 95% of our kids—via telehealth.”

Now there’s little desire to go back to the way things were, she said. Among the detractors are patients who lack sufficient access to technology and a handful of patients who don’t respond well to sitting in front of a screen and are better served in person, McWilliams said.

Language barriers have been overcome using interpreters via Zoom.

“We really have gone from, not zero to 60, but maybe 5 miles per hour to 60 in a very short time,” McWilliams said.

“Across the organization, there were other little pockets of telemedicine brewing, but those have all really exploded."

Rebecca Ohlinger, manager for virtual care at Children’s Hospital & Medical Center, said the public health emergency last spring grew telehealth by 1,900%.

Post-visit surveys found the vast majority of patients—about 95%—reported feeling comfortable using virtual care.

Ohlinger said 97% said they were satisfied with their virtual visits, and 88% said virtual care improved their family’s access to health care services.

How broadly telehealth continues after the pandemic subsides depends on many factors, including whether those services remain viable for health care providers and a demand remains for them among health care consumers.

Regulation is likely to follow the emergency measures adopted during the pandemic, as the federal government provided discretion for compliance with patient privacy rules. That allowed providers to use Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Google Hangouts, Zoom, and Skype, among other platforms, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Limits on online pharmacies could also play a factor, depending on whether a patient was still making regular trips outside their home.

McWilliams said state-bystate differences pose another regulatory challenge. She said bringing the states into uniformity would help extend the future reach of health care providers outside of public health emergencies.

The pandemic also spurred health insurance companies to encourage telehealth visits by dropping copays—the cost-sharing portion that can discourage patients from choosing to use their insurance—and increasing their provider payments to match in-person visits. Some of those insurers have since restored copays, and it’s an open question how telehealth will be handled by health insurance companies in the future.

“We’re really advocating and hoping that that barrier doesn’t go back into place,” McWilliams said.

Telehealth does have its drawbacks, and it’s not suitable for every visit—including those annual checkups that are the cornerstone of health care.

“It does not allow for the capability of us to do a hands-on exam, which we need for a lot of diagnoses,” said Dr. Ashley LeGrand-Rozovics, a physician affiliated with the Methodist Health System. “It definitely can cause some limitations in diagnosis.”

LeGrand-Rozovics recommends telehealth visits for anyone suffering from an upper respiratory condition, unless it involves severe shortness of breath or chest pain, which may require immediate intervention.

Telehealth is also suitable for anxiety, depression, and other mental illness, as well as follow-up consultations for chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, so long as patients are able to monitor their numbers at home.

“Obviously, it’s still better to see your physician in person when possible and when it’s safe to do so,” LeGrand-Rozovics said.

Even so, she said she’s “thoroughly enjoyed being part of telehealth with Methodist,” and she praised the technology for allowing care to continue in the midst of a pandemic.

“Patients have really appreciated it as well,” LeGrand-Rozovics said. “We still want to make sure that we’re able to provide that access.”

Children’s has more than 32 specialties providing virtual care, Ohlinger said, and the sky is the limit for providing those services—even if the pendulum swings back toward more traditional methods of delivering health care.

“I think the genie is out of the bottle,” Ohlinger said. “We’re at a point, too, where a lot of our families are going to demand it stay this way.”

Avoiding long commutes and waiting room queues are among the reasons that families may continue to choose telehealth options. McWilliams said providers appreciate being able to go into patients’ living spaces using video conferencing.

Seeing into a home environment allows physical therapists to see what patients are trying to navigate in their physical landscape. It allows behavioral specialists to see where children are spending their time. It allows nutritionists to see what food choices are available to patients.

“Being able to see kids where they are is a huge advantage,” McWilliams said.

The technology also expands health care professionals’ reach anywhere broadband can be found. Ohlinger predicts that as technology becomes a regular part of how students go to class, how groceries appear in pantries, how checks are deposited into bank accounts, and many other facets of everyday life, the same will hold true in medicine. She said the pandemic has “really transformed what we know as modern life.”

Health care providers see that telehealth could accelerate a shift away from a fee-for-service business model and instead place their focus to keeping families healthy, however that ends up being delivered.

McWilliams expects that Nebraska will never have enough primary care providers to meet its demands, but telehealth can improve access to specialists and aid family practice doctors, particularly outside of the Omaha metropolitan area.

As for access to technology, she compared missed telehealth appointments due to internet outages or lack of a device to patients who face flat tires, can’t pay for gas, or otherwise have transportation problems that keep them from in-person visits. Both create barriers to access health care, but both are relatively limited problems that can be addressed.

Having the flexibility of telehealth can overcome some obstacles, too. Finding the time to drive Sanford 75 miles to and from Omaha is a challenge for Cain when she works an overnight shift. But a telehealth visit just requires setting an alarm while she takes a nap after work.

“That makes it easy for us,” Cain said.

Sanford said that he felt less anxious about a recent telehealth visit before a procedure, and that a virtual visit avoided feeling rushed through the appointment.

“It was great,” Sanford said. “I felt even more confident.”

That sentiment is unlikely to change when masks are no longer needed in public.

For Cain and Sanford, and many patients in similar situations, telehealth is their new standard of care.

“I think it will be the normal,” Cain said.

Visit childrensomaha.org and bestcare.org for more information.

January/February 2021

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Mahika’s Masks

M i l l a r d Te e n S o u r c e d P P E Fo r Those Who Needed it Most This Spring

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

STORY BY KATRINA MARKEL

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he beginning of the pandemic is burned into the minds of many: public health information changed rapidly, people adjusted to working and learning from home, and it was nearly impossible to find toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Health care organizations couldn’t source enough surgical masks, never mind the rest of the population having access to face coverings.

“I wanted to do customized ear savers that read ‘Nebraska strong, Nebraska safe,’ which is kind of like the hashtag I used for my Go Fund Me page. And those I was able to get from Canada with Terry from Panda Props in Vancouver,” Mahika said.

Meanwhile in Millard, 15-year-old Mahika Kanchanam saw an opportunity. If health care workers and school custodians needed personal protective equipment (PPE), perhaps a determined ninthgrade student could help.

The project required some perseverance and sometimes a little parental backing. Her mom, Prathyusha, occasionally had to reassure people that her 15-year-old was serious about the project and would follow through with it.

“I heard so many stories as it started to spread to Nebraska, and the numbers started to rise, and I realized that health care workers are putting their lives in danger in order to help us. I just felt like it was kind of like a responsibility to help,” said Mahika, who is now in 10th grade at Millard North.

“When she started there were so many obstacles,” Prathyusha said.

“These were all very, very scarce commodities at that point in time, but she did not give up. She said, ‘Okay I can’t do this. What else can I do? Is there someone that will help me? So, I think that is a big learning kind of adventure that will stay with her.”

She started small by organizing adult volunteers to make masks. Using online patterns and tutorials, she learned how to sew, coordinated volunteers, and started a Go Fund Me account to raise funds for the project.

“I could do the pleated ones and I had others help me with, like the fitted face masks, which are a little harder to sew,” Mahika said.

They made masks for everyday use from cotton because the material is breathable.

“Here Mahika shows up and she’s procured a ton of—even to this day—the finest-looking masks you’ve seen. They have a little style to them,” said Loel Schettler, Mahika’s school counselor at Millard North.

Schettler said that administrators from the school system wanted to celebrate Mahika for her efforts, and she was fine with that, but also clear about who would receive the masks.

She collaborated with professional 3D print shops as far away as California, Florida, and Vancouver, British Columbia.

U l t i m a t e l y, Mahika said some 4,000 pieces of protective equipment were donated to local hospitals.

“It was cute. She didn’t object to making a [big] deal out of it, but clearly the intent was ‘No, I’m giving these to the custodians,’” Schettler said.

Mahika didn’t stop there. Masks were also sold to the community and the $1,400 raised from the sales went to Food Bank for the Heartland. She coordinated the construction of masks from a material called Halyard H600, a medical-grade fabric that can be sterilized with UV light. She said about 3,000 masks were eventually donated to local hospitals, especially UNMC. “I was really just going onto Google, you know, just searching any way I could help and I did start with face masks. And as I kept researching I found out more about 3D-printing the face shields, which would definitely come in handy for the health care workers,” Mahika said.

Mahika found open-source models for face shields and said that she began creating them with a friend who owned a 3D printer, “but it was taking a really long time and I knew that I wanted to help in a really big way.”

Ultimately, Mahika said some 4,000 pieces of protective equipment were donated to local hospitals.

She made a deal with her parents that for every $1,000 she raised for the project, they would kick in another $100. She collected about $5,000 and Prathyusha and Ramesh Kanchanam chipped in an additional $500.

Before the pandemic hit, Mahika volunteered at Methodist Women’s Hospital. She said she’s still interested in a health care career.

“Right now I am leaning towards health care just because I’ve always been interested in science and I think it’s a great way to help," she said. I’ve always been a kid who like, wants to help people, whether it’s school or whether it be in my community, and I just feel like being in the health sciences field gives me that amazing opportunity.”

Schettler believes that Mahika will have countless college and career options in her future and explained that she’s a rare combination of smarts, compassion, and an engaging personality.

“I think someone who has that much game and yet thinks of others so much is a rare real deal, you know?” he said.

Prathyusha said that she is grateful for the support her daughter received and that so many people from the community would trust a 15-year-old and volunteer or donate to the project. Of course, she’s also proud of what her daughter accomplished.

“We are from India and whenever we take her to India we always try to show her the reality of the world. There are people who are struggling, there are people who are really in need, and we are privileged. We should have that empathy and kindness and help people wherever we can,” Prathyusha said.

Her daughter clearly took those lessons to heart.

Visit gofundme.com/f/corona-relief-ppe-charity for more information or to give.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 33 //

PROFILE // STORY BY SUSAN MEYERS //PHOTOGRAPHY BY KENT SIEVERS //DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

Eye-Opening

Research

CURIOSITY DRIVES OMAHA SCIENTIST JANUARY/FEBRUARY

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2021

THE LOSS OF VISION HAS BEEN SAID TO BE THE MOST LIFE ALTERING OF ANY OF THE SENSES. University of Nebraska Medicine scientist Iqbal Ahmad, Ph.D., is hopeful his groundbreaking research may be on the cusp of uncovering innovative therapies to prevent one of the most common causes of vision loss.

Fueled by his unrelenting curiosity and always looking for unique approaches to understanding science, Ahmad said it occurred to him that “how the brain functions may lie in the mechanisms by which the brain is put together.”

Ahmad, a professor in the department of ophthalmology and visual sciences at UNMC, has spent more than 30 years studying the inner workings of the brain and its relationship to the retina to understand what leads to blindness.

That’s when Ahmad’s passion turned to the retina, which he believed could provide an integral link in answering questions about how the brain functions. “The retina is actually an extension of the brain that forms in the embryo from neuro tissue connected to the brain by the optic nerve,” Ahmad explained.

“Much of what we know about the brain has come from the study of the retina and how these cells handle, process, and convey information.”

His commitment to this research is finally paying off. He and his colleagues—researcher Pooja Teotia, Ph.D., and bioinformatics programmer Meng Niu, Ph.D.—identified one of the cells in the retina that plays an essential role in adults who develop glaucoma, one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness.

This finding may lead to the ability to prevent or treat glaucoma. These cells, called the retina ganglia cells (RGCs), process visual information that enters the eye and transmits it to the brain via the optic nerve. In some adults, these cells degenerate or die as they age. Ahmad’s findings were published in the June 2020 issue of the national journal Stem Cells.

“This could be life-changing for people predisposed to developing glaucoma,” he said.

Growing up in India, Ahmad was the youngest of five children. He was his father’s last hope to have a physician among his children. Ahmad’s parents were strong role models, showing him how to persevere and remain principled, which he said became critical assets in guiding him to properly and ethically execute scientific research throughout his lifetime.

Ahmad aspired to follow in his father’s footsteps as a physician, but he got sidetracked along the way and failed to qualify for medical school. Determined to make up for his teenage negligence, he attended graduate school and completed a master’s degree in zoology. He came to the United States in 1990 to pursue a doctoral degree in cell and molecular biology at Kent State University in Ohio.

With this knowledge, Ahmad realized that study of the retina may also provide answers to the mechanisms that lead to blindness. The National Institute of Health agreed to fund his studies, which Ahmad brought with him to Omaha in 1994 when he joined the research team at UNMC. Using stem cell modeling, Ahmad and his colleague are testing a concept that glaucoma may be due to a developmental error in the embryonic stages that causes RGCs to be prone to degeneration later in life.

Significant advances over the last decade in stem cell modeling has allowed doctors to study disease processes and potential therapies with replicated cells in a petri dish as opposed to using animal models. “It has revolutionized our understanding of the disease processes in the lab,” Ahmad said.

But the process is still slow, and potential treatments are still at least two years away, he said.

Today Ahmad models his father’s strong principles and shares his love and dedication to science by mentoring others in his personal and professional lives. As a professor who has taught neuroscience to thousands of medical students, Ahmad finds teaching rewarding.

“Throughout my academic years, I have been inspired by excellent teachers and mentors who were passionate, respectful, patient, and honest,” he said. “I try to inculcate these elements in mentoring my own students, who will be the next generation of scientists.”

“Dr. Ahmad’s qualities inspire not only scientists, but everyone in his daily life,” said one of his colleagues, Dania Emi Hamassaki, Ph.D., professor for the Department of Cell Biology and Development at the Biomedical Science Institute in Sao Paulo, Brazil. “He is ethical, curious, creative, persistent, openminded, and friendly, and always willing to open the doors of his lab to others.”

She explained how Ahmad welcomed one of her graduate students to his lab, mentoring the student through her research and again welcoming her back later for her post-doctorate research.

Another colleague, Majlinda Lako, Ph.D., professor of stem cell sciences at the Biosciences Institute at Newcastle University, United Kingdom, said she was not surprised to hear of Ahmad’s recent accomplishments. “He has always been very dedicated to science. He is systematic, thorough, and always exploring new ideas and adventures into research.”

It has been said that curiosity is the most powerful thing one owns. Curiosity runs deep within the soul of Ahmad. He attributes his recent findings in part to his unrelenting curiosity as well as the company to which he keeps. “Curiosity is infectious,” he said. “I believe that if you surround yourself with young and curious minds, you may be able to stave off aging and stay on top of your game.”

May Ahmad’s dedication and curiosity fuel the flame that leads to the answers people need to prevent or cure irreversible blindness.

Visit unmc.edu for more information.

HIS COMMITMENT TO THIS RESEARCH IS FINALLY PAYING OFF. HE AND HIS COLLEAGUES IDENTIFIED ONE OF THE CELLS IN THE RETINA THAT PLAYS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN ADULTS WHO DEVELOP GLAUCOMA, ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF IRREVERSIBLE BLINDNESS.

GLUTEN-FREE FOR LIFE Controlling the Autoimmune Cascade of Celiac Disease

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early every day after eating lunch, Lianna Austin would experience debilitating migraines followed by profound exhaustion and sometimes vomiting. Her symptoms started when she was 5 years old, and over the next 10 years, visits to multiple medical specialists and myriad tests and trials of various dietary supplements yielded no answers.

“That was my life for a decade. Nothing would help,” Austin said.

“It was so, so frustrating.”

Wendy Bredensteiner began losing weight two years ago. A few months later, intense abdominal pain landed her in the emergency room. Her gallbladder was removed later, but digestive symptoms persisted and she continued to effortlessly lose weight, which began to concern her. Several tests over the next year revealed other gastrointestinal (GI) tract problems, including abnormalities in her small intestinal villi.

“It wasn’t until I started losing a lot of weight without trying that anyone even noticed,” Bredensteiner recalled. “I’d learned to live with the stomach pain.”

The diagnosis for both Austin and Bredensteiner: celiac disease.

And the treatment? A strict gluten-free diet.

Feature Story by Kara Schweiss Photography by Bill Sitzmann Design by Matt Wieczorek

“True celiac disease, as I describe to patients, is an autoimmune disease,” said Dr. Joshua T. Evans of Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates. “If you eat gluten, it sets off this autoimmune cascade where you make antibodies against your own (small) intestine, and it interferes with the lining of the intestine such that you can’t absorb food and nutrients properly.”

A diagnosis of celiac disease, to which both Austin and Bredensteiner can attest, can be elusive. According to advocacy organization Beyond Celiac, more than 300 symptoms can be associated with the condition.

“Not all the symptoms of celiac disease are related to the GI tract,” Evans said. “There are extraintestinal manifestations of the disease like skin and hair changes. A lot of patients will present with migraines and there are certain dermatologic manifestations or skin diseases (including dermatitis herpetiformis) that are associated with celiac disease as well.”

“I was diagnosed at 50, but I suspect I’ve had celiac for several years. Twenty years ago, one doctor suggested I might have irritable bowel, but I never pursued it and nothing came of it,” Bredensteiner said, adding that she realized later that other medical symptoms she experienced like osteopenia and dental issues also pointed to celiac disease. “Celiac looks a lot like food allergies and a lot of the symptoms are innocuous.”

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, approximately only one in 100 people worldwide have celiac disease.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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Feature // Gluten-Free

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Austin was finally tested for celiac disease after a family member who also had persistent and mysterious health issues was diagnosed. Her own diagnosis, she said, brought a sense of relief.

“It was such a turning point in my life. I had to follow this diet, but it was finally an answer and I knew there actually was something wrong with me,” she said, adding that she saw her health improve within days of going gluten-free.

“I knew I was not healed by any means, but I knew in that first week that there was a difference,” she said. “It makes sense: you’re not consuming something your body hates all the time, at every meal. It was life-changing.”

Evans said that although numerous studies around potential medications for celiac disease have taken place over the years, none have panned out—yet. “So far, the only proven treatment option, at this time, is a gluten-free diet.”

Gluten is found in wheat, rye, and barley and is used in many foods from the obvious (pasta and bread made from wheat flour) to the not-so-obvious (soy sauce and beer). Gluten can also be found in some cosmetics, personal care products, vitamins and supplements, and even modeling dough made for children to play with. People with celiac disease have to be vigilant, Austin and Bredensteiner said. Just cutting back on gluten consumption isn’t enough. And labels don’t always clearly identify gluten-containing substances like malt vinegar or brown rice syrup made with barley enzymes.

Practicing gluten-free eating “is not just a diet,” Austin said. “It’s a lifestyle. We can’t take a day off. We can’t have a cheat meal. And along with how hard a gluten-free diet is, I think the hardest part is managing cross-contact.”

Her husband of less than two years, like most people, does not have to eat gluten-free, Austin explained, so the couple has to be scrupulously careful about keeping food preparation areas and food separate so crumbs and residue containing gluten don’t make their way into Austin’s food. “We basically make our own meals in a shared kitchen,” she said.

“While some people say, ‘It’s simple: Avoid gluten and you’ll be fine,’ It’s not that easy,” Bredensteiner said. She has several food allergies, but said she’s found that staying away from gluten is different than abstaining from mustard and pineapple, or even soy and sulfites.

“Gluten is in what seems like everything.

My latest offender? My bite guard I wear at night.”

Celiac disease can create awkwardness in social situations, she added.

“Someone brings donuts to the office?

None for you. Dinner out with family?

Unless you carefully select a restaurant, none for you. Only a few minutes for lunch so you want to drive through somewhere? None for you. Dropping in at a friend’s for an impromptu drink?

None for you. Cross-contamination is a real thing. No, you can’t put your gluten-containing crackers on the same plate as my gluten-free ones,” she said. “Being celiac is very isolating. I had no idea.”

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Even people diagnosed with celiac disease who don’t experience severe symptoms need to stay away from gluten completely, and it’s a lifelong commitment, Evans said.

“It’s important to adhere to a gluten-free diet not just to make you feel better, but because it’s important to decrease your long-term risk of malabsorption to prevent manifestations like premature osteoporosis or iron-deficiency anemia,” he said. “There’s also a small increased risk of small bowel cancers—in particular, lymphomas—which is associated with longstanding untreated celiac disease.”

If a person suspects celiac disease in themselves or is a caregiver to a family member with symptoms, it’s important to seek a medical diagnosis, Evans said.

Also, the patient needs to not be on a gluten-free diet at the time of testing for results to be accurate.

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Feature // Gluten-Free

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“I really believe that nutrition is a gamechanger for everyone. I have the opportunity to use this crown as a megaphone to help others.”

-Lianna Austin “There are several antibody tests—blood tests—available which have improved over the course of the past decade or so. They’re now at least 90% accurate at diagnosing celiac disease. Of course, I see the one in 10 or one in 20 patients the test misses. And what it doesn’t tell you is how severe (the disease) is,” he said. “The best test for celiac disease is to take a biopsy of the first part of the intestine called the duodenum. That’s accomplished by performing a standard upper endoscopy where we take a small camera and go down through the mouth through the esophagus, past the stomach, and into the first part of the small intestine. It’s a short, five- to 10-minute outpatient procedure that’s done while the patient is under sedation.”

He added, “It’s really not possible to self-diagnose celiac disease…If patients go on a gluten-free diet and they have an improvement of their symptoms, that’s not diagnostic of celiac disease.”

People with other conditions such as gluten-sensitive irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may experience improvement in symptoms on a gluten-free diet, he explained.

“Irritable bowel syndrome is a combination of abdominal pain and a change in bowel habits that’s very common. It is usually in some way—not always, but usually—related to stress and anxiety,” he said. “These patients will have symptoms similar to celiac disease: abdominal pain, bloating, changes in bowel habits, increased gas. But they do not have the true autoimmune phenomenon of antibodies being made against their own intestine. That’s a big, important distinction to make.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

“Patients will come to me and say, ‘I feel better when I don’t eat gluten,’ even when they don’t have celiac disease. And

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I never argue with that, because dietary modification is one of the treatment options for irritable bowel syndrome.

But if they have true celiac disease, they are at risk for complications including malabsorption of nutrients such as vitamin B, iron, magnesium, copper, and vitamin B-12, and these patients need to be monitored.”

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, approximately only one in 100 people worldwide have celiac disease. If the population of Omaha (468,000) represented the number of people worldwide, then the population of Wahoo (4,500) would represent the number of people with celiac disease.

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Increased awareness may suggest that the disease is on the rise but “the data remains to be determined,” Evans said.

“The diagnosis is on the rise, due to a few things, mainly increased disease-state awareness and also because of the availability of a gluten-free diet; it’s easier to follow a gluten-free diet than it was 20 years ago.”

It’s easier than ever to find certified gluten-free products as awareness of celiac disease increases, but Bredensteiner said accurate understanding of the disease itself lags behind.

“Some people choose to eat gluten-free or ‘gluten-friendly’ because they think it’s healthier,” Bredensteiner said. “While I’m grateful for the ‘trend’ because companies have responded to the demand by creating more celiac-safe foods, it also makes me a bit sad. Because while those who choose it can also stop choosing it, I will never, ever be able to pop into any place I want and eat a regular meal.

I no longer have that luxury. The fact that some people choose it also casts a little shade on those of us who have no choice. Many a server or sometimes even the chef from the kitchen will ask, ‘Is it an allergy or a choice?’ Actually, it’s neither, but I go with ‘allergy’ because they at least take that seriously.”

In the years since being diagnosed with celiac disease as a teen, Austin has advocated for celiac disease awareness.

She interned in college for the organization now known as Beyond Celiac, and as a past Miss Nebraska candidate, and now as Mrs. Nebraska American 2020, she speaks about her experiences and promotes healthy living.

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US

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// 41 //

INTRO BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN

D

octors take care of many needs, from putting people under anesthesia before surgery to calming young ones before being injected with immunizations to repairing vericose veins. Medical professionals of all types have been front and center of many people’s minds for many months, and this list, curated by Data Joe, lets readers know about the premier physicians in many areas of medicine. With this list, Omahans are in good, caring, hands. Throughtout the list, readers will see the terms "Legacy" and "Rising Star." A doctor with the designation of Legacy has practiced for more than 30 years; one with the term Rising Star has practiced for less than 5 years.

// 42 //

Summary. DataJoe Research is a software and research company specializing in data collection and verification, and conducts various nominations across the United States on behalf of publishers.

To create the "top doctors" list, DataJoe Research facilitated an online peer-voting process. DataJoe reached out to medical groups and individual doctors to facilitate participation. DataJoe also referenced other government and Internet sources to establish credibility/eligibility of doctors. DataJoe then tallied the results, to score doctors in each category. DataJoe confirmed that each winning candidate had a current, active license status with the state regulatory board. If we were not able to find evidence of a doctor's current, active registration with the state regulatory board, that doctor was excluded from the list. In addition, any doctor who has been disciplined, up to the time-frame of our review process for an infraction by the state regulatory board, was excluded from the list. Finally, DataJoe presented the tallied result to the magazine for its final review and adjustments.

of the huge array of talented professionals within the region.

Inclusion in the list is based on the opinions of responding doctors in the region and the results of our research campaign. We take time and energy to ensure fair voting, although we understand that the results of this survey nomination are not an objective metric. We certainly do not discount the fact that many, many good and effective doctors may not appear on the list.

Final note. We recognize that there are many good doctors who are not shown in this representative list. This is only a sampling

Questions? For research/methodology questions, contact the research team at surveys@datajoe.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Disclaimers. DataJoe uses best practices and exercises great care in assembling content for this list. DataJoe does not warrant that the data contained within the list are complete or accurate.

DataJoe does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability to any person for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions herein whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. All rights reserved. No commercial use of the information in this list may be made without written permission from DataJoe.

Allergy and Immunology JILL A. ADAIR POOLE

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

G. DANIEL BROOKS

Asthma & Allergy Center 3503 Samson Way, Suite 108 Bellevue, NE 68123 402-592-2055

JAINE M. BROWNELL

Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic, PC 16945 Frances St. Omaha, NE 68130 402-397-7400

TEODORO SEGURA

Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic, PC 16945 Frances St. Omaha, NE 68130 402-397-7400

EBRAHIM SHAKIR

JOEL K. VAN DE GRAAFF

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

Anesthesiology

BRETT V. KETTELHUT

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

AMY B. BEETHE

8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4385

CHI Health

KENT S. HUTTON

OrthoNebraska

2808 S. 143rd Plaza Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

13130 N. 73rd Plaza Omaha, NE 68122 402-398-6176

STEVEN J. LISCO

Nebraska Medicine Anesthesiology at Bennett Hall

4204 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4081

Boys Town Hospital 555 N. 30th St. Omaha, NE, 68131 531-355-7676

JEFFREY S. NELSON

Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic, PC 16945 Frances St. Omaha, NE 68130 402-397-7400

ANDREW CRAIG RORIE Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

985990 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4015

ROBERT B. ZATECHKA 2808 S. 143rd Plaza Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

EDMUND O. FIKSINSKI

EDWARD P. DROBNY CHI Health

6901 N. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68122 402-717-4866

SHEILA J. ELLIS

Nebraska Medicine Anesthesiology at Bennett Hall

984455 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4081

CHRISTIAN HORAZECK CHI Health

7500 Mercy Road, Suite 1355 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-4866

OrthoNebraska

2808 S. 143rd Plaza Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

LAURENCE M. RAYNOR CHI Health

6901 N. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-2121

MARK D. REISBIG

Creighton University 2500 California Plaza Omaha, NE 68178 402-280-2700

SASHA K. SHILLCUTT

Nebraska Medicine Anesthesiology at Bennett Hall

4204 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4081

Nebraska Medicine Heart and Vascular Center at Durham Outpatient Center

Methodist Physicians Clinic Methodist Health Systems 1120 N. 103rd Plaza, Suite 101 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-5055

Cardiothoracic Surgery JOHN THOMAS BATTER Omaha Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery PC

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4424

ALEEM SIDDIQUE

Nebraska Medicine Heart and Vascular Center at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4424

Heart and Vascular Center at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha NE, 68105 402-559-8888

RONALD J. PRITZA CHI Health

CHI Health

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-5880

JOHN ROBERT WINDLE Nebraska Medicine

4239 Farnam St.,Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-2320

Heart and Vascular Center at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8888

Colon and Rectal Surgery GARNET J. BLATCHFORD Colon and Rectal Surgery Inc.

VENKATA ALLA CHI Health

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-5880

9850 Nicholas St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-343-1122

JEFFREY S. CARSTENS

CHARLES A. TERNENT

CHI Health

Colon and Rectal Surgery Inc.

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-5880

MICHAEL DEL CORE CHI Health

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-5880

Colon and Rectal Surgery Inc. 9850 Nicholas St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68114 402-343-1122

SYED MOHIUDDIN CHI Health

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-5880

Cosmetic Surgery

EDMUND O. FIKSINSKI

Methodist Physicians Clinic Methodist Health Systems

KIM F. DUNCAN

SYED MOHIUDDIN CHI Health

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-5880

9850 Nicholas St., Suite 100, Omaha, NE 68114 402-343-1122

ALAN G.THORSON

1120 N. 103rd Plaza, Suite 101 Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-5055

8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4360

Nebraska Medicine

ATUL A. RAMACHANDRAN

9850 Nicholas St., Suite 250 Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-9990

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

THOMAS R. PORTER

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-5880

OrthoNebraska

1 Edmundson Plaza Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-396-7787

2808 S. 143rd Plaza Omaha, NE 68114 402-609-3000

MICHAEL J. MOULTON

Clarkson Heart Center

Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital

JOHN C. PETERSON

9850 Nicholas St., Suite 250 Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-9990

Nebraska Medicine

JOSEPH T. AYOUB

OrthoNebraska

Omaha Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery PC

HAYSAM AKKAD

Cardiology

MONTE J. CHRISTO

THOMAS J. LANGDON

Cardiovascular Disease

Teamhealth Anesthesia Services

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

NIGAR S. NAIR

7500 Mercy Road, Suite 1355 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-4866

NICHOLAS N. LIEBENTRITT

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

14080 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town NE, 68010 531-355-6930

4204 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4081

CHARLES F. YOUNGBLOOD

Nebraska Medicine

Boys Town Hospital

Anesthesiology at Bennett Hall

7500 Mercy Road, Suite 1355 Omaha NE, 68124 402-717-4866

SARA M. MAY

KEVIN R. MURPHY

Nebraska Medicine

CHI Health

Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, PC 2808 S. 80th Ave., Suite 210 Omaha, NE, 68124 402-391-1800

JEAN A. SIMONSON

THUC H. TRAN

JAMES M. TRACY

111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5570

2808 S. 80th Ave., Suite 210 Omaha, NE, 68124 402-391-1800

984455 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha NE, 68198 402-559-4081

16945 Frances St. Omaha, NE 68130 402-397-7400

RUSSELL J. HOPP

Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, PC

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Midwest Allergy and Asthma Clinic, PC

111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5570

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

BARBARA J. HURLBERT

NAGI T. AYOUB

Westfield Plastic Surgery Center 9900 Nicholas St., Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68114 402-829-6384

JOHN J. EDNEY

Aesthetic Surgical Images

8900 West Dodge Road Omaha, NE 63114 402-390-0100

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 43 //

Critical Care Medicine

KRISTIE D. HAYES

KRISTINA L. BAILEY

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-552-7928

14441 Dupont Court, Suite 304 Omaha, NE 68144 402-597-8775

TRICIA HULTGREN

KYLE KREHBIEL

RONALD A. SARNO

14441 Dupont Court, Suite 304 Omaha, NE 68144 402-597-8775

11111 S. 84th St. Papillion, NE 68046 402-593-3558

Nebraska Medicine Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

DANIEL W. JOHNSON

Nebraska Medicine Anesthesiology at Bennett Hall

4204 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4081

LEE MORROW

Nebraska Medicine

Dermatology Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

Dermatology Specialists Of Omaha 909 N. 96th St., Suite 201 Omaha, NE 68114 402-330-4555

JUSTIN G. MADSON

Midwest Dermatology Clinic PC

4242 Farnam St., Suite 360 Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-2555

CHI Health

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 3000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-9600

TAMMY OLESKEVICH WICHMAN

Nebraska Medicine Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

MELANIE ORTLEB

MOD Dermatology 2953 S. 168th St. Omaha, NE 68130 402-505-8777

JASON S. PAPENFUSS

Midwest Dermatology Clinic PC

4242 Farnam St., Suite 360 Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-2555

JOEL SCHLESSINGER

AMOL PATIL

Nebraska Medicine Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

CRAIG A. PIQUETTE

Nebraska Medicine Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

JAMES N. SULLIVAN

Nebraska Medicine Anesthesiology at Bennett Hall

984455 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4081

Dermatology MARY T. FINNEGAN

Braddock Finnegan Dermatology PC 7911 West Center Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-390-0333

Skin Specialists P.C. 2802 Oak View Drive, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68144 402-334-7546

HERSCHEL E. STOLLER Center of Dermatology, P.C. 10110 Nicholas St., Suite 103 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-9200

ADAM SUTTON

Nebraska Medicine

Dermatology Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

985645 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6128

ASHLEY WYSONG

Nebraska Medicine

Dermatology Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

985645 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6128

Radiology Consultants of the Midwest, P.C.

Radiology Consultants of the Midwest, P.C.

JENNIFER M. OLIVETO Radiology at University Tower 4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-1010

C. CHRISTIAN SCHLAEPFER

Radiology Consultants of the Midwest, P.C. 14441 Dupont Court, Suite 304 Omaha, NE 68144 402-597-8775

Emergency Medicine MATTHEW D. BOGARD Emergency Medicine OrthoNebraska 2808 S. 143rd Plaza Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-1500

CHAD E. BRANECKI

Nebraska Medicine

Emergency Services at Nebraska Medical Center

4350 Dewey Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-6637

THOMAS F. CHEATLE

Emergency Medicine OrthoNebraska 2727 S. 144th St., Suite 150 Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-1500

Diagnostic Radiology Diagnostic Radiology PC 7915 Farnam Drive Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-1969

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

ROBERT L. MUELLEMAN

JENNIFER L. LARSEN

WILLIAM P. FITZGIBBONS

Emergency Services at Nebraska Medical Center

Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at Specialty Services Pavilion

1908 N. 203rd St., Suite 2 Elkhorn, NE, 68022 402-289-4031

Nebraska Medicine 4350 Dewey Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-6637

Emergency Medicine CHI Health

Emergency Medicine OrthoNebraska 2808 S. 143rd Plaza Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-1500

TIMOTHY J. LARSEN

Emergency Services at Nebraska Medical Center

4350 Dewey Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-6637

Nebraska Medicine 4350 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8700

LYNN R. MACK

Nebraska Medicine

Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at Specialty Services Pavilion

MICHAEL C. WADMAN Emergency Services at Nebraska Medical Center

AMY S. NEUMEISTER

Nebraska Medicine 4350 Dewey Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-6637

RICHARD A. WALKER

Nebraska Medicine

Emergency Services at Nebraska Medical Center

4350 Dewey Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-6637

Endocrinology and Metabolism

Nebraska Medicine

Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at Specialty Services Pavilion

4350 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8700

VIJAY SHIVASWAMY

Nebraska Medicine

Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at Specialty Services Pavilion

984130 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6208

ROBERT J. ANDERSON CHI Health

5002 Underwood Ave. Omaha, NE 68132 402-717-0785

ANDJELA T. DRINCIC

Nebraska Medicine

Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at Specialty Services Pavilion

4350 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8700

WHITNEY S. GOLDNER Nebraska Medicine

Diabetes and Endocrinology Center at Specialty Services Pavilion

4350 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8700

CHI Health

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 2000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-3636

SARAH B. KONIGSBERG Endocrinology and Metabolism Methodist Physicians Clinic 7831 Chicago Court Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1230

Skyline Medical Center PC

DONALD FREY CHI Health

4350 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8700

MARIUM ILAHI PATRICK T. COSTELLO

Nebraska Medicine

ANNABEL GALVA

// 44 //

JOHN A. HAGGSTROM

Family Medicine GREGORY J. BABBE

Nebraska Medicine

Family Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-7200

MARJORIE S. BISENIUS Midwest Regional Health Services 2727 S. 144th St., Suite 280 Omaha, NE 68144 402-778-5490

J. RUSSELL BOWEN CHI Health

16909 Lakeside Hills Court, Suite 300 Omaha, NE 68130 402-758-5400

J. PAUL COOK

Family Medicine Omaha 17241 Oak Drive Omaha, NE 68130 402-896-1242

WILLIAM C. DORWART CHI Health

6829 N. 72nd St., Suite 6200 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3900

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-6060

JEFFREY L. GARTRELL

Methodist Physicians Clinic 10060 Regency Circle Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1500

MARK GOODMAN CHI Health

2412 Cuming St., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-0380

DAVID R. HARNISCH

Nebraska Medicine

Family Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-7200

JEFFREY D. HARRISON Nebraska Medicine Family Medicine at Bellevue Health Center

2510 Bellevue Medical Center Drive, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68123 402-595-2275

GREGORY K. HUTTEGER Methodist Physicians Clinic 10060 Regency Circle Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1500

KIMBERLY J. JARZYNKA Nebraska Medicine

Family Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-7200

WILLIAM A. LOWNDES CHI Health

13315 W. Center Road, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68144 402-717-9490

PAUL H. MEISSNER

Arbor Heights Family Medicine PC 8720 Frederick St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68124 402-397-0700

CHAD L. MOES

Nebraska Medicine

Multispecialty Clinic at Village Pointe Health Center

110 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-596-4411

DEBRA E. MOSTEK

Home Instead Center for Successful Aging 730 S. 38th Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9600

VIRGINIA M. RIPLEY

Methodist Healthwest 16120 West Dodge Road Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0610

CHARLES P. ROGERS

Methodist Physicians Clinic 10710 Fort St. Omaha, NE 68134 402-354-7500

MICHAEL A. SITORIUS Nebraska Medicine

Family Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-7200

BODO W. TREU

CHI Health 6829 N. 72nd St., Suite 3100 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3900

GRANT F. HUTCHINS

THOMAS R. MCGINN

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates PC

DOUGLAS H. WHEATLEY

8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

Family Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

KATHRYN E. HUTCHINS

Nebraska Medicine 4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-7200

Nebraska Medicine

Multispecialty Clinic at Village Pointe Health Center

Gastroenterology

110 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-559-4015

ALEXANDER B. BERNAL

MARK E. MAILLIARD

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates PC

8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

JASON J. CISLER

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates PC

8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

JOHN C. MITCHELL Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates PC

8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

EDWIN C. SCHAFER

CHI Health 8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

TIMOTHY M. MCCASHLAND

BRIAN W. WARD

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates PC

Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates PC

8901 Indian Hills Drive, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7057

RENEE L. YOUNG

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

GLENN C. GARDNER General Surgery CHI Health

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 2000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-4900

General Surgery

MICHAEL A. HOVEY

PATRICK J. AHRENS

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 2000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-4900

Methodist Physicians Clinic 201 Ridge S., Suite 311 Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-396-4320

CHI Health

PAUL D. KOLKMAN

Methodist Physicians Clinic

ERIC M. BENDORF

Methodist Physicians Clinic 201 Ridge St., Suite 311 Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-396-4320

8111 Dodge St., Suite 263 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-8163

JAMES R. SCOTT

Omaha Center for Surgery PC

STEVEN J. BUDA

Methodist Physicians Clinic

8111 Dodge St., Suite 263 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-8163

4242 Farnam St., Suite 370 Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-3078

TIFFANY N. TANNER

Nebraska Medicine

General Surgery Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4075

Congratulations to the 37 Boys Town physicians recognized as Top Doctors in America!

At Boys Town National Research Hospital, we're here to provide life-changing care with 19 pediatric specialties and the region’s leading doctors – and we’re still growing!

To find a Boys Town pediatrician or specialist near you, call 531-355-1234 or visit boystownhospital.org.

We honor and thank all physicians and medical staff for your heroism in continuing to be on the front lines for patients.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 45 //

Gynecologic Oncology

THOMAS J. WHITE

Watz Surgical Group

6829 N. 72nd St., Suite 5500 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3663

Hand Surgery

DAVID R. CROTZER

Methodist Estabrook 8303 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5250

Geriatric Medicine WILLIAM L. LYONS

Home Instead Center for Successful Aging 730 S. 38th Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9600

REBECCA REILLY

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 West Center Road Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9110

THOMAS M. MAGNUSON Home Instead Center for Successful Aging 730 S. 38th Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-552-6007

Home Instead Center for Successful Aging

10707 Pacific St., Suite 101 Omaha, NE 63114 402-397-7989

Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5068

James V. Ortman MD, PC

JANE F. POTTER

Adult Pediatric Urology & Urogynecology PC

KERRY J. RODABAUGH

JAMES V. ORTMAN

7823 Wakeley Plaza Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-7040

REBECCA JANE MCCRERY

TODD J. GADDIE

JEFFREY J. TIEDEMAN

2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

8005 Farnam Drive, Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-4111

OrthoNebraska

NICHOLAS B. BRUGGEMAN OrthoNebraska 2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

MD West One

DAVID A. CLOUGH CHI Health

16909 Lakeside Hills Court, Suite 208 Omaha, NE 68130 402-717-0820

KAYVON IZADI

SUSAN SCHOLER

MD West One

16120 West Dodge Road Omaha, NE 68118 402-390-4111

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 West Center Road Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9115

M. ANDREW THOMPSON OrthoNebraska 2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

Head and Neck Surgical Oncology

730 S. 38th Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9600

DANIEL D. LYDIATT

Think is a unique doctor-led primary care clinic bringing a new standard of care to Omaha, Nebraska. Thank you for recognizing our physicians as Premier Doctors.

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center

ALEX C. LESIAK

Rising Stars OrthoNebraska 2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

8303 Dodge St., Suite 304 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5048

ARU PANWAR

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center

8303 Dodge St., Suite 304 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5048

Hepatology SANDEEP MUKHERJEE CHI Health

JOHN "JACK" MCCARTHY MD West One

8005 Farnam Drive, Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-4111

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 2000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-9800

Hospice and Palliative MEAGHANN WEAVER

Rising Stars Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

thinkhealthcare.org 7100 West Center Road 402-506-9000 // 46 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5428

Infectious Disease BRADLEY E. BRITIGAN Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

KELLY A. CAWCUTT

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

GARY GORBY

University of Nebraska Medical Center 4101 Woolworth Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-552-2529

ANDREA GREEN HINES University of Nebraska Medical Center 985400 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8650

ANGELA L. HEWLETT

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

KARI A. NEEMANN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6799

ROBERT G. PENN

Infectious Diseases Associates PC

8111 Dodge St., Suite 363 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-8155

DAVID S. QUIMBY CHI Health

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 3000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-0759

MARK RUPP

University of Nebraska Medical Center 985400 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8650

LOUIS L. SAFRANEK

JEREMIAH J. GUMS

2229 Hanscom Blvd.

Omaha, NE 68106 402-733-8818

7205 West Center Road, Suite 103 Omaha, NE 68124 531-355-7600

CHI Health,

RICHARD C. STARLIN

Boys Town Hospital

Nebraska Medicine

BRUCE HOUGHTON

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 3000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-0800

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

CHI Health

Internal Medicine

JOEL R. BESSMER Members MD

105 S. 90th St., Suite 201 Omaha, NE 68114 402-779-8400

SHANNON K. BOERNER

10060 Regency Circle Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1500

ROBERT C. DRVOL CHI Health

6829 N. 72nd St., Suite 3100 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3900

10060 Regency Circle Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1500

983332 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6315

WILLIAM A. SHIFFERMILLER

Boys Town Hospital 555 N. 30th ​St. Omaha, NE 68131 531-355-7600

987464 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4000

DAVID P. STEARNES

ERIC C. RICE

16120 West Dodge Road Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550

800 Mercy Drive Council Bluffs, IA 51503 855-524-4001

Methodist Healthwest

RAE A. WITT

MICHAEL P. SMITH

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

Neurological Sciences Center at Clarkson Doctors Building North

4242 Farnam St. Suite 650 Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-8600

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

983332 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6315

LAUREN NELSON

Boys Town Hospital 14080 Boys Town Hospital ​Road Boys Town,NE 68010 531-355-7600

J. SCOTT NEUMEISTER Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4350 Dewey Ave. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-9228

RICHARD OSTERHOLM

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 West Center Road Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9111

5005 Ames Ave. Omaha, NE 68104 402-559-0282

CHELSEA NAVARRETTE

Nebraska Medicine

Nebraska Medical Center Clarkson Tower

Fontenelle Health Center

7100 West Center Road Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9108

CHI Health

Nebraska Medicine

Nebraska Medicine

Think Whole Person Healthcare

Nebraska Medicine

16120 West Dodge Road Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550

Methodist Healthwest

CHAD W. VOKOUN

JENNIFER R. PARKER

KIRK MUFFLY

Nebraska Medicine

SEHR HAROON

LILLI K. MAUER

CHI Health

Methodist Physicians Clinic

KARISA HAJEK

Methodist Physicians Clinic

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

7100 West Center Road Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9106

Boys Town Hospital

MICHAEL J. DOMALAKES

717 N. 190th Plaza, Suite 3200 Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1980

Think Whole Person Healthcare

EMILY K. HILL BOWMAN

5002 Underwood Ave. Omaha, NE 68132 402-717-0785

Methodist Women's Hospital

MARTIN MANCUSO

Members MD 4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4500

MICHAEL DAVIDIAN

LINDSAY C. NORTHAM

LYNN K. SCOTT

Nebraska Medicine

Olson Center for Women's Health at Durham Outpatient Center

7205 West Center Road, Suite 103 Omaha, NE 68124 531-355-7600

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

16909 Lakeside Hills Court, Suite 111 Omaha, NE 68130 402-810-9700

10060 Regency Circle Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1500

16120 West Dodge Road Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

MDVIP

Methodist Physicians Clinic

Methodist Healthwest

Nebraska Medicine

MARK E. OBERLIES

ARIANA A. BAUER

STEVEN T. BAILEY

DEVIN R. NICKOL

JOANN L. PORTER

Creighton University 2500 California Plaza Omaha, NE 68178 402-280-2700

CHAD A. READE

Methodist Healthwest 16120 West Dodge Road Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-0550

SARAH RICHARDS

Nebraska Medicine 986430 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4000

ROBERT J. SCHWAB

Boys Town Hospital 14080 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-7600

Interventional Cardiology

JOHN WOODRUFF

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 West Center Road Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9122

Internal Medicine Hospital Medicine ALLISON ASHFORD

Nebraska Medicine 982055 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4000

Nebraska Medicine

Neurological Sciences Center at Clarkson Doctors Building North

4242 Farnam St., Suite 650 Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-8600

CHI Health

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 855-524-4001

Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital 1 Edmundson Plaza Council Bluffs, IA 51503 712-396-7787

Maternal and Fetal Medicine ROBERT G. BONEBRAKE Methodist Women's Hospital

MICAH W. BEACHY

TIMEA BOR

JOSEPH T. AYOUB

707 N. 190th Plaza, Suite 2400 Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-815-1970

EMILY M. PATEL

Methodist Women's Hospital 707 N. 190th Plaza, Suite 2400 Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-815-1970

ANDREW W. ROBERTSON Methodist Women's Hospital 707 N. 190th Plaza, Suite 2400 Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-815-1970

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 47 //

Medical Genetics OMAR A. ABDULRAHMAN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 412 S. Saddle Creek Road Omaha, NE 68114 402-559-6418

Medical Oncology and Hematology

ROBERT M. LANGDON Nebraska Cancer Specialists 7500 Mercy Road, Suite 1300 Omaha, NE 68124 402-393-3110

Hematology & Oncology Consultants PC

JAMES O. ARMITAGE

Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

GEETHA PALANIAPPAN

Nebraska Medicine

APARKISHOR P. GANTI Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5600

KRISHNA GUNDABOLU University of Nebraska Medical Center 986840 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8500

RALPH J. HAUKE

Nebraska Medicine

Cancer Center at Village Pointe Health Center

111 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-559-5600

Neurological Surgery

KHALID A. AWAD

Methodist Women's Hospital 707 N. 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-4000

ABRAHAM P. MATHEWS 6901 N. 72nd St., Suite 2244 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3535

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5600

Neonatology

Nebraska Cancer Specialists 611 Fenwick Drive Papillion, NE 68046 402-334-4773

ELIZABETH C. REED

Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5600

NICOLE A. SHONKA

Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5600

JULIE M. VOSE

Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5600

THOMAS W. SEIDEL

JOHN S. TREVES

GEORGE M. GREENE

Methodist Women's Hospital

Neurological Surgery MD West One

OrthoNebraska

707 N. 190th Plaza Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-815-4000

BRADLEY S. BOWDINO

2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

8005 Farnam Drive, Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-4111

MD West One

8005 Farnam Drive, Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-4111

Nephrology

Neurology

DAVID C. GOLDNER

HAKAM M. ASAAD

Omaha Nephrology PC

Omaha Neurological Clinic Inc.

1111 N. 102nd Court, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-502-2747

10020 Nicholas St., Suite 202 Omaha, NE 68114 402-393-2023

HEATHER T. LECHNOWSKY

JOHN D. HAIN

1111 N. 102nd Court, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-502-2747

13616 California St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

STEPHEN E. DORAN MD West One

8005 Farnam Drive, Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-398-9243

TERI MAUCH

JOHN M. BERTONI

Nebraska Spine + Pain Center

Omaha Nephrology PC

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Nebraska Medicine

Neurological Sciences Center at Clarkson Doctors Building North

4242 Farnam St., Suite 650 Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-8600

DANIEL L. SURDELL

Nebraska Medicine

Neurosurgery Clinic at Clarkson Doctors North

4242 Farnam St., Suite 550 Omaha, NE 68131 402-836-9900

982169 Nebraska Medical Center Pediatric Nephrology Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-6400

WILLIAM E. THORELL

Nebraska Medicine

BRIAN D. POOLE

Omaha Nephrology PC 1111 N. 102nd Court, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-502-2747

Neurosurgery Clinic at Clarkson Doctors North

4242 Farnam St., Suite 550 Omaha, NE 68131 402-836-9900

JOEL T. COTTON

Methodist Physicians Clinic 8901 West Dodge Road Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-2000

PIERRE B. FAYAD

Nebraska Medicine

Neurological Sciences Center at Clarkson Doctors Building North

4242 Farnam St., Suite 650 Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-8600

(402) 390-4111 mdwestone.com Specializing in sub-specialty care of the:

Bradley Bowdino, MD

Stephen Doran, MD

John Treves, MD

Mark Puccioni, MD

Ajoy Jana, MD

Hand & Wrist Shoulder & Elbow Hip & Knee Foot & Ankle Sports Medicine Neurosurgery Spine Pediatric Neurosurgery

Ortho & Spine Urgent Care Located off 156th & Dodge mdwestone.com/urgent (402) 390-4110 Jack McCarthy, MD

// 48 //

Jeffrey Tiedeman, MD

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Kayvon Izadi, MD

Scott McMullen, MD

Samuel Phillips, MD

HARRIS A. FRANKEL

Nebraska Medicine

Neurological Sciences Center at Clarkson Doctors Building North

4242 Farnam St., Suite 650 Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-8600

BERNADETTE A. HUGHES Omaha Neurological Clinic Inc. 10020 Nicholas St., Suite 202 Omaha, NE 68114 402-393-2023

SACHIN KEDAR

Nebraska Medicine Truhlsen Eye Institute

3902 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8600

DEEPAK MADHAVAN

Boys Town Hospital 14080 Boy​s Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-7420

DANIEL L. MURMAN

Nebraska Medicine

Neurological Sciences Center at Clarkson Doctors Building North

4242 Farnam St., Suite 650 Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-8600

SANJAY P. SINGH

Creighton University 2500 California Plaza Omaha, NE 68178 402-280-2700

Obstetrics and Gynecology MARGARET BERAN CHI Health

6829 N. 72nd St., Suite 4500 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3790

GINA M. HARPERHARRISON

KRISTI K. PETERSON

11109 S. 84th St., Suite 4800 Papillion, NE 68046 402-827-4915

10701 S. 72nd St., Suite 100 Papillion, NE 68046 402-827-9400

CHI Health

Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5068

Nebraska Medicine

Olson Center for Women's Health at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-6150

Associates in Womens Health 17001 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68130 402-697-7200

MARK D. CARLSON

Methodist Women's Hospital 717 N. 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1700

PAIGE S. CHARLESTON Methodist Women's Hospital 717 N. 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-8942

DAVID R. CROTZER

Methodist Women's Hospital

Nebraska Medicine Truhlsen Eye Institute

3902 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-2020

STEVEN W. REMMENGA

TERESA G. BERG

ROBERT CHARLES BOSSERT

VIKAS GULATI

Heartland Women's Healthcare

ANDREW W. ROBERTSON JODANNE HEDRICK

Mid-City OB-GYN

7205 West Center Road, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68124 402-397-6600

Methodist Women's Hospital 707 N. 190th Plaza, Suite 2400 Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-815-1970

5002 Underwood Ave. Omaha, NE 68132 402-572-3790

717 N. 190th Plaza, Suite 2100 Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-354-5250

Methodist Women's Hospital

Brumm Eye & Laser Vision Center 6751 N. 72nd St., Suite 105, Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-2020

JIMMY P. KHANDALAVALA

CHI Health

SUSAN A. WESTCOTT

BRUCE H. BRUMM

717 N. 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 60822 402-815-1700

ADRIENNE E. PERFILIO

7205 West Center Road, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68124 402-397-6600

Ophthalmology

Methodist Women's Hospital

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 1000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-3010

Mid-City OB-GYN

717 N. 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 60822 402-815-1700

REBECCA L. JACOBI

CHI Health

SONYA TRAN

KENT SIEMERS

Mid-City OB-GYN

7205 West Center Road, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68124 402-397-6600

TIFANY L. SOMER-SHELY Methodist Women's Hospital 717 N. 190th Plaza Omaha, NE 60822 402-815-1700

LANCE KUGLER Kugler Vision

17838 Burke St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68118 402-558-2211

RICHARD H. LEGGE

Nebraska Medicine Truhlsen Eye Institute

3902 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-2020

CELIA R. MANAHAN Manahan Eye Associates

MATTHEW V. BRUMM

Brumm Eye & Laser Vision Center 6751 N. 72nd St., Suite 105 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-2020

535 Fortune Drive, Suite 200 Papillion, NE 68046 402-934-9033

ROBERT G. MANAHAN Manahan Eye Associates

RAO V. CHUNDURY

Nebraska Medicine Truhlsen Eye Institute

3902 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE, 68105 402-559-2020

535 Fortune Drive, Suite 200 Papillion, NE 68046 402-934-9033

Journey On Getting back to what you love after an injury is a journey.

Start your journey today with personalized care from the specialists at OrthoNebraska.

Orthopaedic Urgent Care & Emergency Room Open seven days a week Visit OrthoNebraska.com for details Nebraska Orthopaedic Hospital, LLC and OrthoWest, PC are each operating under the name OrthoNebraska. For more information, visit OrthoNebraska.com/legal.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 49 //

MARTIN MIZENER

CHRIS A. CORNETT

Orthopedics

4353 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-2020

Orthopaedics Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

CASEY D. BERAN

Nebraska Medicine

6829 N. 72nd St., Suite 7500 Omaha, NE 68122 402-717-0820

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5208

Midwest Eye Care

BRENT D. TIMPERLEY Nebraska Medicine Truhlsen Eye Institute

3902 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-2020

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Nebraska Medicine

CHI Health

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8000

KEVIN L. GARVIN

Nebraska Medicine

Orthopaedics Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8000

KIRK S. HUTTON

OrthoNebraska 2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

SCOTT T. McMULLEN

THOMAS JOHN CONNOLLY

8005 Farnam Drive, Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-4111

800 Mercy Drive, Suite 5 Council Bluffs, IA 51503 402-771-0820

MD West One

CHI Health

Nebraska Medicine

MARK E. GOEBEL

SAYFE A. JASSIM

OrthoNebraska

Rising Stars OrthoNebraska

2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 2000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-0820

BEAU S. KONIGSBERG Nebraska Medicine

Orthopaedics Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8000

AJOY K. JANA SAMUEL P. PHILLIPS MD West One

8005 Farnam Drive, Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-4111

MD West One

16120 West Dodge Road Omaha, NE 68118 402-390-4111

CRAIG L. HANSEN

Nebraska Medicine

2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8000

JANE M. EMANUEL

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8000

Boys Town Hospital 555 N. 30th St. Omaha, NE 68131 531-355-6540

STEVEN G. KUMAGAI OrthoNebraska 2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

202 High St., Suite 100 Tecumseh, NE 68450 402-335-6372

Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

MICHAEL C. THOMPSON

981225 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5700

OrthoNebraska 2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

BEST DOCTORS IN AMERICA MEANS THE WORLD TO US “We are so delighted to be a part of the Best Doctors in America and truly appreciate being voted best by our peers in dermatology and medicine!”

- Joel Schlessinger, M.D. (402) 334-7546 | 2802 Oak View Drive | LovelySkin.com/Dermatology

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Advanced ENT

Nebraska Medicine

Best of Omaha Winner 2021 Eight Different Categories

// 50 //

MARK D. FREY

KATIE GEELAN-HANSEN

Nebraska Medicine 4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-8000

Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT), Allergy and Audiology at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

Orthopaedics Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

Nebraska Medicine

CURTIS W. HARTMAN

Orthopaedics Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

Nebraska Medicine

JUSTIN C. SIEBLER

Orthopaedics Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

OrthoNebraska

JAYME DOWDALL

981225 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5208

SEAN V. MCGARRY

2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

11704 West Center Road, Suite 211 Omaha, NE 68144 402-393-7050

CHI Health

OrthoNebraska

Rising Stars Nebraska Medicine

CHI Health

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5999

DAVID E. BROWN

ELIZABETH J. BRADFORD BELL

THOMAS J. DOBLEMAN

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

KARL A. BERGMANN

Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT), Allergy and Audiology at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5600

VALMONT P. DESA

Orthopaedic Surgery

CHRISTOPHER M. BINGCANG

JOSHUA A. URBAN

JONATHAN HATCH

2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

OrthoNebraska

Nebraska Medicine

Otolaryngology

981225 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5208

CHRISTIE A. BARNES Nebraska Medicine

Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT), Allergy and Audiology at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5208

WES HECKMAN

Nebraska Medicine

Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

981225 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5700

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 51 //

ELIZABETH A. KELLY

Rising Stars Boys Town National Research Hospital 555 N. 30th St. Omaha, NE 68131 531-355-6800

W. DEREK LEIGHT

Boys Town Hospital 14040 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6800

WILLIAM M. LYDIATT

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center

8303 Dodge St., Suite 304 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5048

SAMUEL PATE

Nebraska Medicine

Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

981225 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5208

ZAFAR SAYED

Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

981225 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-5600

Pain Management RICHARD G. BELATTI

Medical Pain Center, PC 7837 Chicago Plaza Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-6226

PAUL S. SHERRERD

THOMAS BROOKS

6751 N. 72nd St., Suite 207 Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-3165

17030 Lakeside Hills Plaza, Suite 202 Omaha, NE 68130 402-413-5010

Family Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic PC

BRITT A. THEDINGER

Ear Specialists of Omaha & Bellevue

9202 West Dodge Road, Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68114 402-933-3277

TRENT W. QUINLAN

Clarinda Regional Health Center

220 Essie Davison Drive Clarinda, IA 51632 712-542-2176

Innovative Pain & Spine Specialists

Pathology

SAMUEL J. PIRRUCCELLO

JANE A. KUGLER

JULIA ANN BRIDGE

Pathology at Clarkson Doctors Building South

983135 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8752

14000 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6540

PHYLLIS I. WARKENTIN

Nebraska Medicine

University of Nebraska Medical Center

CHRISTINE P. HANS

Methodist Hospital 8303 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4000

PATRICIA J. CHUDOMELKA

EUGENE N. HERBEK

11819 Miracle Hills Drive, Suite 105 Omaha, NE 68154 402-445-4800

8303 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4540

CHI Health

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

ANGIE L. RAKES

SHANE K. KOHL

Pain Medicine at Village Pointe

8303 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4000

Nebraska Medicine 111 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-596-4200

Methodist Hospital

AUDREY J. LAZENBY

Nebraska Medicine

Pathology at Clarkson Doctors Building South

4239 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-4186

Fem al

one Replacem rm en Ho ic lin tC

e

4239 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-4186

Nebraska Medicine

Pathology at Clarkson Doctors Building South

4239 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-4186

JAMES L. WISECARVER Nebraska Medicine

Pathology at Clarkson Doctors Building South

4239 Farnam St. Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-4186

Pediatric Allergy Immunology BRIAN T. KELLY

Boys Town Hospital 14080 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6930

HANA B. NIEBUR

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5570

Pediatric Anesthesiology DENISE M. DRVOL

Boys Town Hospital 14000 Boys Town Hospital ​Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6540

GABRIEL J. GALLEGOS

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4370

JESSICA K. GOELLER KENT SIEMERS, M.D.

JODANNE (JODI) HEDRICK, D.O.

SONYA TRAN, M.D.

T H A N K YO U FO R V O T I N G U S P R E M I E R D O C T O R S !

402.397.6600 . MIDCITYOBGYN.COM 7205 West Center Road, Suite 200, Omaha, NE 68124 West Dodge Medical Plaza, 515 N. 162 Ave., Suite 102, Omaha, NE 68118 // 52 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4303

RYAN J. HAMLIN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4303

Boys Town Hospital

THOMAS MANNING

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4370

RACHEL A. SPITZNAGEL

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4304

TRAVIS TEETOR

Boys Town Hospital 14000 Boys Town Hospital ​Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6540

Pediatric Cardiac Surgery JAMES M. HAMMEL

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4360

ALI N. IBRAHIMIYE

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4360

Pediatric Cardiology DAVID A. DANFORD

Nebraska Medicine Pediatric Cardiology Affiliates

8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4350

JEFFREY W. DELANEY

Pediatrics Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center University of Nebraska Medical Center 4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-955-8125

SCOTT E. FLETCHER

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4339

Omaha’s Back Experts Since 1963

OUR SERVICES

Orthopedic Spine Surgeons: Timothy A. Burd, M.D.

+ lnterventional Pain Care

Jonathan E. Fuller, M.D.

+ Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

J. Brian Gill, M.D., M.B.A.

+ Spine Surgery

Michael C. Longley, M.D.

+ Physical Therapy

John W. McClellan III, M.D.

+ Imaging - MRI/CT/X-ray + Orthotics/Bracing

Eric D. Phillips, M.D. Chase C. Woodward, M.D., M.P.H.

Neurosurgeon: At Nebraska Spine + Pain Center, we are proud of our dedicated focus on the spine. Patients receive exceptional spine care and service, unparalleled anywhere else in the midwest.

Let us help you GET BACK TO LIVING. Omaha: 13616 California St. Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402.496.0404

John D. Hain, M.D.

Interventional Spine & Musculoskeletal Medicine Scott A. Haughawout, D.O. Jeremiah P. Ladd, M.D. Matthew P. West, M.D.

Satellite Clinics: + Columbus + Fremont + Grand Island + Lexington

Visit us at NebraskaSpineandPain.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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ROBERT L. SPICER

MOHAN MYSORE

8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4339

14000 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-1234

MELISSA WEHRMANN

BRIDGET M. NORTON

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4350

Pediatric Clinical Genetics ANN HASKINS OLNEY

Munroe-Meyer Institute University of Nebraska Medical Center 985440 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-3602

LOIS J. STARR

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6799

DANITA VELASCO

University of Nebraska Medical Center 985450 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-3446

Pediatric Critical Care ROBERT N. CHAPLIN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4200

KELLY D. KADLEC

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha NE, 68114 402-955-4200

ANDREW J. MACFADYEN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4200

SIDHARTH MAHAPATRA

Rising Stars Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

Boys Town Hospital

Pediatrics Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center University of Nebraska Medical Center 4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-955-8125

Pediatric Dermatology JILL NELSON

Dermatology Specialists Of Omaha 909 N. 96th St., Suite 201 Omaha, NE 68114 402-330-4555

Pediatric Developmental Behavioral Problems CYNTHIA R. ELLIS

University of Nebraska Medical Center 985380 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4985

HOWARD W. NEEDELMAN

Munroe Meyer Institute Genetics Clinic University of Nebraska Medical Center 412 S. Saddle Creek Road Omaha, NE 68131 402-559-6418

Pediatric Emergency Medicine THOMAS J. DEEGAN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5150

CHELSEA R. MAJERUS

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5150

8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4200

// 54 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

ASHLEY S. NELSON

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5150

HANNAH SNELLER

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5150

ZEBULON J. TIMMONS

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5150

DAVID M. TOLO

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 110 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-955-8300

JENNIFER L. WANG

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5150

Pediatric Endocrinology MONINA S. CABRERA

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8552 Cass St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-3871

KEVIN CORLEY

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 2121 S. 56th St. Lincoln, NE 68506 402-486-1500

Pediatric Gastroenterology DEAN L. ANTONSON

Nebraska Medicine

4242 Farnam St., Suite 490 Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-2100

OJASVINI CHOUDHRY CHANDAN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5700

ANDREW S. HUANG PACHECO

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5700

SHARAD KUNNATH

Boys Town Hospital 14080 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6820

JILL C. BECK

LISA M. SIECZKOWSKI

111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-3950

8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5400

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

DON W. COULTER

Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5600

MARK KUSEK

JAMES B. FORD

8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5700

111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-3950

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

ANNA TRAUERNICHT

SACHIT PATEL

Boys Town Hospital 14080 Boys Town Hospital ​Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6820

JON A. VANDERHOOF

Pediatric Gastroenterology Boys Town Hospital 14080 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6820

Pediatric General Surgery

University of Nebraska Medical Center 986878 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4000

Pediatric Hepatology RUBEN E. QUIROS

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5700

SHAHAB F. ABDESSALAM

EMILLE MARIE REYES SANTIAGO

111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 531-355-7400

8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5700

Boys Town National Research Hospital

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

ROBERT A. CUSICK

Pediatric Hospital Medicine

Boys Town Hospital 14040 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-7400

STEPHEN C. RAYNOR

Boys Town Hospital 14040 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-7400

Pediatric Hematology Oncology MELISSA A. ACQUAZZINO

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-3950

STEPHEN M. DOLTER

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5400

AMY GOLDSTEIN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

JOSEPH T. SNOW

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5400

SHARON R. STOOLMAN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5400

Pediatric Infectious Disease H. DELE DAVIES

University of Nebraska Medical Center 987810 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-4000

SHIRLEY F. DELAIR

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6799

KARI A. SIMONSEN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6799

Pediatric Metabolic Diseases RICHARD E. LUTZ

Munroe-Meyer Institute University of Nebraska Medical Center 985440 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-3446

8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5400

WILLIAM B. RIZZO

ALEISHA NABOWER

111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4199

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4496

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

Pediatric Neonatal Perinatal Medicine ANN L. ANDERSON BERRY Pediatrics Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center University of Nebraska Medical Center 4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-955-8125

NICOLE D. BIRGE

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6140

NATHAN GOLLEHON

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6140

DAVID W. MINDERMAN Methodist Women’s Hospital 707 N. 190th Plaza Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-815-1337

THOMAS W. SEIDEL

Methodist Women's Hospital 707 N. 190th Plaza Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-815-4000

LYNNE D. WILLETT

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6140

ZAHI E. ZEIDAN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6140

Pediatric Neurological Surgery

MARY C. RICKARD

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5372

Pediatric Ophthalmology DONNY SUH

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-8280

ANDREW N. TROIA

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates 515 N. 98th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-9400

ROBERT N. TROIA

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates 515 N. 98th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-9400

SEBASTIAN J. TROIA

Pediatric Ophthalmology Associates 515 N. 98th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-9400

Pediatric Orthopedics Orthopedic Surgery PAUL W. ESPOSITO

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6300

BRIAN P. HASLEY

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6300

MAEGEN J. WALLACE

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 8200 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6300

Pediatric Otalaryngology Ent.

DAVID A. DENMAN MARK J. PUCCIONI MD West One

8005 Farnam Drive, Suite 305 Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-4111

ENT Specialists PC 720 N 129th St. Omaha, NE 68154 402-397-0670

DEBORA W. GOEBEL

ENT Specialists PC 720 N. 129th St. Omaha, NE 68154 402-397-0670

DWIGHT T. JONES

Nebraska Medicine

Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT) Allergy and Audiology at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

PAUL H. SAMMUT

DAVID A. FINKEN

SHERYL L. PITNER

111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-5570

982167 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-8125

982167 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-8125

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

HEATHER THOMAS

University of Nebraska Medical Center

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5208

989400 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-955-8125

RYAN K. SEWELL

MARK C. WILSON

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6370

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-7378

DANIEL J. WEHRMANN

Pediatric Urology

111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-6370

JOHN H. MAKARI

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

Pediatric Psychiatry NICHOLAS P. BASALAY Boys Town Hospital 14092 Boys Town Hospital ​Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-1449

SHASHI K. BHATIA CHI Health

7101 Newport Ave., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68152 402-572-2916

Pediatric Pulmonology CASEY J. BURG

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-7378

MATTHEW B. DENNIS

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-7378

ADAM REINHARDT

Boys Town Hospital 14040 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6800

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4002

Pediatrics General KENT R. AMSTUTZ

Boys Town Pediatrics 14080 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6900

MICHAEL D. COHEN

Village Pointe Pediatrics 18018 Burke St. Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-573-7337

MICHAEL G. DAWSON

Boys Town Pediatrics 14080 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6900

MARY C. DEK

Village Pointe Pediatrics 18018 Burke St. Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-573-7337

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

DAWN M. GARY

CHANDRIKA RIZAL

9202 West Dodge Road, Suite 101 Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-7500

16909 Q St. Omaha, NE 68135 402-955-7575

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

MATTHEW E. GIBSON

Rising Stars Methodist Physicians Clinic 10060 Regency Circle Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1325

SHANNON GODSIL

Rising Stars Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 9801 Giles Road, Suite 1 La Vista, NE, 68128 402-955-8400

FRANCIS J. HARRISON

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 9801 Giles Road, Suite 1 La Vista, NE, 68128 402-955-8400

KARI A. KRENZER

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 110 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-955-5437

Dundee Pediatrics

5018 Underwood Ave., Suite 200 Omaha, NE 68132 402-991-5678

GARY S. LERNER

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 111 N. 84th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-955-4160

RACHEL L. MCCANN

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 9801 Giles Road, Suite 1 La Vista, NE 68128 402-955-8400

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 110 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-955-5437

Boys Town Pediatrics 14080 Boys Town Hospital Road Boys Town, NE 68010 531-355-6900

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 110 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-955-5437

Pediatrics Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center University of Nebraska Medical Center 4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-955-8125

TINA R. SCOTTMORDHORST

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 1938 E. Highway 34 Plattsmouth, NE, 68048 402-955-7150

GREGORY C. SEVERSON Methodist Physicians Clinic 17675 Welch Plaza Omaha, NE 68135 402-354-7630

FRANCES F. SMITH

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

CHARLES J. SPRAGUE

Boys Town Pediatrics 16929 Frances St., Suite 101 Omaha, NE 68130 531-355-4900

MELISSA L. ST. GERMAIN Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 110 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-955-5437

PATRICK J. STEINAUER

Village Pointe Pediatrics 18018 Burke St. Elkhorn, NE 68022 402-573-7337

LAURA W. NIELSEN MARK J. DOMET

SAMANTHA S. ROHE

9801 Giles Road, Suite 1 La Vista, NE 68128 402-955-8400

MARY JANE MIKULS GINA DIRENZO-COFFEY

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha

BETSY J. STEPHENSON

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 16909 Q St. Omaha, NE 68135 402-955-7575

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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Podiatry

JOSEPH G. STRALEY

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 13808 West Maple Road, Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68164 402-955-3000

ELIZABETH A. WALENZ JEREMIAH P. LADD

DEBRA K. WHALEY

13616 California St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

Boys Town Pediatrics

Nebraska Spine + Pain Center

16929 Frances St., Suite 101 Omaha, NE 68130 531-355-4900

CHRISTOPHER W. ANDERSON

Nebraska Medicine

Multispecialty Clinic at Village Pointe Health Center

111 N. 175th St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-596-4411

SCOTT C. NELSON MATTHEW P. WEST Rising Stars Nebraska Spine + Pain Center

13616 California St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

CHI Health

16909 Lakeside Hills Court, Suite 208 Omaha, NE 68130 402-717-6870

JOSEPH H. SISSON

415 S. 25th Ave. Omaha, NE 68131 402-717-5300

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

STEVEN P. WENGEL

Nebraska Medicine 985575 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-552-6002

Pulmonary Medicine JOHN D. DICKINSON

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

CANDACE A. HUEBERT Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

BRYAN KRAJICEK

Denenberg Facial Plastic Surgery

JASON MILLER

Village Pointe Aesthetic Surgery 17617 Burke St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-596-4000

CHI Health

REANEN MICHAEL

Think Whole Person Healthcare 7100 West Center Road Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9127

Psychiatry MARK H. FLEISHER

University of Nebraska Medical Center 985575 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-552-6002

JOSEPH KENT CHI Health

7101 Newport Ave., Suite 207 Omaha, NE 68152 402-572-2916

SCOTT HAUGHAWOUT Nebraska Spine + Pain Center 13616 California St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

HOWARD Y. LIU

Nebraska Medicine Psychiatry Clinics at Poynter Hall

510 S. 42nd St. Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-6007

Midwest Pulmonary/ Critical Care P.C.

ANDREW SMITH

STEVEN M. DENENBERG

17617 Burke St. Omaha, NE 68118 402-596-4000

// 56 //

8019 Cass St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-390-0606

Plastic Surgery

Village Pointe Aesthetic Surgery

2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

9239 West Center Road, Suite 211 Omaha, NE 68124 402-399-9305

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

PERRY JOHNSON

OrthoNebraska

7100 West Center Road Omaha, NE 68106 402-506-9127

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 2000 Omaha, NE 68142 402-717-6870

7640 Pacific St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-7640

MATTHEW G. HAHN

Think Whole Person Healthcare

CHI Health

Methodist Physicians Clinic

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

BRAD COPPLE

JON R. GOLDSMITH

ROBERT D. WOODFORD 10060 Regency Circle Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1325

J. CHRISTOPHER SHEHAN

Psychiatric Services P.C.

CHI Health

Methodist Physicians Clinic Regency 10060 Regency Circle Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-1431

JANET P. MCGIVERN

Nebraska Medicine 4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

RICHARD S. YATES

Radiation Oncology

ROBERT J. FORBES

4242 Farnam St., Suite 470 Omaha, NE 68131 402-552-9875

SUZANNE H. HRUZA

505 S 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5600

Nebraska Medicine Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

505 S 45th St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5600

KIMBERLY A. APKER

JOSEPH C. ANDERSON Nebraska Medicine

Radiology at University Tower

Nebraska Medicine

Radiology at University Tower

Nebraska Medicine

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-1010

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

BRUCE BARON

1120 N. 103rd Plaza, Suite 101 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-0120

CHI Health

7500 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-398-6193

CHI LIN

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

Methodist Physicians Clinic

Diagnostic Radiology PC

Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

Nebraska Medicine

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-1010

GUILLERMO HUERTA

8303 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4344

7915 Farnam Drive Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-1900

Nebraska Medicine

Pulmonology

Methodist Hospital

NATHAN R. BENNION

HEATHER M. STRAH

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

2808 S. 143rd Plaza Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-1800

RYAN DVORAK

Radiology

AUSTIN B. THOMPSON

OrthoNebraska

Pulmonary Medicine Institute PC

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 3000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-9600

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

DEREK A. BURDENY

CHI Health

6901 N. 72nd St. Omaha, NE 68122 402-572-2324

RICHARD KUTILEK

Methodist Hospital 8303 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4344

KEVIN NELSON

Methodist Hospital 8303 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4344

NICK NELSON

Methodist Hospital 8303 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-4344

DAVID P. POAGE

Nebraska Medicine

Radiology at University Tower

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-1010

JOSEPH M. STAVAS

Children's Hospital & Medical Center Omaha 7261 Mercy Road Omaha, NE 68124 402-818-2188

CRAIG W. WALKER

Nebraska Medicine

Radiology at University Tower

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-1010

- Sponsored Content -

FULFILLING A PROMISE TO FAMILIES: RECRUITING SUCCESS LEADS TO ENHANCED CARE

Seun Adetayo, M.D.

Children’s Hospital & Medical Center is recruiting pediatric specialists from coast to coast so Omaha area families in need of high-quality care can stay close to home.

This year alone, despite having to navigate COVID-19 limitations, Children’s has hired 35 pediatric physicians, specialists in everything from infectious disease to neonatology; cardiology, including cardiac critical care; genetics, pulmonology and plastic surgery.

“Plastic surgery is one of those specialties where we can offer technique and innovation to benefit families,” said pediatric plastic surgeon Oluwaseun “Seun” Adetayo, M.D. Arriving at Children’s in February, Dr. Adetayo has been focused on the art and science of health care since she was a child in Lagos, Nigeria, immigrating and overcoming adversity to earn acclaim as one of the top plastic surgeons in the U.S. “It’s a privilege for me to play a part in the lives of children, to see them grow and see the positive impact of the work we do in a developing person,” she said. “This is a field where I can not only make a difference in a child’s life by changing their appearance, but also by improving their sense of self, their sense of worth and really giving them back the gift of ‘I can be anything I want to be and anything is possible.’”

Veteran pediatric neurosurgeon Arnett Klugh, M.D., is another exciting addition to Children’s team. He started in October, eager to help accelerate that service line and enhance Children’s standing as an academic medical center.

Arnett Klugh, M.D.

“The goal is to really combine the academic strengths of this institution with the clinical strengths,” Dr. Klugh said.

“We want to continue to be a leader in the management of pediatric neurosurgical disorders—and not just by being clinically outstanding, but also by contributing back to the body of neuroscience that has really gifted us the opportunity to take care of kids.”

Dr. Klugh spent more than a decade at the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, Calif., where he led the pediatric neurosurgery service line. Hesitant, at first, about a potential move to Nebraska, he was converted after his interview at Children’s.

“Purpose is an extremely powerful thing. When you can recognize that and see that a group of people has a similar North Star—in this case, taking care of children, it’s hard not to want to be a part of that,” Dr. Klugh said.

Children’s has been recruiting aggressively to meet local and regional needs and prepare for the 2021 opening of the expansive Hubbard Center for Children. The pediatric health care leader plans to add another 40+ physicians next year.

Before coming to Omaha, Dr. Adetayo practiced in upstate New York, where she established the first-ever regional multidisciplinary Cleft-Craniofacial Center in northeastern New York.

Like Dr. Klugh, her visit to Children’s convinced her to make the move: “I really felt the passion of everyone I met during the visit wanting to do the right thing for the kids.”

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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Reproductive Endocrinology

Spine Surgery

ARU PANWAR

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center

ABIGAIL A. DELANEY

8303 Dodge St., Suite 304 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5048

707 N. 190th Plaza, Suite 2500 Omaha, NE 68022 402-815-1915

JAMES A. REILLY

Methodist Women's Hospital

Rheumatology ALAN R. ERICKSON

Nebraska Medicine

Brentwood Health Center

8604 Giles Road La Vista, NE 68128 402-559-0000

NOAH E. PORTER

STEVEN V. HAGAN

2725 S 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

2725 S 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

OrthoNebraska

TIMOTHY A. BURD

Nebraska Spine + Pain Center

OrthoNebraska

13616 California St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center

8303 Dodge St., Suite 302 Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-3090

JON S. THOMPSON

Nebraska Medicine

General Surgery Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4075

JAY G. KENIK

CHI Health

Surgical Oncology

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 3000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-0750

CHASE C. WOODWARD Nebraska Spine + Pain Center

LYNELL W. KLASSEN

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

TED R. MIKULS

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

MICHAEL C. LONGLEY Nebraska Spine + Pain Center 13616 California St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

13616 California St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

Sports Medicine

Nebraska Medicine

Internal Medicine Clinic at Durham Outpatient Center

OrthoNebraska Nebraska Spine + Pain Center

2725 S 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

13616 California St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4017

CHI Health

TIMOTHY K. KINGSTON Nebraska Medicine

General Surgery Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

CHARLES F. BURT OrthoNebraska

ERIC D. PHILLIPS

Nebraska Spine + Pain Center 13616 California St., Suite 100 Omaha, NE 68154 402-496-0404

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

2725 S. 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

BRIAN P. CONROY CHI Health

16909 Lakeside Hills Court, Suite 208 Omaha, NE 68130 402-717-0820

Nebraska Medicine 986880 Nebraska Medical Center Omaha, NE 68198 402-559-8941

Thoracic Surgery JOHN Y. UM

Nebraska Medicine

Heart and Vascular Center at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4424

ROBERT J. FITZGIBBONS 7710 Mercy Road, Suite 2000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-4900

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

// 58 //

Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

General Surgery Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4075

ALAN N. LANGNAS

Nebraska Medicine

Organ Transplant Center at Nebraska Medical Center

4 315 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-5000

The Urology Center PC 111 S. 90th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-9800

PATRICK B. LEU

The Urology Center PC 111 S. 90th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-9800

JON J. MORTON

Nebraska Medicine

Urology Clinic at Lauritzen Outpatient Center

4014 Leavenworth St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4292

Vascular Surgery BERNARD T. BAXTER

Nebraska Medicine

Heart and Vascular Center at Durham Outpatient Center

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-7300

RAO GUTTA

CHI Health

CHANDRAKANTH ARE

Nebraska Medicine

JOHN W. MCCLELLAN

8303 Dodge St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-354-5077

QUAN P. LY

SAMUEL K. CEMAJ

RYAN M. ARNOLD

Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center

Surgery

505 S. 45th St. Omaha, NE 68106 402-559-5600

Westroads Rheumatology Associates

MICHAEL O. SUMMERS

2725 S 144th St. Omaha, NE 68144 402-609-3000

Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center

WILLIAM R. PALMER

Sleep Medicine

OrthoNebraska

Nebraska Medicine

4400 Emile St. Omaha, NE 68105 402-559-4015

10170 Nicholas St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-391-3800

SCOTT B. REYNOLDS

GEORGE W. DITTRICK

R. MICHAEL KROEGER

Urology HERMAN M. GREENWALD CHI Health

7710 Mercy Road, Suite 1000 Omaha, NE 68124 402-717-2500

BRETT C. HILL

The Urology Center PC 111 S. 90th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-9800

STEVEN C. KOUKOL

The Urology Center PC 111 S. 90th St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-397-9800

9850 Nicholas St. Omaha, NE 68114 402-399-9990

JOHN M. PARK

West Dodge Medical Plaza Methodist 515 N. 162nd Ave. Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-1200

ANJAN J. TALUKDAR

West Dodge Medical Plaza Methodist 515 N. 162nd Ave. Omaha, NE 68118 402-354-1200

Feature // Gluten-Free continued from pg. 41 “Of course not everyone has celiac disease, but everyone can make healthy choices. I really believe that nutrition is a game-changer for everyone,” she said.

“I have the opportunity to use this crown as a megaphone to help others.”

She’s also started a “Stronger Than Celiac” blog (liannaaustin.com) this year. In her introductory entry, she talks about how a recent accidental ingestion of gluten triggered an overpowering reaction that knocked her down for a week.

“It was a confirmation for me that this is serious and it’s such a difficult situation to manage and monitor every day, every bite,” she said. However, whether she’s speaking to an audience of schoolchildren or having a casual personal conversation, Austin said she strives to be positive about her diagnosis and even the rigors of a gluten-free lifestyle.

“A gluten-free diet has been the key for me to live again.

“I always make it a mission to say, ‘This is a blessing.’ Because for me it was a missing puzzle piece. I had been sick every single day for 10 years, not knowing what to do,” she explained. “I know there are so many people out there who are silently suffering. They either have been misdiagnosed with something that is not going to help them because they’re not following a gluten-free diet, or they’re left undiagnosed without answers, not knowing if they’re making this up in their mind, if people are taking them seriously, and they’re still searching for that diagnosis.”

Austin said she advises people to see a physician if they have symptoms that suggest possible celiac disease.

“My answer is, always, ‘Seek professional medical help. Get tested.’

Because then you know you are moving forward with the best plan for your health,” she said. “Knowing what you have will be helpful for the rest of your life. And you can change the end story.”

“I’m only 16 months in on this new journey. I’m told it will get easier,” Bredensteiner said. “I know a whole lot more and am learning new things every day.”

Visit celiac.org for more information.

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2 YEARS IN A ROW

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 59 //

NURSE OF THE YEAR COMMITTEE

PRESENTED BY CHI HEALTH

Event Chair Kathy Bressler, RN MN SVP Chief Operating Officer CHI Health Nicole Caswell Nurse Manager Immanuel Medical Center Teresa Hultquist Associate Professor, Interim Director of Evaluation UNMC-College of Nursing Pam Jacobsen Assistant Professor/NICU nurse Methodist College

ÂŽ

Alexa Lewis Director of Women's Health Bryan Cindy Mirfield Service Leader, NICU Methodist Womens Hospital Melissa Schmaderer Director of Nursing Madonna Kris Stapp Vice President of Health Services VNA Lisa Strasheim Division Director - Women's CHI Health Karen Tesina Director of Women's and Children's Division Nebraska Medicine

INTRO BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN

The World Health Organization designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife in May 2019. The idea behind the designation was the 200th birthday of Florence Nightingale, the mother of modern nursing, but nobody realized the designation would ring true for millions this year. Nurses in 2020 provided care and comfort for people dealing with acute, chronic, and terminal ailments, and also spent time caring for those with COVID-19, while simultaneously figuring out how to treat these patients.

Anne Thallas Nurse Manager Methodist

On December 1, 2020, the March of Dimes hosted their annual Nurse of the Year Banquet online to thank these exceptional professionals, and Omaha Magazine was a proud sponsored of the event.

Judy Thomas Director of Professional Nursing Practice Children's Hospital and Medical Center

Nurses are nominated by peers, nurse managers, supervisors, or the families they have impacted. Each application is blinded, carefully reviewed, and scored by a committee of Nurse leaders from the health care community in Nebraska and Iowa.

Judy Timmons Director, Nursing Education Children's Hospital and Medical Center Melanie Tuamoheloa Nurse Manager Nebraska Medicine - Bellevue Susie Ward Dean of Nursing Methodist College Lauren Westerdale NICU Manager Bergan Mercy Chrissy Wilber Director of Pediatric Clinics Boys Town National Research Hospital

NURSE OF THE YEAR WINNERS DISTINGUISHED NURSE OF THE YEAR Bunny Pozehl

UNMC College of Nursing

Bunny Pozehl, Ph.D., has contributed to the educational mission of the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing since 1981. During her tenure at UNMC, Dr. Pozehl has evolved from an assistant instructor to the current director of the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program and Dorothy Hodges Olsen endowed chair and tenured professor.

Dr. Pozehl thoughtfully seeks opportunities to enhance the professional and personal development of others. She has successfully mentored and continues to mentor students, cardiology fellows, post-doctoral trainees, and countless junior faculty/clinicians. Trainees and early career faculty eagerly select Dr. Pozehl as a mentor because of her approachability as a leader, mentor, and scientist.

Students consistently name Dr. Pozehl as their favorite instructor. They describe how her approach to lecturing and advising has shaped their careers. In recognition of her commitment to students, Dr. Pozehl was recently awarded the Donna Westmoreland Excellence in Faculty Mentoring Award from the UNMC College of Nursing after a group of her former students and mentees nominated her for this honor.

ACADEMIC EDUCATOR Theresa Delahoyde Bryan College of Health Sciences FINALIST Ashley Kennedy Bryan College of Health Sciences

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH

ADVANCED PRACTICE

AMBULATORY/CLINIC CARE

Nichole Regan

Alicia Abboud

Nebraska Medicine

Nebraska Medicine

FINALISTS Barb Nickel CHI Health St. Francis

FINALISTS Katy Knight Children's Hospital & Medical Center

Kathleen Scott Nebraska Medicine

CASE MANAGEMENT/ CARE COORDINATION

Sara Morris Bryan Health

CLINICAL EDUCATOR

Susan Walsh

Laura Capece

Chelsey Kennedy

Nebraska Medicine

Nebraska Medicine

CHI Health St. Francis

FINALISTS Katheryn J. Kathe Bryan Health

FINALISTS Vicki Adolf Nebraska Medicine

FINALISTS Katie Circo Nebraska Medicine

Taylor Wilson CHI Health Immanuel

Teresa Applegate Nebraska Medicine

Nicole Nazaruk Children's Hospital & Medical Center

CRITICAL CARE

EMERGENCY/TRANSPORT

FAMILY NOMINATED

Kaelee Stone

Katherine Morse

Brent Hannah

CHI Health St Francis

CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs

Methodist Hospital

FINALISTS Sarah Jarecke Nebraska Medicine Jordan Roberts CHI Health St Elizabeth

FINALISTS Marcy Thernes Children's Hospital & Medical Center Jennifer Vestle Children's Hospital & Medical Center

FINALISTS Tiffany Mohs Methodist Gretna Physicians Clinic Paige Paskevic CHI Health Lakeside

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 61 //

INTERMEDIATE CARE/ TELEMETRY

LONG-TERM CARE/ POST-ACUTE

MEDICAL/SURGICAL

Ashley Liess

Wendy Rix

Sheri Cunningham

Nebraska Medicine

Dunklau Gardens

Methodist Hospital

FINALISTS Janelle Krings CHI Health Lakeside Hospital

FINALIST Michelle Diaz CHI Health Immanuel

FINALISTS Kayla Jacobsen CHI Health Lakeside Hospital

Meagin Skutnik Nebraska Medicine

NURSE LEADER

Tori McElligott Methodist Hospital

ONCOLOGY

PEDIATRICS/NEONATOLOGY

Anissa Guzman

Jennifer Mettler

Lissa Clements

CHI Health McAuley Fogelstrom Center

CHI Health Lakeside Hospital

Children's Hospital & Medical Center

FINALISTS Brandi Johansen Nebraska Medicine

FINALISTS Karen Pribnow Chi Health St Elizabeth

FINALISTS Britney Davis CHI Health St. Francis

Theresa Woodrum Nebraska Medicine

PUBLIC/COMMUNITY/HOME HEALTH & HOSPICE/PALLIATIVE CARE Amanda J. Kirkpatrick

QUALITY AND RISK MANAGEMENT/INFORMATICS Lori Snyder-Sloan

Creighton University

CHI Health Service Center

FINALISTS Hilary Applequist Methodist Hospital

FINALISTS Angela J. Herbert Bryan Health

Grace Benson Children's Home Health Care

Carly Hornig CHI Health Lakeside Hospital

RURAL HEALTH/ CRITICAL ACCESS Christine Gabel Annie Jeffrey Memorial County Health Center FINALISTS Brittny Hermann CHI Health St. Mary's

Proud to be part of the solution for COVID-19 in our community vnatoday.org | 402.342.5566

// 62 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Jenny Dupes CHI Health St. Elizabeth

Morgan Tooley Nebraska Medicine

Jennifer Mensing CHI Health Mercy Corning

RISING STAR Morgan Brueggemann CHI Health Lakeside Hospital FINALISTS Madison Braun Nebraska Medicine Rachel Waite Children's Hospital & Medical Center

STUDENT NURSE Elizabeth Kangas UNMC College of Nursing FINALISTS Gracie Kliegl Clarkson College Courtney Weaver Nebraska Methodist College

WOMEN'S HEALTH Rachel Thompson CHI Health CUMC Bergan Mercy

FINALISTS Tasha Bang Methodist Women's Hospital Wendy Miller CHI Health CUMC Bergan Mercy

SURGICAL SERVICES/ PROCEDURAL CARE Janel Myers CHI Health CUMC Bergan Mercy FINALISTS Kathleen Kauffman Methodist Women's Hospital Andrea Swanson Nebraska Medicine

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// 63 //

OLD OBSTACLES IN A NEW LIGHT

GIVING FEATURE // STORY BY CHRIS BOWLING Photography by Bill Sitzmann // Design by Matt Wieczorek

Facing COVID-19 Health Disparities

in Minority Communities

// 64 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

T

he doctor had a front-row seat as the country plunged toward chaos.

COVID-19 quickly became a worldwide health emergency, bringing shutdowns, stay-at-home orders, and mask mandates to communities across the world. And while Omahans transitioned to working from home, the virus took hold in the neighborhoods Dr. Sade Kosoko-Lasaki, who leads Creighton University’s Department of Health Sciences’ Multicultural and Community Affairs, spent decades working to build bridges with.

Neighborhoods in east Omaha posted larger rates of transmission than anywhere else in the city. COVID-19 infections among Black and Hispanic Omahans soared.

“Looking at the pandemic and the effect on individuals who are not minorities, multiply that by five or six times for those that are minorities,” Kosoko-Lasaki said.

“People are losing their jobs, people are scared, mental health issues are on the rise. And it’s continuing.”

With rising case numbers in Douglas County, the situation remains dire. But these issues are nothing new to KosokoLasaki. From West Africa to Washington D.C. and now Omaha, Nebraska, she’s dedicated her life to fighting inequities.

Now Kosoko-Lasaki, who also serves as the associate vice president for Health Sciences, and as a professor in the departments of Surgery and Preventive Medicine and Public Health at Creighton University, hopes the public will understand the message she and other people have preached.

“I think people will want to do more with this kind of work,” she said. “Because now they understand, I hope, the devastating effect of what happens when we all sit back and not do anything.”

Kosoko-Lasaki started her medical journey in 1978 when she received a doctorate of medicine from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. From there she received degrees and training around the world, including stops in Ireland

and Washington, D.C., where she held positions at Howard and Johns Hopkins universities. For many years, her focus was as an ophthalmologist in the public health sphere. She worked with international organizations such as UNICEF and the World Health Organization to raise awareness about the disproportionate effects of glaucoma in Black and Hispanic people.

When she came to Omaha in 2000, the challenges Kosoko-Lasaki encountered differed little from what she’d seen elsewhere.

“Racism is all over the country,” she said.

“That’s the commonality. When you look at racism and discrimination, that’s the root of most of these problems. Is there anything unique about Omaha? No. It’s the same problem as every other city.”

Marginalized communities have plenty of reasons to distrust the health care system, due to instances such as the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, in which African Americans with syphilis were not told of a cure long after one had been found, and longstanding systemic exclusion.

Kosoko-Lasaki’s solution was to meet people on their own ground. The college started programs where public health officials would do presentations in Omaha’s public housing, hold annual festivals in areas such as North Omaha, or show people how to give themselves exams for breast cancer.

Through her programs, she’s helped educate people about conditions like asthma, diabetes, and high blood pressure while also talking about social determinants of health. What job a person has, what their family's income is, and where they live has a huge impact on their access to health care.

Addressing that takes proactive initiatives.

Recently, Kosoko-Lasaki oversaw the implementation of a new program that trained ambassadors to act as a connection between public health and the community. These 60 people are leaders in churches, neighborhood organizations,

or other community centers who receive training from the university. It’s all imperative to the mission of establishing a strong connection between health care and the people it’s historically shut out.

“When you do not trust a system,” Kosoko-Lasaki said, “you’re not going to see any good in what that system is trying to accomplish.”

What makes Kosoko-Lasaki stand out is her experience and patience, said Dr. Ronn Johnson, a professor of psychiatry and associate dean for Diversity and Inclusion. Johnson, who joined Creighton in April 2019, was working to lead a program that would build educational pipelines to put first-generation kids on paths to become health care workers. Kosoko-Lasaki’s handwriting is all over the finished product, he said.

“She is just stellar when it comes to talking about issues of diversity,” he said. “Because she’s lived it and she’s practiced it.”

She’s also a dogged advocate. In her time at the university, she’s raised $15.5 million in grants and awards.

Recently she helped secure $250,000 to study COVID-19 health disparities in minority communities.

“I call her a five-star war general when it comes to diversity,” Johnson said.

But the work never stops for those working to promote health outcomes in communities historically held back due to systemic racism.

COVID-19, along with national calls to recognize racial inequality, has made that more apparent than ever. And while the persistence of these disparities frustrates many, Kosoko-Lasaki takes the broader, more optimistic view—that through all this turmoil, we can learn and improve.

“My hope is that all this will make us better people,” she said. “A better community. One that can help everyone globally to grow beyond ourselves.”

Visit creighton.edu more information.

“MY HOPE IS THAT ALL THIS WILL MAKE US BETTER PEOPLE, A BETTER COMMUNITY. ONE THAT CAN HELP EVERYONE GLOBALLY TO GROW BEYOND OURSELVES.”

—Dr. Sade Kosoko-Lasaki

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 65 //

GIVING

CALENDAR JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2 0 2 1

FEATURED EVENT

Feb. 20-26 (online)

SHARE THE LIGHT, A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION!

heartlandfamilyservice.org/events/carnival-of-love-gala-21/ Instead of one night, Heartland Family Service’s “Carnival of Love” Gala will span a full week and include online silent and live auctions, and engaging virtual experiences. Silent auction items will be available for convenient online bidding throughout the week during the “Carnival of Love” Gala online program.

Jan. 4 HOLIDAY LIGHTS FESTIVAL Benefitting: Shine the Light on Hunger Location: Downtown Omaha and the Old Market, South Omaha (24th Street between L and Q Streets), North Omaha (24th and Lake Streets) —holidaylightsfestival.org Jan. 9 SCOOPS & MISCHIEF Benefitting: Scares That Care Location: Wired Pub & Grill —scaresthatcare.org Jan. 13 OUTLAND TROPHY AWARD DINNER Benefitting: National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Location: Hilton Omaha —showofficeonline.com // 66 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Jan. 15 NEBRASKANS EMBRACING LIFE DINNER Benefitting: Nebraskans Embracing Life Location: St. Vincent de Paul Kampschneider Parish Center —nebraskansembracinglife.org

JAN.

15-16

Jan. 15 and 16 KENDRA SCOTT’S SHOP FOR GOOD (VIRTUAL) Benefitting: Junior League of Omaha Location: Online —kendrascott.com

Jan. 16 CREATE YOUR BEST LIFE VIRTUAL EVENT Benefitting: A Time to Heal Location: Online —atimetohealfoundation. org/annual-conference

Jan. 21 BAGS FOR BAGS FUNDRAISER Benefitting: Bags of Fun Location: Champions Run —@bagsoffunomaha on Facebook Jan. 29 CONGE (VIRTUAL) Benefitting: Duchesne Academy Location: online —duchesneacademy.org Feb. 5 MARIANFEST 2020: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GIRLS (VIRTUAL) Benefitting: Omaha Marian High School Location: online —marianhighschool.net

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// GIVING CALENDAR //

Feb. 18 OMAHA HEART AND STROKE BALL DIGITAL EXPERIENCE Benefitting: American Heart Association Location: Online —americanheartomaha.org

Savor the experience Voted First Place Best of Omaha since 2010 402.558.3202 cateringcreations.com

Feb. 20 FIESTA 2021 Benefitting: Mercy High School Location: TBD —mercyhigh.org/fiesta

FEB.

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Feb. 28 MOM PROM Benefitting: Creighton Prep Location: TBD —creightonprep.org March 9 HEROES IN THE HEARTLAND Benefitting: American Red Cross Location: TBD —redress.org March 27 THE GATHERING Benefitting: CUES Location: TBD —cues.org Event times and details may change.

Visit omahamagazine.com for complete listings.

Check with venue or event organizer to confirm.

// 68 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

60 OMAHA s u l p

Jan./Feb. 2021

Ken Hites

60+ ACTIVE LIVING

- STORY BY JOEL STEVENS PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN - DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

Climb to Made KEN HITES CHALLENGES BODY AND MIND

THE COURSE CATALOG CALLED IT

“PEA 112F Rock Climbing.”

The description read, “This class focuses on the basic knowledge and skills necessary for the sport of rock climbing.”

Ken Hites signed up anyway.

Four years later, that introductory course at the University of Nebraska at Omaha has ignited a passion for climbing in Hites.

Hites was an unconventional student, and he was far from the typical rockclimbing hobbyist.

After decades working in the credit card industry, Hites retired in 2016 and, at age 64, enrolled at UNO, where he’d earned a bachelor’s degree in the late 1970s. He didn’t so much have a plan as a lifelong interest in self-improvement— both mental and physical.

“I figured I’d fool around and take some classes,” he said.

Rock climbing was one of the courses Hites signed up for among a full schedule that included English Composition II, intermediate algebra, critical reasoning, and French II. He wasn’t completely unfamiliar with the sport. He’d taken

70

his sons to a local climbing wall but he’d never climbed himself, lamenting “I’m too old for that.” He’s still not sure what compelled him to sign up for rock-climbing, which he quickly realized required muscles he hadn’t used in years and was populated by students more than 40 years his junior. The class met at UNO’s Outdoor Venture Center and its towering 30-foot tall, 2,500 square foot climbing wall.

“I guess I took right to it to the degree I could,” Hites said, adding he earned an A in the course. “I probably didn’t take to it the way the 21-year-olds in my class did. I wasn’t one of the best climbers.

We were all new to climbing, but I was 64, and these guys were in their 20s.

They took to it a lot quicker. I had to work hard. It was hard work.”

Hites was in “relatively” good shape, as he routinely walked and biked. He was decidedly not in rock climbing shape.

“The upper body strength required for climbing is a whole different thing.”

He admits he got a few funny looks in the climbing class but then again as a 60-something grad student, he got a few funny looks in all his classes.

He wasn’t deterred. ►

// 60+ ACTIVE LIVING //

"You have to, especially when you're outside, figure out how you're going to climb these things. So you're solving a puzzle and climbing with pretty much all the muscles in your body. It's not like going to the gym and working out." -Ken Hit es When you climb you can see people are made to climb, it’s why kids have jungle gyms,” he said. “We’re natural climbers.

You might stop for five or six decades, but when you go back to climbing again it feels good. It’s a wonderful feeling.”

It’s a feeling that grew once Hites began climbing outdoors. The class had offered climbing “field trips,” but Hites didn’t take the instructor up on the offer. In fact, for the first year after taking that class, he didn’t have much of an interest in climbing outside.

“I told my friends that did climb outside they were crazy,” said Hites, who preferred the safe confines of UNO’s indoor climbing space.

Eventually, some of those same friends talked Hites into joining them for an outside climb.

“It was like a whole other world opened up,” he said. “It was unbelievable.”

His first outdoor climb was at Blue Mounds State Park in Minnesota. It was, Hites guessed, a 35-foot climb via a “top rope” technique that had him attached to a rope that passed up through an anchor at the top and down to a belayer at the foot of the climb taking up the slack as he climbed the sheer wall of jutted rocks and crevices.

“It was a lot different than climbing on the plastic at the gym,” Hites said.

“Way different.”

He loved every minute of it. That trip was the tipping point. He was hooked.

“I was totally wound up when I was done with that day,” he said. “I thought, ‘OK, I want to do this as many times as I can.’”

Hites climbs in Blue Mounds four or five times a year now. He also likes climbing in the Black Hills and Palisades State Park in South Dakota. Earlier this year he ventured to Montana, climbing near Bozeman and Whitefish, not far from Glacier National Park. // 72 //

60 PLUS • JANUARY/FEBUARY 2021

His passion has evolved into a winter sport. In the last year he’s taken up ice climbing, traveling to Hyalite Canyon in Montana and Winona, Minnesota.

The differences between ice climbing and rock climbing are vast. Rock walls, whether plastic or granite, are fixed. And ice, well, isn’t.

“It is what it is and you have to figure out how you’re going to grab it and propel yourself up the face of the wall,” Hites said of rock climbing.

Although “up” remains the goal in ice climbing, the biggest difference, Hites said, is “there are no holds.”

Ice climbers use crampons (spiked traction boots) and a pair of ice axes to scale walls of ice and snow. The conditions, the wind, and cold, always factor.

“It’s a whole different situation,” Hites said. “There’s a lot of subtlety to it, but you’re not constrained by a specific set of holds, you have a little more leeway. But in a way it’s more physically exhausting that rock climbing.”

Climbing, all of it, is more than simply staying fit and active for Hites. He loves the challenge it affords his efforts, in both body and mind.

“The physical fitness part is nice because it requires you to use every limb in your body, it uses your core a whole lot,” he said. “But it also requires you to use your brain. You have to, especially when you’re outside, figure out how you’re going to climb these things. So you’re solving a puzzle and climbing with pretty much all the muscles in your body. It’s not like going to the gym and working out.”

When not hitting some of the region’s more popular and picturesque climbing destinations, Hites can be found climbing five days a week at Approach Gym in Omaha.

Approach operations manager Mark Powell said climbers Hites’ age aren’t uncommon but few he’s seen can match the 68-year-old’s dedication and endurance.

Everyone climbs for different reasons, Powell acknowledges, and in Hites he sees a climber who has grown by leaps since that first day his chalky hands attempted a crimp or open-hand grip.

“There’s a lot of progression involved with climbing,” Powell said. “The loop of doing new things and overcoming challenges that were previously impossible are addictive.”

Hites likes Approach Gym’s “come as you are” mantra and the fact it caters to all shapes and sizes—and ages—of climber, from kids and first-timers to more experienced and accomplished climbers.

“And then there’s guys who plug away at it like me and show up on their lunch hour who aren’t special, really, at being great climbers, but enjoy the activity so much they do it,” he said.

Hites recognizes most of the climbers he sees are younger than him.

And he’s still okay with that.

“I don’t get as many funny looks like I did in my first class,” he said. Climbers tend to accept other climbers as one of their own.

“When you’re out in the Black Hills or somewhere climbing outside, you’ll make an acquaintance with someone where you have no idea who they are but you strike up a conversation, you share each other’s rope, and they might be young or they might be old and it just doesn’t matter because you’re both out there climbing.

It kind of draws people together.”

Hites hopes to continue to climb as long as his body—and mind—will allow.

“I still enjoy it,” he said. “I especially enjoy being able to go outside and do it.

And you can’t go outside and do it unless you practice inside.

“If something happened to me and I couldn’t do it anymore I’d obviously quit,” Hites continued. “But that hasn’t happened to me. So I’ll keep trying.”

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A L W A Y S L O C A L, A L W A Y S B E A U T I F U L. Included with an Omaha Magazine Subscription— OmahaMagazine.com/Subscribe JANUARY/FEBUARY 2021 • 60 PLUS

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“My clinical work is all devoted to working with veterans. I love working with them. Their physical and emotional wounds are the true cost of war.

My biggest regret is not serving in the military.“ -Ronn Johnson

Ronn

Johnson FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT FOR MENTAL HEALTH, DIVERSITY & INJUSTICE

60+ PROFILE // STORY BY LEO ADAM BIGA // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

“Folks are feeling isolated, disconnected. A lot stay home with their kids. It’s really a problem.

They’re struggling with all this stuff. One thing I push them on is, what are you doing to take care of yourself?“ -Ronn Johnson

R

ONN JOHNSON, a biracial clinical psychologist during COVID-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement, is squarely in the middle of societal unrest.

He is a Creighton University associate professor in the Department of Psychiatry and associate dean of diversity and inclusion in the School of Medicine. In response to the George Floyd killing, he wrote an open letter to the C.U. medical community pointing out systemic racism is pervasive in America. The message he wanted to convey is that “this doesn’t occur in a vacuum, this has been occurring for a long time—the big difference being this was a public execution essentially.”

He believes historical or generational trauma is a real phenomenon among people of color who’ve endured untold trauma and indignity. No matter a person of color’s achievements, race remains an issue.

“If I somehow forget I’m Black and Native American (he’s part Choctaw and Cherokee), some experience will quickly remind me of that. I can’t just be a professor and associate dean, I’m a Black professor or associate. That’s the way it works in this country. I don’t know if we’ll ever become a post-racial country. Right now we’re in turmoil. But I believe there are enough good-minded, well-intentioned people, just as there are good cops, that we can eventually take back our country—because I think we’ve lost it.”

In addition to his C.U. duties, he treats veterans at the Omaha VA Medical Center. The noncombat problems patients present there speak to this unstable moment in time.

“Folks are feeling isolated, disconnected.

A lot stay home with their kids. It’s really a problem. They’re struggling with all this stuff,” Johnson said. “One thing I push them on is, what are you doing to take care of yourself? I try to get them to

be very intentional about taking time to do self-care and things that give a sense of enjoyment, pleasure. It may be little, simple things to recharge your battery or fill up your tank again because all this drains people.”

His psychological profile of America is alarming. “The diagnosis is not a positive one,” he said. “There are just too many negative markers (for anxiety, fear, depression).” Moving forward, he says, “we’re going to have to recover from the economic consequences of COVID. That’s going to be huge.”

Johnson, 69, has filled academic and clinical posts in the western United States and Midwest. He came to Creighton from the University of San Diego, where he was an associate professor in the School of Leadership and Educational Sciences. He actually lived in Nebraska before. He was at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln before resuming his career on the West Coast. He and his wife moved back to Nebraska in 2016 when a VA slot opened. He later joined the C.U. faculty. He earned the diversity and inclusion post there as the result of a national search the school conducted.

He is most proud of his clinical work, in which he serves veterans.

“My clinical work is all devoted to working with veterans,” he said. “I love working with them. Their physical and emotional wounds are the true cost of war. My biggest regret is not serving in the military. My stepdad and uncles did.

I had an opportunity to, but was too much of a knucklehead to take advantage of it. This work is my way of giving back. My nickname in the VA is ‘Dirty Harry’ because I take the cases no one else wants.”

Toni Vondra, VA mental health social work supervisor, said Johnson is “wellrespected by colleagues, interns, residents, and patients because he works hard to connect with others.” She added, “His responsive insights are critical to getting

veterans the required mental health services. He supervises residents’ psychotherapy and developed the transdiagnostic group. He welcomes thorny cases that are challenging to some providers.”

Trauma is among the areas Johnson researches and publishes about. He’s well-acquainted with trauma himself.

At age 10, his father, an engineer, died of cancer.

“That was a major marker in my life. I still have reactions to that loss,” Johnson said. “He was my protector, my mentor, my dad, so there’s all these emotional connections. I could never make sense of why that happened.”

Johnson grew up one of 10 siblings on the west side of Chicago during the civil rights era.

“Typical inner-city life—gang violence, other kinds of violence, poverty, poor performing schools. I witnessed the riots in Chicago. I saw people murdered, killed. It was pretty rough-going.”

His way out was academics and basketball, through a scholarship to Biola University, a small private Christian school in Southern California.

Johnson gained an interest in psychology, and, a few graduate degrees later, he found himself making a career of it.

The former adjunct professor in the Homeland Security Department at San Diego State researches anti-terrorism and forensic psychology. He tries getting into the minds of terrorists and criminals for insights into what make them harm others.

In service of public health, he’s opened clinics in underserved communities where he’s worked. He intends doing that here. He’s also planning a Trail of Tears Medical Conference. It will commemorate the infamous forced removal of Native Americans from their heritage lands in the 19th century and explore issues today’s Native people confront accessing quality health care.

This clinician and academic enjoys his work. He’s only a year into trying to make C.U.’s School of Medicine a more diverse, inclusive place. He aims to build a campus culture receptive to supporting students, faculty, and staff of color. He feels the administration is committed to that change, though he concedes, “It will take time.”

JANUARY/FEBUARY 2021 • 60 PLUS

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60+ FEATURE // STORY BY SARA LOCKE // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

Nurses Honor Guard Celebrating and Commemorating Their Fallen Colleagues

S

ince the days of Florence Nightingale, nurses have been the right hand of doctors and patients worldwide. Now, more than ever, they are serving on the front lines of medicine. In the last year, a virus hit that prevented loved ones from being there to hold the hands of their ill or elderly relatives. Nurses have stepped in and made sure that nobody slips away without the compassion of human touch.

During a year of especially high sacrifice, these heroes have changed from scrubs in their garages to protect their families, worn two-week-old PPE on their 12-to-24-hour shifts, and skipped meal after meal so their patients never have to fight alone. While this feels like an above-and-beyond service to the families relying on nurses as their final connection to their loved ones, for those brave enough to accept the position, it’s all part of the calling.

Sometimes, that calling is so loud that no amount of hesitation can quiet it.

Debra Zobel, local founder and Nebraska Community Leader of the Nurses Honor Guard, believes service stops being a choice once nurses have chosen their path. It’s simply a way of life.

A Leap of Faith Zobel was able to ignore the nagging feeling that she was being pulled into further service, until it made itself known to her loud and clear.

Zobel first heard of the Nurses Honor Guard two years ago. It’s an association of current and former nurses who assemble to officially end a nurse’s duties after they have passed. They don full traditional regalia and carry a lit Nightingale lamp in procession, then present their colleague’s casket or urn with a white rose. The congregation then honors them by reciting the Nightingale Tribute. At that time, they perform a roll call, speaking the nurse’s name and sounding a triangle three times.

After the third chime, they announce that the nurse is officially released from their duties, and the lamp is extinguished.

“It was such a beautiful service to provide, and when I thought of all the nurses I’d worked with and befriended in my career, I felt that each one deserved this recognition. I took it as a passing thought // 76 //

60 PLUS • JANUARY/FEBUARY 2021

and tried to move forward. I told myself that I was too busy, that I didn’t have the money to launch something like this, that I didn’t have any idea how to run a nonprofit. There were more than enough reasons not to do it and I told myself to let it go, but something in me just wouldn’t. I did a lot of soul-searching, procrastinating, and praying.”

As Zobel reflected on what her friendships with nurses had always meant to her, the call grew louder.

“Everyone has a nurse friend. One friend who happened to choose nursing as a profession,” Zobel said. “You never let that one friend go, because they’re so sincere, so loving, and thoughtful. Everyone is thankful for their nurse friends. As a nurse myself, I happened to have been lucky enough to know and work with so many of these genuinely caring people, and when I thought of them, I decided to jump.”

Zobel believed that if she was doing the right thing, all of the pieces would fall into place. If she were doing the wrong thing, she had surrounded herself with people who loved her enough to help put those pieces back together.

“You think that moment of stepping off a cliff into something you don’t know is the hard part,” Zobel said. “They don’t tell you that once you’ve jumped there will be another cliff, and another. You have to keep making hard decisions and taking risks, but every time I started to feel discouraged, something else would happen unexpectedly that opened the next part of the path. It was hard, but it was the right thing to do.”

Call of Duty Zobel reached out to her network of nurses, creatives, techs, and legal minds and managed to put together a six-member board and set to work.

“We’ve partnered with clergy, morticians, hospitals, and community members to help connect us with those who may need our services,” she said. “We got our 501c3 organized and brought on legal counsel to be sure we were doing everything right.

We had a lot of remarkable people just show up along the way who really paved

this road for us. It was just a reminder that this was exactly where we were needed. I’d answered a call like this before, and when you hear it and you listen, there is just a peace in doing what you know you are here to do.”

That call saw the newly formed Nebraska Nurses Honor Guard proceed into their first service in November 2019.

“There were four of us at that first ceremony.

It was an absolutely beautiful service. In our hearts, we were there for our colleague.

In this case, a former coworker of one of our board members. But once the service began, we realized how much this was for the family. That family had been without a wife and mother from the dinner table for years while she cared for others. Being able to show them that her services meant something to us, too…that was the extra good we didn’t even realize we were doing.”

Onboarding NNHG soon brought on an additional 20 members, and then added seven in Lincoln.

To date, the growing roster has attended more than 50 services in little more than one year.

Vice president Sheralyn Jarvis sees that this passion has served as a peaceful transition from the chaos of a nursing career she has loved since her graduation in 1978, to her impending retirement.

“I think the same is true of any service position,” Jarvis explained. “You start down this kind of a path because you want to help people. You prepare for this lifetime of taking care of everyone. But if you love it and if it’s really what you’re supposed to be doing, you’ll very quickly find that this kind of service really fills you up...Giving these families that time and space to grieve was far more impactful for us than I had believed it could be.”

Jarvis knows that no matter what is born to create better health care for families, nothing will ever take the place of nurses.

Visit nebraskanursehonorguard.org or @ NebraskaNurseHonorGuard on Facebook to learn more.

“Everyone has a nurse friend.

One friend who happened to choose nursing as a profession.

You never let that one friend go, because they’re so sincere, so loving, and thoughtful.�

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“People seem to like looking at all of it when they come, and I really love collecting all of it and showing it to people who are interested.�

-Keith Hentzen

60+ NOSTALGIA // STORY BY JEFF LACEY // PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN // DESIGN BY DEREK JOY

A Tonic for Fun Medicine Bottle Collection Fascinates and Educates

T

hose walking through the Springfield Pharmacy will notice the bottles: hundreds of them, in various colors, shapes, and sizes, sitting along shelves in a quiet line stretching from the pharmacy counter in the back of the shop all the way down the left side wall.

A closer look reveals antique medicine bottles. Pill bottles, tincture bottles, and apothecary jars; some blue, some brown, some clear, and some yellow; an entire gallery of them, punctuated in places by clusters of mortars and pestles of various materials and sizes. Some bottles bear recognizable names like “eucalyptus extract” and “peppermint soluble.” Other names resemble what a person might find in the potions store in Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. The label of one small, delicate, graying cardboard box sitting quietly in the corner of an old cabinet reads “Horehound.” A clear glass jar sitting on the pharmacy counter is simply labeled “Gambog.” There is a mindboggling amount of fonts and shapes. It appears that these antiques watch over the modern medicines on the store’s floor shelves like so many pondering ghosts, but to head pharmacist/owner Keith Hentzen, they are more than just ghosts.

These artifacts are all part of Hentzen’s pharmacy bottle collection, which he estimates to contain thousands of pieces.

Hentzen has been the owner and head pharmacist of Springfield Pharmacy for 43 years. He began the collection around 1976, shortly after he opened the pharmacy, and owns pieces that date back to the 1880s. Many of the pieces predate the 1908 Food and Drug Act, the first major push to regulate the sales of drugs for medical purposes.

The collection is also representative of a slice of Nebraska history, as a majority of the pieces come from Nebraska pharmacies. When a pharmacist retires, they often ‘sell their basement,’ which includes treasures like the ones Hentzen has collected. This is one of the primary ways he has gathered his collection.

Hentzen attributes this decades-long love of these medical artifacts to a couple of factors. “Dad was a really big fan of history,” Hentzen explained. “He would take us to lots of museums when we were growing up, and then, when I became a pharmacist, I saw how rich in history the profession was, and a lot of places I would work at would have old drug bottles, so I’ve started collecting them.

The ones I seem to like the most are the gold-label apothecary jars.”

Hentzen revels in his old medicine bottles. His eyes illuminate when he explains the histories of some of the pieces, and he enjoys the comedy some of them suggest. “Here are some cigarettes to smoke to cure your asthma,” he said with a smile, pointing to an aged box of Requa’s Cubeb Cigarettes. “And here’s pills for pale people, in case that is your problem,” he explained, referring to a lifesavers-shaped package labeled “Pills for Pale People/Tonic for the Blood and Nerves.”

The medicine bottle collection is also good for business. One of the draws to the pharmacy is the vintage soda counter, around which Hentzen has curated a sizable collection of antique soda counter paraphernalia. Hentzen sees these two collections as a way to entertain customers running errands to the drug store, or enjoying fare like old-fashioned phosphate drinks. “People seem to like looking at all of it when they come, and I really love collecting all of it and showing it to people who are interested.”

Hentzen and his pharmacy are a valued staple in the community of Springfield.

Kathleen Gotsch, Springfield’s city administrator, said that Springfield Drug has been a pillar of the community for many years. “The old-fashioned soda fountain is a hit with locals and visitors alike,” she explained, “and Keith is a strong supporter and promoter of the Springfield community. He is very active with many organizations, including the school foundation and Springfield Days Committee. His leadership and character are truly one-of-a-kind. Springfield is lucky to have him.”

A few standout pieces are the brown bottle of arsenic meant to treat syphilis, the bottle of strychnine with a small burgundy skull pinned to its cork, and the blue container that once held paregoric (a tincture of opium, like oxycontin for the 1900s crowd)—but they, like the rest of the collection, are not for sale. However, a friendly hello to the head pharmacist is always free and welcome. As the collection glows and looks on, so does Hentzen, demonstrating a spirit that is just as much a treasure as his collection.

“I just really like people,” Hentzen says.

“There’s something about everybody I can take joy in, or appreciate, or like.

Besides knowing families for generations with the pharmacy, I enjoy people who come in and who I get to meet for the first time.”

Search @Spring fieldOldFashionedSoda on Facebook for more information.

JANUARY/FEBUARY 2021 • 60 PLUS

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60+ e Prim e T im WILLIAM PENRY // 74 JEANNE STAAB PENRY // 73 STORY BY NICHOLAS MOORE PHOTO BY BILL SITZMANN

When William Penry met Jeanne Staab in 1966, he had no idea that they would be together 50 years later.

After working in military intelligence at the Pentagon, William decided to move their young family back to Omaha to pursue a career in business. Jeanne brought along her innate sense of style and, created her interior design business, Jeanne’s Design.

“Style is something you can have very young in young life and make anything become lovely with little or nothing,”Jeanne said.

Whether wearing chic Parisian silhouettes and a signature headband, or designing a home or business with an elegant balance of vintage and modern, Jeanne firmly believes that personal style takes time.

“You don’t make a home look beautiful within a year, it should take time and travel to make it look extra special. And like you.”

William also thinks that while fashion may happen instantly, the good stuff takes a while. “Style is part of your inherent personal quality and part of your character. It’s what you have evolved into.” And although she’s the designer in the family, William is never without a pressed button-down shirt, wellworn desert boots, or one his playfully intellectual round-frame glasses that he wears with preppy sensibility. // 80 //

60 PLUS • JANUARY/FEBUARY 2021

OBVIOUSLY OMAHA // STORY BY TAMSEN BUTLER // PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTED

01

HEALTHY ALTRUISM

OMAHA MEDICAL BUILDING NAMESAKES

Certain surnames in Omaha resonate with locals as being of historical importance, and there’s no surprise when these names pop up on medical buildings. But how much do locals know about the people for whom these buildings are named? While more than a few medical buildings are named after donors, some earned their distinction by other means.

01. CLARKSON TOWER Born in Pennsylvania in 1826, the Right Reverend Robert H. Clarkson was the first Episcopal bishop in Nebraska. He’s remembered as a relentless force for good, one of the only religious leaders to not flee Chicago in 1885 when polluted water killed thousands. His dedication to the sick and infirm compelled local women who were running a makeshift hospital to ask him to control the hospital in 1870, thus beginning his Omaha legacy.

02. CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY

MEDICAL CENTER

Brothers John and Edward Creighton, children of Irish immigrants, were astute businessmen and are considered by some to be “the Warren Buffetts of their day” because of their wealth and philanthropy. The hospital currently on the campus of Creighton was founded in 1870 by the Sisters of Mercy as St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.

In 2017, a community health center with a 24-hour emergency room, Creighton University Medical Center-University Campus, was also opened at 24th and Cuming streets.

03. DURHAM OUTPATIENT CENTER Charles Durham was heralded as a “philanthropic giant” by the University of Nebraska Medical Center. At the time of his death in 2008, he was the single largest donor to the university for lifetime giving.

Durham and his wife created the Charles W. and Margre H. Durham Excellence in Medicine Fund for research of prostate cancer, arthritis, and minimally invasive surgery.

04. THE EPPLEY INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH

IN CANCER AND ALLIED DISEASES

Eugene C. “Gene” Eppley, the same man for whom the airport is named, was a hotel tycoon. According to Eppley’s Lincoln Star obituary, he was

given the nickname “Daredevil Eppley” in 1911 for his adventurous antics as a pilot. His generous donations to the University of Nebraska at Omaha were said to have been pivotal in prompting growth for the university. In present day, the campus is dotted with buildings for which he is the namesake, including the cancer research institute.

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03

05. METHODIST ESTABROOK

CANCER CENTER

John Estabrook enlisted in the Navy during World War II and contracted tuberculosis. He was hospitalized for an extended period and often voiced displeasure about the way things were run. Legend has it that upon leaving the hospital, the person in charge flippantly told Estabrook that he should go into hospital administration since he thought he knew how to run one. So, he did. In 1959, at age 30, he assumed the role of administrator at Nebraska Methodist Hospital. His purchase of a medical linear accelerator for the hospital advanced cancer treatment in Omaha significantly. The Methodist Cancer Center building became the Methodist Estabrook Cancer Center in 2006.

06. MONROE-MYER INSTITUTE As early as 1919, a group of Omahans started an organization with the goal of helping differently abled people. Since that time, the group has grown and changed.

The Hattie B. Munroe Home for Convalescing Crippled Children, an organization started by John Munroe in memory of his wife, opened in 1922. The Meyer Therapy Center was built in 1959 in memory of C. Louis Meyer, with a significant addition to the center in 1973 in memory of his wife, Mary Luman Meyer.

Construction for The Monroe-Meyer Institute began in 2019, a century after the first group formed.

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The Strawberry Candied Pecan Salad consists of herb-roasted chicken, candied pecans, bacon, feta cheese, and thinly sliced strawberries, but can be made with vegan options.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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FOODIES 351 N 78TH ST. - 402.884.2880 FOOD SERVICE AMBIANCE PRICE OVERALL

N/A (takeout only)

$$$ 5 STARS POSSIBLE

T

he word “foodies” spelled out in bright colors against an unassuming beige strip mall off 78th and Cass streets is like a beacon for any self-proclaimed foodie. It's a clear must-stop-in spot.

The bright branding seen from the street matches the colorful interior. The dining area is brought to life by the warm, natural light coming in through the large storefront windows. The middle seating area is filled with tables to accommodate large and small groups, and cozy booths outline one side of the green dining room wall, with combination booths and chair options lining the other. In the back corner of the room are two large, brown armchairs that would be perfect for a longer study session or reading the daily paper.

The restaurant has a comfy, casual feel.

Scanning over the other patrons, some were just sitting down to lunch with friends, while others were studying. The wide-open seating area makes it easy to socially distance.

Foodies is a local spot known for serving fresh food fast and without the heavy calorie commitment. The menu features several gluten-free options and dishes. It can take some hunting to locate the vegetarian options, but the staff is there to help. And it is easy to customize your own.

“Any salad can be done vegan [and] we have vegan wraps on our website menu," said owner and chef Brian Hilger. "You have a choice of shell [flour or wheat tortilla, or paratha wrap] to pick from, sauce to add, and three veggies are included. Plus, you choose your side to go with it." He said they also have vegan pizza, with a gluten-free crust made from cauliflower.

During our visit, we were greeted by the man running the cash register, who promptly took our order. Leading up to the register, they have a menu along the wall so customers can consider their options before ordering.

My friend and I approached the counter and were immediately excited by all our options.

A larger version of the menu is suspended on the wall behind the register, and is separated into categories such as sandwiches, pizza, sides, etc. Next to the register is a prep station where orders are immediately assembled with fresh ingredients.

We ordered the Greek pizza with gluten-free crust—a $1.50 upcharge—the vegetarian peppernata sandwich, sweet potato fries, and the Foodies side salad.

Taking advantage of the last warm-weather days, we decided to sit on the patio. Our food came out about 10 minutes after we sat down.

Sandwiches, such as this Portobello Peppernata one, can be made in a spinach wrap or on ciabatta bread. Inside is roasted portobello mushrooms, roasted red pepper sauce and provolone.

Each dish arrived on the table looking fresh and ready for an Instagram photo shoot. This restaurant is casual enough to arrive in your coziest sweats, but the plates arrive to the table looking high-end.

We started with the side salad, which consisted of mixed greens, feta cheese, almonds, and craisins. It was served with a slightly sweet red wine vinaigrette that we thought tasted of raspberries (patrons can request any of the dressings on their menu). For those who prefer to make salad the main course, the [seasonal] Strawberry Candied Pecan Salad, sampled on a previous visit, was a winner. It consists of herb-roasted chicken, candied pecans, bacon, feta cheese, and thinly sliced strawberries, and is served with the same well-balanced house vinaigrette.

The Greek Pizza is an easy way to fill the day’s quota of vegetables. The thin crust was crispy and topped with a layer of basil pesto sauce.

It was loaded with fresh chicken, mozzarella, bell peppers, black olives, and feta cheese.

The flavors worked together nicely, but the abundance of toppings made the pizza difficult to pick up and eat. The pizza could have used some additional sauce to add more moisture to the dish.

Next, we sampled the Portobello Peppernata Melt, a vegetarian sandwich served on toasted

ciabatta bread with sliced, roasted portobello mushrooms covered with a generous serving of provolone cheese. The interior of the sandwich was cloaked in a rich, red pepper sauce. This item was definitely my friend’s favorite, and the sauce was the shining star of the dish. Needless to say, it didn’t sit long on the plate.

In between each dish, we snacked on sweet potato fries. The fries are coated in a wellbalanced, sweet and salty seasoning mix. Each bite was crispy yet soft on the inside.

When we were finished, someone promptly came to thank us for coming in and cleared our table.

The entire staff was friendly and seemed genuinely glad to be at their jobs serving customers.

My friend and I were able to sample an array of different foods, and we only scratched the surface of what the Foodies team has to offer.

Their menu is packed with sandwiches, salads, pasta, wraps, and a variety of deserts.

The overall experience was positive, with healthy food that left us satisfied but not overly full. The service added to the experience, as the entire team seemed to take pride in serving fresh food fast. All the dishes we sampled were beautifully plated and ready for their Insta closeup.

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Visit foodiesomaha.com for more information.

From left: Shelley Elson-Roza and Tony Roza

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Legacy DINING FEATURE // STORY BY SARA LOCKE

T H E

Starts

Here

Heirloom Fine Foods Continues to be a Major Help for HealthConscious Hungry Hearts Photography by Bill Sitzmann // Design by Matt Wieczorek

T

he story of Heirloom Fine Foods is more than a culinary adventure.

No matter how you slice, dice, or sauté it, this is a love story. The briefest telling would go: Once upon a time, a boy and a girl fell in love. They continued to fall in love again and again, with this city and others. With cooking and feeding others. With travel and planting roots. They fell in love with challenging one another to make life a little sweeter for everyone they encountered, and they encountered as much of the community as they could by starting a business of their own.

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Launched originally as MJER Help, the recently rebranded Heirloom Fine Foods may be a relative newcomer to the Omaha catering scene, but its purpose has deep roots in Shelley Elson-Roza and Tony Roza. Having met at Burke High School, the pair didn’t truly find one another until years later, when they were both living and working in Chicago. Since that serendipitous reintroduction, the two have been on a mission to create a meaningful life together, no matter what twists and turns they encounter along the way.

MORE THAN MEAL PREP For some, Heirloom serves as a high-vibe caterer with unique, never-fail recipes.

For others, the team is a meal-prep life saver that takes the drag out of healthful, home-prepared meals. No matter who is calling on the team or why, they’re walking away with more than a full belly.

Roza, COO of Heirloom Fine Foods, credits his wife and business partner for more than her health-conscious approach to food, saying “Shelley has this intuitive knowledge of how food affects people.

She’s really someone to look up to. This whole industry is about caring, going above and beyond…She puts so much thought into every detail, even knowing that our clients probably aren’t noticing them consciously.”

He said customers don’t always realize why their commercial space feels like being in someone’s home. “It just feels that way to them, but it’s because Shelley pays as much attention to the small things as she does to the big, obvious things.”

From vintage tables and chairs, custom restored by Modlines, to the chandelier from Pax Lighting in Kearney, everything from the lampshades to the curtains are one-of-a-kind finds, some custom-made and others vintage restoration.

“We wanted to give our facility a soul,” owner and executive chef Elson-Roza explained. “Our name, Heirloom, it’s kind of a double entendre. We source heirloom variety foods, some of which were on the brink of extinction just a few years ago. They aren’t the uniform look, texture, and taste like you get from a hothouse. Everything brings its own flavor, as nature intended. Our space is also full of heirlooms. Our silverware and dishes were all passed down to us after we were married. We wanted our place to make you feel like you were part of our family, whether you’re a guest or a vendor. We want everyone to feel like they’re walking into a big familial hug.”

The spatial hug she’s referring to is Heirloom’s commercial kitchen and tasting room, which opened in early August. The facility at 325 N. 72nd St., Suite 200 is where the team prepares to-go boxed meals, creates their catering menu, and hosts events from cooking classes to holiday parties. When the weather allows, a garden seating area offers beautiful outdoor dining and a glimpse at Elson-Roza’s homegrown edible flowers and heirloom vegetation.

// DINING FEATURE //

“Our menu changes based on the yield and what our farmers and artisans can provide for us seasonally,” Elson-Roza said. “We really loved our fall menu. A lot of squash and sage. We were inspired

by Peruvian food because that’s where we went for our honeymoon. French food always makes us think ‘cozy’, and Moroccan and Middle Eastern flavors are always really close to our heart.”

While Roza does his fair share in the kitchen, he isn’t hesitant to admit that his favorite Heirloom offering isn’t his creation.

“Shelley makes this potato latke. It looks just like you’d expect, and I get so excited when someone orders it for the first time.

I love watching their face,” he said. “She has this way of taking foods you love that are really comforting, and then doing something really unexpected with them that doesn’t take away the familiar feeling you wanted from it. No matter what your favorite food is, Shelley has a way of making it special and unforgettable.”

While the pair have dedicated themselves to making delicious foods good for the heart, they have succeeded in making their offerings even better for the soul.

“Our business is catering, but our mission has always been about finding new ways to feed people healthy, from-scratch foods,” Elson-Roza said. “Problemsolving is kind of our thing, trying to find ways to make local sourcing whole and organic foods more accessible. Finding ways to make food security a reality for every community.”

THE YEAR OF THE PIVOT While there was no way to anticipate what 2020 had in store, the couple found new ways to work with it every day. Heirloom was on the brink of several big offerings before COVID-19 adjusted their plans for them.

“We had just signed on as vendors with Joslyn Castle literally the day before quarantine was called,” Elson-Roza said.

“Everything was happening for us, and then just as suddenly, it all stopped. We were hosting 500-person parties, and then we couldn’t.” But they continued serving in any way they could.

“In March, we launched a meal delivery service, which we continued until June,” she said. “We did box events, or we would drop food off for small gatherings with instructions to finish preparing it. We were surprised how many ways there were to keep moving forward, and so proud of our team for being able to roll with whatever new health directives were given.”

Elson-Roza never stopped looking for ways to improve their offerings.

“Every day that we wake up with a purpose and the ability to work, to live our passion and bring joy through our food and our service is a day we are lucky to have,” she said. “We found that when we kept ourselves humble and positive, the opportunities to affect positive change kept making themselves available to us.”

In July, Heirloom was given the opportunity to provide lunches for Brownell Talbot. “We’ve been bringing the kids lunch ever since, which helps keep us focused on all of the good we are still able to provide.

“We’ve leaned really hard on our values during this tough time, to remind us why we do this,” she added. “It gives us so much strength to keep seeking the positive and the opportunities to create it.”

Visit heirloomff.com to learn more about Heirloom Fine Foods

“SHELLEY HAS THIS INTUITIVE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW FOOD AFFECTS PEOPLE. SHE’S REALLY SOMEONE TO LOOK UP TO. THIS WHOLE INDUSTRY IS ABOUT CARING, GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND…”

— Tony Roza

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 89 //

HERE GREEK MEETS GREENS M

Omaha’s

Expanding Greenbelly

DINING PROFILE // Story by Katy Spratte Joyce

Photography by Bill Sitzmann // Design by Matt Wieczorek

Michael Schall lost 55 pounds eating healthy, whole foods. That weight loss was part of his inspiration to launch Omaha’s Greenbelly restaurant empire.

“I’m Greek…it kinda makes sense to go into food,” Schall laughingly said during a phone interview.

But it really all began in 1988 at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church Camp on Lake Calhoun in Southwest Minneapolis. (The lake is now known by its Dakota-language name, Bde Maka Ska.) It was here that Schall met his best camp friend, Tony Nicklow of the Minnesota restaurateur family. Credited with popularizing Greek food in the Twin Cities, the Nicklows operated several restaurants over the years. (Tony’s Diner in Dinkytown is the only one currently still running.)

Nicklow encouraged Schall’s interest in restaurant operation, even paying for him to attend bartending school in the summers between semesters at University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

After graduating with a degree in advertising, Schall became a high-flying advertising executive in New York City, working on products with Microsoft and others. The nowentrepreneur gathered experience that he uses to this day. “That stint in NYC is what launched...Greenbelly,” he said. The venture was inspired by a salad shop around the corner from his office, Café Europa. He loved having quick, healthy options for late nights, burning the midnight oil while tackling new ad campaigns for companies as wide-ranging as Microsoft and the Food Network.

Flash forward a few years, and the native Nebraskan was ready to be closer to home. After moving back to Omaha, Schall worked in pharmaceutical sales for a time, then transitioned into the food realm with The Cooking Club. Partnering with his sister Stephanie Patsalis, together they built the business with take-and-make meals, catering, and cooking classes at their original location at 123rd and Center streets.

But Schall couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to do in this Midwest market.

Thus, Greenbelly was born in 2008. Schall said it was “a risk at the time. Omaha was a meat-and-potatoes town.” Furthermore, his new restaurant featured more expensive eco-friendly packaging before sustainability was a major consumer consideration.

The risk was well worth it. A larger commercial space was needed just a few months into the new venture, resulting in the move to the current 114th Street location in 2009. Greenbelly has been a hit with diners looking for quick, satisfying, healthy options. Salads have remained the key to success, with the coconut chicken salad and the Asian peanut chicken salad reigning as the two top-selling items, according to the owner. And while the eatery first offered soups and salads at lunch, more items, such as healthier pizzas and wraps, helped expand the menu over the years. Schall said they currently hand-cut over 300 pounds of chicken a day and that they “absolutely fly through lettuce.”

The restaurant also feeds and trains (in nutrition, not combat) lots of UFC fighters with their lean, high-quality food. Schall credits this collaboration with helping get the Greenbelly name out there early on. Marketing through social media also helped Omahans learn about the new kid in town.

A longstanding stat of 33% catering business helped Greenbelly thrive. These days, there’s more for a food business to consider as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on. Schall shared that their sales numbers were roughly half of the usual from March to April, with a big pick-up in August.

Greenbelly is a family business in the strongest sense of the word, in a time when such operations are rare. Patsalis not only was his partner in their original catering venture, but is now the director of franchising development, helping expand the Greenbelly concept. His brother-in-law helped him come up with the term "Greenbelly," a whimsical way to signal that there was an eco-friendly aspect to their healthy food offerings.

Additionally, the eatery’s famous Greek dressing is Schall’s mother’s recipe, handed down from his grandparents of Koroni, Greece. (It’s such a hit that the Greenbelly food sales rep orders it by the quart). Nieces and nephews have also contributed, on the corporate side as well as with preparing food and taking orders.

Greenbelly’s long-term success at its 114th Street location has even translated to a new model of franchising. One customer loved the restaurant so much he opened a second location in Elkhorn in 2017. A third closely followed in 2020, with an Aksarben footprint in the premier corner spot location in the new HDR building.

To promote further expansion on a larger scale, Greenbelly corporate has recently signed on with a well-respected national franchise sales company, Accurate Sales.

Additionally, a new-to-market second concept, a drive-thru only Greenbelly Express, will open in the Omaha area in early 2021.

The express option uses an app for less contact, which was “a pre-COVID idea with post-COVID applications” according to Patsalis, who shared that there is a lot of room to grow nationwide, with an equal interest in both models from potential investors and franchisees. Schall expanded, sharing that “Although we have been working on our express units for a few years, I believe that is the direction our industry is progressing.”

It’s clear that the future appears truly bright for Schall and his eco-friendly restaurant, both in “homaha” and beyond. The owner concluded, “With Greenbelly being built and run by family, I look forward to continuing to watch its success grow with future generations.”

Visit thegreenbelly.com for more information.

“With Greenbelly being built and run by family, I look forward to continuing to watch its success grow with future generations.” —Michael Schall JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 91 //

- Sponsored Content -

Omaha

DINING GUIDE AMERICAN CHARLESTON’S - $$$

140th and Dodge streets - 402.431.0023 76th and Dodge streets - 402.991.0055 Charleston’s is a casual, upbeat restaurant with a menu filled with dishes prepared from scratch daily. We focus on providing our guests with excellent prices and selecting the highest quality ingredients. Whether you are new to Charleston’s or a long-standing guest, we look forward to seeing you soon!

—charlestons.com/locations

JAMS- $$

7814 Dodge St. - 402.399.8300 17070 Wright Plz, Ste. 100 - 402.810.9600 1101 Harney St. in the OldMarket - 402.614.9333 Jams is an Omaha restaurant legacy, an “American Grill” that offers a melting pot of different styles and varieties. The dishes are made with high-quality ingredients that pair well with award-winning wines or creative cocktails.

—jamseats.com

LE PEEP - $

69th & Pacific - 402.933.2776 177th and Center streets - 402.934.9914 156th Street & W. Dodge Road - 402.408.1728 120th and Blondo streets - 402.991.8222 Le Peep puts a wholesome perspective on your favorite neighborhood breakfast and lunch spot.

Fresh. Simple. Elegant. Inviting. We put the emphasis on people, both patrons and staff. We focus on providing each of our guests the fresh food and friendly service that they have come to expect. Open daily 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

—lepeepomaha.com

LISA’S RADIAL CAFE - $ 817 N. 40th St. - 402-551-2176

American. Cafe. Diner. Vegetarian-friendly.

Gluten-free options. This old-school diner serves hearty portions of American comfort classics for breakfast and lunch. Family-owned and operated. This business is a must if you’re in the area. People rave about our chickenfried steak, stuffed French toast, coffee, and friendly staff. Monday-Friday 6 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m.-2 p.m

OLD MATTRESS FACTORY - $

501 N 13th St. - 402.346.9116

Keepin' it real in a renovated mattress factory built in 1883, remodeled in 2007 within walking distance to Omaha's major entertainment venues. Three private dining rooms for your own events, or stop in before or after any downtown Omaha event. Open daily at 11am-1am.

—themattomaha.com

// 92 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

STELLA’S - $

106 S. Galvin Road, Bellevue 402.291.6088 Since 1936, we’ve been making our worldfamous Stella’s hamburgers the same way.

The family secrets have been handed down to each owner, ensuring that your burger is the same as the one you fell in love with the first time you tried Stella’s. And if it’s your first time, we know you’ll be back! MondaySaturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., closed Sunday.

—stellasbarandgrill.com

TED AND WALLY’S - $

1120 Jackson St. - 402.341.5827 Come experience the true taste of homemade ice cream in the Old Market. Since 1986, we’ve created gourmet ice cream flavors in small batches using rock salt and ice. We offer your favorites, plus unique flavors like margarita, green tea, Guinness, and French toast. Special orders available. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri.- Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday.

Noon-10 p.m. —tedandwallys.com

VARSITY SPORTS CAFE - $$

Ralston - 9735 Q St. - 402.339.1944 Bellevue - 3504 Samson Way - 402.932.1944 Millard - 14529 F St. - 402.505.6660 Dundee - 4900 Dodge St. - 402.934.9439 Ralston, Bellevue, Millard and Dundee. We are truly grateful to have been welcomed into each of these communities and welcome you in for good food, a cold drink and a comfy seat to enjoy the sport of your choosing! Determined to bring only the freshest ingredients, homemade dough and our specialty sauces to the table, we have worked hard to perfect our craft for you. Our goal is to bring the best food service to the area and show the best sports events that you want to see. Pick up and Delivery availalble. Please check website for hours of operation.

— varsityromancoinpizza.com

xican Dining Me

ichanga Chim

I TA L I A N LA CASA PIZZARIA - $$

45th and Leavenworth streets 402.556.6464

La Casa Pizzaria has been serving Omaha its legendary Neapolitan-style pizza and pasta for 60 years. We offer dine-in, carry-out, party facilities, catering, and now pizza shipments to the 48 contiguous states. Open Tuesday-Saturday at 11 a.m. and Sunday at 4:30 p.m.

—lacasapizzaria.ne

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

5 METRO Locations!

3 90th & Blondo 402.391.8870 3 146th & Center 402.330.4160 3 96th & L 402.331.5656 3 Galvin & Avery 402.292.2028 3 29th & Farnam 402.346.1110

www.romeosOMAHA.com

Omaha

DINING GUIDE

Get a Little Get Saucy.

LO SOLE MIO RISTORANTE ITALIANO - $$

3001 S. 32nd Ave. - 402.345.5656

a Little Saucy. CHANGE Appetizers

ntic Restaura ma nt Ro

yH Happ our

an Dining Itali

SPEZIA SPECIALTIES

FRESH SEAFOOD • ANGUS BEEF INNOVATIVE PASTA • RISOTTO SPEZIA SPECIALTIES

PASTA AMORE - $$

11027 Prairie Brook Road - 402.391.2585

WOOD FIRE•STEAKS & SEAFOOD GNOCCHI FRESH SALMON DAILY INNOVATIVE PASTA—RISOTTO—GNOCCHI FRESH SALMON DAILY

SATURDAY LUNCH [11am–4 pm]

Open 7 Days a Week for Lunch & Dinner

$10

OFF ANY TICKET OVER $25 NO CASH VALUE. EXPIRES 12/31/2011 NO CASH VALUE. EXPIRES 2/28/2021 Not Valid with Happy Hour or Any Other Promotions.

One Per Check.

COCKTAIL HOUR Take Out &

MONDAY – SATURDAY Pickup 4 Curbside – 6 PM ALL COCK TAILS, GL ASS WINE Available!

AND BEERS ARE HALF PRICE

CALL FOR Party RESERVATIONS Catering . Private Rooms•.402-391-2950 Walk-Ins Welcome

3125 South 72

Street

CENTRAL LOCATION • 3125 SOUTH 72ND STREET • nd EASY ACCESS OFF I-80 • 72ND STREET EXIT

(Easy access off I-80, take 72nd Street Exit)

402.391.2950 . Call today to make your reservation

Hamburger

The restaurant is located in a residential neighborhood, surrounded by charming homes. Everyone is greeted with homemade bread, a bowl of fresh tomatoes and basil, a bowl of oven-roasted garlic cloves, specially seasoned olive oil, and (at night) a jug of Chianti! The menu includes a large variety of pasta, chicken, veal, seafood, and even a delicious New York steak. Traditional dishes such as lasagna, tortellini, and eggplant parmigiana are also available. Lunch offerings include panini, salads, and one of the best pizzas in town. Patio seating, full bar, and a great wine list complete the atmosphere. No reservations, except for private rooms. —losolemio.com

thanks to our customers for voting us the

Pastas are made fresh daily, including tortellini, fettuccine, and capellini. Daily specials and menu items include a variety of fresh seafood and regional Italian dishes, such as linguini amore and calamari steak, penne Florentine, gnocchi, spaghetti puttanesca, and osso buco. Filet mignon is also offered for those who appreciate nationally renowned Nebraska beef. To complement your dining experience, the restaurant offers a full bar and extensive wine list. Be sure to leave room for homemade desserts, like the tiramisu and cannoli. Monday-Thursday 9 p.m. and FridaySaturday 10 p.m. Reservations recommended.

—pastaamore.com

SPEZIA - $$$

3125 S. 72nd St. - 402.391.2950 Choose Spezia for lunch or dinner, where you’ll find a casual elegance that’s perfect for business guests, get-togethers, or any special occasion. Exceptional food, wine, and service, with a delectable menu: fresh seafood, certified Angus steaks, innovative pasta, risotto, gnocchi, cioppino, lamb, entrée salads, Mediterranean chicken, flatbreads, and fresh salmon daily. Enjoy a full bar, Italian and California wines, Anniversary/Lovers’ Booth (call to reserve), private dining rooms, and wood-fired grill. Open Monday-Sunday.

Cocktail hour 4-6 p.m., when all cocktails, glasses of wine, and beers are half price.

Evening reservations recommended.

—speziarestaurant.com

“BEST BURGER

IN OMAHA “Serving World Famous Hamburgers Since 1936”

106 GALVIN RD., BELLEVUE, NE • 402-291-6088 • OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY, 11 AM - 9 PM

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 93 //

A Century of Pride in Every Slice!

rotellasbakery.com

Omaha

DINING GUIDE Breakfast

MEXICAN FERNANDO’S - $

7555 Pacific St. - 402.339.8006.

380 N. 114th St. - 402.330.5707 Featuring Sonoran-style cooking made fresh daily. Catering and party rooms also available.

Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday 4-9 p.m.

—fernandosomaha.com

156th & Dodge • 408-1728 177th & Center • 934-9914 120th & Blondo • 991-8222 69th & Pacific • 933-2776

Thanks for Voting Us # BREAKFAST YEARS in a Row!

13

1

Drive-Thru Open (Center St. Only) Open Daily 6:30am-2:00pm Serving Breakfast & Lunch All Day!

LEPEEPOMAHA.COM | @LEPEEPOMAHA

LA MESA - $$

158th St. and W. Maple Road - 402.557.6130 156th and Q streets - 402.763.2555 110th St. and W. Maple Road - 402.496.1101 Fort Crook Road and Hwy 370 - 402.733.8754 84th Street and Tara Plaza - 402.593.0983 Lake Manawa Exit - 712.256.2762 Enjoy awesome enchiladas, fabulous fajitas, seafood specialties, mouth-watering margaritas, and more at La Mesa. Come see why La Mesa has been voted Omaha’s No. 1 Mexican restaurant 16 years in a row. SundayThursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. —lamesaomaha.com

ROMEO’S MEXICAN FOOD AND PIZZA - $

90th and Blondo streets - 402.391.8870 146th St. and W. Center Road - 402.330.4160 96th and L streets - 402.331.5656 Galvin and Avery roads - 402.292.2028 29th and Farnam steets - 402.346.1110 Romeo’s is your friendly, family Mexican food and pizza restaurant.We take real pride in serving our guests generous portions of the freshest, most flavorful dishes made with the finest ingredients available. Zesty seasonings and the freshest ingredients combine to ensure the ultimate in flavor. Our savory taco meat is prepared every morning at each location. Make sure to try our chimichangas; they’re the best in town. —romeosomaha.com

SPECIAL DINING CRESCENT MOON ALE HOUSE - $

3578 Farnam St. - 402.345.1708

Founded in 1996, we’ve grown into Beer Corner USA with the additions of The Huber Haus German Beer Hall, Max and Joe’s Belgian Beer Tavern, and Beertopia— Omaha’s Ultimate Beer Store. With more than 60 beers on tap and Omaha’s best Reuben sandwich, we are a Midtown beerlover’s destination. Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Kitchen hours: MondayWednesday 11 a.m.-1 p.m., ThursdaySaturday 11 a.m.-midnight. Closed Sunday.

—beercornerusa.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 95 //

STEAKS • CHOPS • SEAFOOD ITALIAN SPECIALTIES 7 private party rooms Seating up to 400 Lots of parking

1620 S. 10th Street

402-345-8313

www.casciossteakhouse.com

Bringing Italy to Omaha Since 1919

Take a Taste of Italy Home Today!

Tues-Thurs: 8:30am-8pm Friday: 8:30am-8:30pm Saturday: 7:30am-8pm Sunday: 7:30am-6pm

An Omaha favorite for over 100 years (1919-2019)

402.345.3438 621 Pacific St, Omaha NE orsibakery.com ek Dining Gre

Family Owned Since 1983 CATERING / PARTY ROOM AVAILABLE HOMEMADE, FRESH FOOD, ALWAYS.

Read About

3821 Center St. / 402.346.1528 GreekIslandsOmaha.com

h Steak ouse

in Omaha Magazine

@The Drover Restaurant & Lounge | Gift Cards Available 2121 S. 73 St. | (402) 391-7440 | DroverRestaurant.com Open Monday - Friday 11am - 2pm | Dinner nightly from 5pm

// 96 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Omaha

DINING GUIDE FIRST WATCH - $

1222 S. 71st St. - 402.932.5691 2855 S. 168th St. - 402.330.3444 3605 N. 147th St. - 402.965.3444 304 Olson Drive - 402.965.3444 18101 Chicago St. - 402.916.4109 2015 Pratt Ave., Bellevue - 402.991.3448 We begin each morning at the crack of dawn, slicing fresh fruits and vegetables, baking muffins, and whipping up our French toast batter from scratch. Everything is made toorder here at First Watch. We use only the finest ingredients possible for the freshest taste around. —firstwatch.com

GREEK ISLANDS - $

3821 Center St. - 402.346.1528 Greek cuisine with specials every day at reasonable prices. We are well-known for our gyro sandwiches and salads. We cater and can accommodate a party for 65 guests.

Carry-out and delivery available. MondayThursday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.- 7 p.m.

—greekislandsomaha.com

PARADISE BAKERY - $

17305 Davenport St. - 402.934.5757 120 Regency Parkway - 402.991.3000

Take Out & Delivery Available Online Ordering Available at Bellevue, Millard & Dundee Locations

Sports Bar

Please Check Website for Hours of Operation

Paradise Bakery offers freshly prepared baked goods made from scratch every morning with the finest ingredients available. Offering a variety of meals including soups, salads, and sandwiches. Our associates are extremely proud of the reputation Paradise has earned for providing exceptional service and producing the finest-quality products. —paradisebakery.com

STEAKHOUSES CASCIO’S - $$

1620 S. 10th St. - 402-345-8313

402.339.1944

402.505.6660

402.932.1944

402.934.9439

varsityromancoinpizza.com

Cascio’s is Omaha’s No. 1 steakhouse. We have been serving Omaha for 69 years. We feature steaks, chops, seafood, and Italian specialties. We have seven private party rooms, seating for up to 400 people, and plenty of parking. —casciossteakhouse.com

n Sandwi ube ch Re

THE DROVER RESTAURANT & LOUNGE - $$$ 2121 S. 73rd St. - 402-391-7440

Try Omaha’s Favorite Reuben!

Famous for the original Whiskey Steak. Truly a one-of-a-kind Midwestern experience. Excellent food, wine, service, and value. Rare... and very well done. Lunch Monday­- Friday 11 a.m.-2 p.m., cocktail hour 3-6 p.m., dinner nightly 5 p.m. —droverrestaurant.com

Omaha’s largest selection of craft beers. @OmahaMagazine

3578 Farnam St • 402-345-1708 www.beercornerusa.com

DINING GUIDE LEGEND

$=$1-10 • $$=$10-20 • $$$=$20-30 • $$$$=$30+

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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// 98 //

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

#OMAHAMAGAZINE SHARE YOUR PHOTOS OF OMAHA TO BE FEATURED HERE.

@abiteofchicago

@alexvielee

@banerjee.siddhartha

@huskertiara

@hayleyocho

@lolasblest

@fistfull_of_pixels

@lydiakang

instagram.com/omahamagazine

facebook.com/omahamagazine

@jfnlife

twitter.com/omahamagazine

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

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CARDINA L VIRTUES AT TREE ADVENTURES Jan. 23 at Arbor Day

NEBRASK A

BUILD IT! Jan. 16 at Strategic Air

Command & Aerospace Museum. Get a closer look at the “E” in STEM with this one-of-a-kind engineering exhibit. Build It! connects different types of engineering with local careers. Visitors of all ages have the chance to invent, design, analyze, build, and test their skills. 402-944-3100.

—sacmuseum.org

Lodge. Nature-lovers can learn more about this iconic red bird during this event, including their repertoire of songs, and how to attract them to the yard. 402-873-8717.

—arbordayfarm.org

HIBEERNATION WINTER BEER FES T Postponed to 2021 at Kinkaider

Brewing Co., Grand Island. Beer lovers w ill be able to sample beer from 1 2 different Nebraska brewer ies at this festival, which also includes food and live music. 4024 8 0 - 6 4 8 8 . —kinkaiderbrew ing.com

FULL WOLF MOON 5K and 8K Jan. 16 at Two Rivers State Recreation Area, Waterloo. Runners will enjoy a flat, and fast, good time at the third annual Wolf Moon 5K. The event includes hot chocolate, baked goodies, and door prizes. 402-917-7818.

—omaharun.org/events OGA LL A L A GUN SHOW Jan. 16-17 at Keith County Fair & Exhibit, Ogallala. Gun collectors from across the Midwest will gather and share their knowledge on hunting and guns. 308-284-6952.

—keithcountyfair.com

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

JAN.

16-17

MIK E SUPER: M AGIC AND ILLUSION Jan. 16 at the Lied Center, Lincoln. The winner of NBC’s hit show Phenomenon, a finalist on America’s Got Talent, and featured magician on Penn & Teller’s: Fool Us, Mike Super is bringing the magic to Lincoln. Enjoy this familyfriendly performance filled with illusions, intrigue, danger, anticipation, and excitement. 712-258-9164.

—liedcenter.org

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THE 43RD ARM Y BAND OF THE NEBR ASK A NATIONA L GUARD PRESENT S: “A VE TER AN’S DAY CONCERT” Jan. 31 at Lied Center for

Performing Arts, Lincoln. This free performance was rescheduled from Nov. 15, 2020. This group is made up of Citizen Soldiers who bring a wide variety of skills, talents, and longevity to the unit. 712-258-9164.

—liedcenter.org

MIZ CR ACK ER’S "SHE’S A WOM AN" TOUR Feb. 9 at Bourbon Theatre, 1415

O St, Lincoln. Miz Cracker is a New York City drag queen, writer, and comedienne who launched her drag career in 2011. She went on to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10, landing a spot in the top five and becoming a fan favorite.

—bourbontheatre.com

T WO RIVERS VA LENTINE’S DAY 5K

Feb. 13 at Two Rivers. This event is part of the Winter Fitness Series, back for their eighth year. Stick to your resolutions by signing up for this FEB. 5K. 402-917-7818.

—rungurusays.com

13

NEBR ASK A CAT T LEMEN’S CL AS SIC Feb. 13-21 at Buffalo County

Fairgrounds, Kearney. Nebraska is one of the largest beef producers in the nation, and this show features many of the state’s largest cattlemen. Highlights include Battle of the Breeds, a chef’s Best Beef competition, as well as several new events. Youth are encouraged to show and sell cattle. 308-627-6385.

—cattlemens.org

PAUL A POUNDS TONE Feb. 27 at Lied Center for Performing Arts, Lincoln.

Poundstone is a revered panelist on NPR’s Wait, Wait. . .Don’t Tell Me. She was the first woman to host the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and is the recipient of an American Comedy Award for Best Female Stand-up Comic.

402-472-4747.

—liedcenter.org IOWA

BARNES BULL RIDING CHA LLENGE

Jan. 23-24 at Tyson Events Center, Sioux City. The late owner of Barnes PRCA Rodeo once told a reporter, ”We are to rodeo—what Cadillac is to cars.” This bull-riding challenge is a family-friendly event that is sure to please those ages 1 to 99. 402-279-4850.

—tysoncenter.com

// EXPLORE CALENDAR //

37TH ANNUA L BA LD E AGLE APPRECIATION DAYS Jan. 16-17 in

Keokuk. View bald eagles in their natural habitat at the Mississippi Riverfront and Victory Park & Southside Boat Club. A variety of indoor activities are also available at River City Mall. 319524-5599 —keokukiowatourism.org

41S T ANNUA L UNIVERSIT Y OF OKOBOJI WINTER GA MES Jan.

28-31 at Lake Okoboji. Iowa’s fictional university puts on this annual festival. Activites include broomball, flag football, softball, bags tournament, chili cook-off, chocolate classic, and a polar plunge.

712-332-2107.

—uofowintergames.com

SNOW BOX DERBY Feb. 7 at Mount Crescent, Crescent. Cardboard, glue, paint, and imagination will be used to create a variety of derby vehicles that will slide down the ski hills during this special event. 712-545-3850.

—skicrescent.com DES MOINES HOME AND GARDEN SHOW Feb. 11-14 at Iowa Events Center,

Des Moines. This show features over 400 exhibitors, 1,000 experts, and amazing gardens. 515-244-5456.

—desmoineshomeandgardenshow.com

COLOR THE WIND KITE FES TIVA L

AN E VENING WITH MICHAEL BUBLÉ

Feb. 21 at Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines. This popular crooner is returning to his hugely successful “An Evening With Michael Bublé” Tour in February and March 2021. Tickets for previously scheduled dates will be honored.

—iowaeventscenter.com/wells-fargo-arena

BERT K REISCHER’S THE BERT Y BOY TOUR Feb. 28 in Sioux

FEB.

City. Due to the current global health crisis as well as travel and performance restrictions, comedian Bert Kreischer’s The Berty Boy Tour at Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City, IA was rescheduled.

—orpheumlive.com

28

K ANSAS

WSU CHILDREN’S DANCE FES TIVA L

Jan. 26 at Wilner Auditorium, Wichita.

This festival brings together performers from across the Midwest to share and showcase their talents. Master classes will be taught by WSU Dance Faculty.

316.978.3530.

—wichita.edu

THE YE TI OBS TACLE COURSE

Jan. 30 at Zip KC, Bonner Springs.

The YETI is a 5K with over 25 fun, challenging obstacles intended to get you up and out of the house. 913-214-9478.

—travelks.com

Feb. 20 at the Seawall, Clear Lake. CBS EDDIE PA LMIERI Feb. 6 at Sunday Morning once referred to Hutchinson Fox Theatre, this as “A kaleidoscope at the end Hutchinson. Known as one of a string.” One of the Midwest’s FEB. of the finest pianists of the largest and most colorful kite past 60 years, Eddie Palmieri festivals, the event features is a bandleader, arranger and everything from inflatables to composer of salsa and Latin jazz. home-made kites. 409-797-3500.

620-663-586.

—colorthewind.org —hutchinsonfox.com

06

WINTERFES T Jan. 23 at Amana Colonies, Amana.This annual festival includes such zany games as ham-throwing and a beard contest. 319-622-7622.

—amanacolonies.com BACKCOUNTRY FILM FES TIVA L

TBA at Indian Creek Nature Center, Cedar Rapids. The 16th annual Backcountry Film Festival will host their first-ever virtual tour through May 2021.

319-362-0664.

—winterwildlands.org

DILLON LECTURE SERIES: COL. M ARK TILLM AN Feb. 23 at Hutchinson

Sports Arena, Hutchinson. The Dillon Lecture Series welcomes Col. Mark Tillman to the 2020 Lecture Series. Col. Mark Tillman served as commander of Air Force One during the two terms of President George W. Bush. 620-665-3505.

—visithutch.com

JAZZ FESTIVAL Feb. 14 at Friends

University, Wichita. This night out features lots of jazz music by the Wichita University Jazz Festival. 316-295-5000. —friends.edu

REBIRTH BR AS S BAND Feb. 26 at Hutchinson Fox Theatre. Formed in 1983 by the Frazier brothers, the Rebirth Brass Band is a true New Orleans institution.

620-663-586. —hutchinsonfox.com WOM AN’S WORLD CONFERENCE Feb. 26-27 at Manhattan Christian College, Manhattan. Woman’s World is a nondenominational event that helps women understand their significance in God’s eyes. It includes practical seminars, a dynamic keynote speaker, buffet meals, times of worship, and lots of other surprises. 785-539-3571. —mccks.edu MISSOURI

K ANSAS CIT Y RES TAUR ANT

Week Jan. 8-17 throughout Kansas City. This annual 10-day dining event that spotlights Kansas City’s hottest restaurants. —kcrestaurantweek.com

K ANSAS CIT Y WINTER WHISK E Y TAS TING FES TIVA L Jan. 23 in

Kansas City. This festival gives whiskey-lovers the opportunity to sample ever ything from Irish whiskey to a blend of bourbon and r ye. There is a limited number of tickets available. —whiskydo.com

ANAT COHEN QUARTE TINHO Feb. 12 at The Folly Theater, Kansas City. Grammy-nominated clarinetistsaxophonist Anat Cohen is performing her unique blend of modern and traditional jazz, classical music, Brazilian choro, Argentine tango, and Afro-Cuban styles. 816-474-4444.

—follytheater.org JOHN PIZZ ARELLI Feb. 13 at The Folly Theater, Kansas City. Pizzarelli recently released his new album, For Centennial Reasons: 100 Year Salute to Nat King Cole. 816-474-4444. —follytheater.org CHOCOL ATE WINE TR AIL Feb. 20 at Hermann Wine Trail, St. Louis. This unique event pairs chocolates with wine along seven stops on the Hermann Wine Trail. 800-932-8687. —visithermann.com Event times and details may change.

Visit omahamagazine.com for complete listings.

Check with venue or event organizer to confirm.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 101 //

Bo munchy

DINING PROFILE // STORY BY DAISY HUTZELL-RODMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY BILL SITZMANN DESIGN BY MATT WIECZOREK

Eat Their Way Through 2020

From left: Aaron Gum and Tony Bonacci

“I applaud them for being able to think on their feet and figure out how to keep going with their podcast. They are lighthearted, zany, and really plugged into pop culture” // 102 //

Dereck Higgins

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

oys

Podcast Creators Entertain, Help Locals During Pandemic

W

hile most people learned new recipes and ate at home during the majority of 2020, two filmmakers in Omaha ate out as often as ever.

Longtime friends Tony Bonacci and Aaron Gum frequently eat at restaurants. Gum, in fact, doesn’t use his stove for cooking, but rather as a temporary resting place for pieces and parts for his collection of arcade and pinball machines.

“Tony used to call me up and say ‘hey want to go munch?’” Gum said. The bachelor without a stove was always down to chow.

The tech-minded individuals created a trendy media form out of their hobby last year upon suggestion from a guy at the gym where Bonacci exercises. They had been toying around with the idea of a podcast, but in February 2020, the pair decided to go for it.

Their first stop was El Rancho. They tested the waters at a favorite restaurant where they knew the food was good, eating in the restaurant with no idea what was about to happen worldwide.

“That was a different world,” Bonacci said.

“That’s the interesting part of it. We started it with this idea of going to eat somewhere and then go back to Aaron’s and recording.”

Their media experience comes in handy, as the two created zany, humorous characters and, from the first episode, talk about everything from poblanos and burritos to polar bears on-air. They admitted that the podcast was going to evolve as they gained experience, but they did not expect it to evolve drastically three weeks later.

“Our last actual episode dining in a restaurant was at Flavors, and that was a buffet,” Gum said. The arcade collector wasn’t watching the news religiously, but he could tell things were going south fast, as he was being told his orders for parts from China were delayed or out-ofstock. After the third show, he told Bonacci they should go to Tokyo Sushi quickly and get it in the can before the restaurant closed, but they second-guessed themselves and never went.

The Munchy Boys stood six feet apart in a line on March 17 reading a sign that they could not refill their soda cups as they waited for takeout

from Block 16. They took the food back to Gum’s in-home studio and, as Bonacci said, “munched on the mike.”

Between bites of croque monsieur and vegan burritos, Gum and Bonacci’s podcast evolved further. By episode seven, the pair traveled to Tasty Pizza separately and recorded a video episode, complete with visuals of their food and pop culture references.

The entire month of April, the duo feasted on video. They named their final bite the “king bite,” putting way too much food into their mouths in order to clean their plates. They ate at the Dire Lion food truck, where they were able to nosh on fish-and-chips and bacon butty sandwiches from their vehicles and Pim’s Thai Catering & Takeout sponsored a show.

Friends and fans began to call in to the show on an occasional basis, waxing philosophical with Bonacci and Gum about everything from movies to music to food. The April video episodes were some of their most popular to date, but by May, the format switched again.

Perhaps it was watching episode 10 as the friends slopped barbecue sauce and licked their fingers, but more likely it was the time commitment of creating and editing videos for fun when they do this for a living. Their 12th episode was broadcast via Zoom, and they continued that for several episodes.

They said there have been a couple of places that they felt uncomfortable visiting, but it wasn’t so much about food safety as having to touch things like pens to sign receipts.

While they are serious about making sure safety and social distancing is a part of their show, they are more laid back about the podcasts.

Their theme worked beautifully in this topsy-turvy year. “[My girlfriend and I] joke about how there’s food all the time now,” Bonacci said.

As the format changed, a few things stayed consistent, in part thanks to Bonacci’s research.

“I listen to a few podcasts,” Bonacci said. “So I knew we needed an intro, we needed a song.

Aaron did that cool intro video. We did a synth segment as a regular thing. We can definitely do more formatting and planning.”

Bonacci’s quirky sense of humor is combined with Gum’s love of synthesizers to create new music for each episode.

Meanwhile, 2020 happened. Murder hornets made their way to the United States, filmmaker Harvey Weinstein was convicted, the Dow suffered its single worst point-drop in a day, and police-involved killings of Black people sparked protests around the nation. The Munchy Boys kept breaking bread, although they took a season break between May 14 and June 12.

“A lot has changed in our overall subconscious When all the protests were happening, it didn’t make sense for us to do a fun show when the city was hurting,” Gum said. “Then when we came back, we went to Okra and we asked Dereck Higgins to join us. I feel like we were going to do more Black-owned local businesses.

Our intentions were good, but we were probably just lazy.”

“I applaud them for being able to think on their feet and figure out how to keep going with their podcast. They are lighthearted, zany, and really plugged into pop culture,” said Higgins, a musician and friend of the guys. “I think it’s great.”

And while the two used to haunt their favorites, they have branched out and found new places during this time when most people hunkered down and ate at home. In late November, the boys carried out carbs from Orsi’s Pizza, a restaurant never before patronized by Omaha areanative Gum, who ultimately said he liked it.

Their fan base, while not large, has been consistent.

“We just assume it’s not that many [people who listen],” Bonacci said. “When we were at Tim Maides’ popup, a lot of people came up and were like ‘Oh are you doing a Munchy Boys podcast?’ That was kind of crazy.”

“Honestly, it’s just fun to listen to him and Tony hanging out and feeling like I can be there when I can’t,” said friend and fan Chelsea Balzer. “I love their rapport and being able to hear people having just a normal interaction. It makes me feel like I am there. I love that they do whatever they want...It’s so them.”

And though 2021 is a new year with new promise, one thing is certain. Bonacci and Gum will continue their chow down through O town.

Because, as Bonacci said, “Munchy boys gotta munch.”

Visit themunchyboys.libsyn.com to listen to the podcasts.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

// 103 //

NOT FUNNY // COLUMN BY OTIS TWELVE // PHOTOGRAPH BY BILL SITZMANN

MENS SANA IN CO RPO RE SANO

I

f I constantly worry about being a hypochondriac, is that a symptom of hypochondria?

Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? And if it does, what happens if I eat an apple for lunch and then I need a doctor later that same afternoon?

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Really? I’m always in bed before prime time TV is half over, and I’ve been getting up before the dawn for decades. Yet I have had more than a few major surgeries, unpleasant gastrointestinal tests, painful dental procedures, my knees hurt all the time, and my bank account rarely shows any huge, untraceable deposits. As for wisdom, well, let’s just say, I have depended on the intelligence of the American public way too often over the years, trusted TV weather folks when planning cookouts, and was positive that the Game of Thrones writers would produce a satisfying ending. In other words, wisdom continues to elude me.

Is an ounce of prevention really worth a pound of cure? Is weight the measure we should be using? I mean an ounce of gold is going for more than $1,800, and a pound of ground beef is only $4. And an ounce of a certain herb that helps treat glaucoma can get you a simple citation while a pound (or kilo) might get you a couple years in prison.

“You are what you eat,” people say. That is a particularly disturbing concept. Basically we all eat dead things. Although occasionally crazy California used car dealers eat squirmy bugs in order to sell you a car. Also, I ate some octopus last week and have yet to sprout additional arms, so I doubt this bon mot.

A week without exercise makes you weak? I’ve tried this one both ways. If I exercise, I feel weak and achy after my workout and I want to take a nap. If I don’t exercise, I feel weak and achy and want to take a nap. I don’t see the difference.

What does it mean to “feel under the weather?” Aren’t we “under” the weather all the time…unless we’re going from New York City to Los Angeles via a redeye?

Am I as fit as a fiddle? I don’t know. How healthy is a 300-year-old Stradivarius compared to a six-month-old violin you bought at Musicland?

If you are on the “road to recovery” can I find you on Google Maps?

Stay healthy, my friends.

Otis Twelve hosts the radio program Early Morning Classics with Otis Twelve on 90.7 KVNO, weekday mornings from 6-10 a.m. Visit kvno.org for more information.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

// 104 //

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