Events

Kristen Hassebrook is a seasoned government affairs professional with over 15 years of public policy leadership experience, spanning the legislative and regulatory arenas in agriculture, higher education, and business advocacy. Since joining Mueller Robak in 2022, she has brought a distinctive skillset in membership and trade association lobbying to the firm, along with a strong record of results-driven advocacy. Kristen’s reputation is built on her ability to develop coalitions, deliver strategic policy initiatives, and foster lasting relationships based on trust, accountability, and expertise.

Most recently, Kristen served as Associate Vice President for Government Relations at the University of Nebraska, where she led a team responsible for advocating on behalf of the University’s interests in Lincoln, Washington, D.C., and across the state. In this role, she developed expertise in higher education finance and policy, supporting students, faculty, and researchers through complex state and federal issues. Prior to that, she served as Executive Vice President for Legislation and Policy at the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce & Industry, where she gained deep experience in taxation, business incentives, labor and employment law, and manufacturing policy.

Kristen’s agricultural background runs deep. As Vice President of Legal and Regulatory Affairs for Nebraska Cattlemen, she spent over five years lobbying and advising on matters impacting Nebraska’s beef producers. Her work helped shape state and federal policy concerning natural resources, environmental regulations, and agriculture law. A native of Laurel, Nebraska, Kristen’s connection to the industry is both personal and professional, as she and her family raise livestock outside of Lincoln.

Kristen holds a Juris Doctor degree, with distinction, from the University of Nebraska College of Law (2011) and a Bachelor of Arts degree, with distinction, in Political Science and Economics from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln (2008). She is admitted to practice before the Nebraska Supreme Court and the U.S. District Court for the District of Nebraska. Kristen is an active member of the Nebraska State Bar Association, serves on the Agriculture Law Section committee, and is also involved in the American Bar Association and Lincoln Bar Association. She serves as a board member of Invest Nebraska and the Raymond Central Youth Sports Association and teaches pre-K Sunday School at Trinity Lutheran Church.

Dennis Hoffman has served as the President and CEO of Family Service Lincoln since June 2017. He brought to the organization a strong background in program quality, service to vulnerable populations, and deep community connections.

Under Hoffman’s leadership, Family Service Lincoln has experienced significant growth and program expansion, including the launch of new initiatives that support the health and basic needs of families. Prior to joining Family Service, Hoffman served as Chief Program Officer at CenterPointe, where he was responsible for the development and oversight of housing and supportive services for individuals experiencing homelessness. He has also played a leadership role within Lincoln’s Continuum of Care.

Hoffman will present a new mixed-use development project for Family Service Lincoln, set to open this summer, called FiftyOne Commons. Located in northeast Lincoln, FiftyOne Commons includes eight affordable rowhouse rental units, a youth STEAM Activity Center, and a Community Crops garden.

FiftyOne Commons will add a seventh program area to Family Service Lincoln, an organization founded in 1891 as Lincoln, Nebraska’s first charitable organization. This development expands much-needed services for families, complementing existing programs that provide case management, housing support, behavioral health therapy, expanded learning opportunities, and nutrition and food programs to thousands of households each year.

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About the Speaker
Steve Pointon is a Belfast-born peacemaker, Pastor, and educator whose life and work have been shaped by the conflict and peacemaking in Northern Ireland. Raised in Belfast during the Troubles, Steve holds a degree in Law and Politics from the University of Ulster and professional qualifications in conflict management, youth leadership, and peacemaking. Through work both with the Northern Ireland Government and The European Union, Steve led peace and community relations initiatives—engaging hundreds in reconciliation projects in Northern Ireland and Serbia. Steve moved to the United States in 2007. He has lived in Nebraska since 2013, became a U.S. citizen in 2020, and currently serves at Nebraska Wesleyan University as Recruitment Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach for Men’s Soccer, as well as an adjunct instructor. He is also Pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in northeast Lincoln.

About the Talk: Bombs, Bullets & BFF’s: Northern Ireland, Conflict and Reconciliation
Drawing from lived experience and professional peacemaking work, Steve explores Northern Ireland’s decades-long conflict and the hard-won path to peace. This talk briefly examines the history of Northern Ireland and the conflict as well as the strategies used to move toward reconciliation, and how those lessons can help us understand conflict in our own communities. Through stories, history, and practical insight, Bombs, Bullets & BFF’s invites audiences to reflect on identity, division, and the possibilities for reconciliation—even in deeply divided societies.

February is Peacebuilding and Conflict Prevention Month for Rotary International.

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Mick Hale is a veteran educator with nearly 40 years of experience in both formal and informal classrooms. From 2015-2020, Mick was the Executive Director of Leadership Lincoln and in July of 2025, he returned to Leadership Lincoln in this role. Mick grew up in Pella, Iowa and came to Nebraska by way of Peru State College. Mick and his wife, Lisa, vice-president of Customer Service for LES, are active in the community supporting many civic causes. They have three children and two grandchildren they enjoy spending time with every chance they get.

• Click here for stories on how Rotarians are providing clean water and sanitation to those in need. https://rotaryserviceblog.org/tag/world-water-day/
• Click here to learn about and join the WASH Rotary Action Group, focused on clean water and sanitation projects. https://wash-rag.org/
• Click here to donate. Be sure to sign into your MyRotary.org account before completing your donation. Choose "Areas of Focus", "Water, Sanitation & Hygiene" to direct you donation for water projects. https://my.rotary.org/en/donate

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