Speakers

Blossomed Out of Pure Love for the Community: With over two decades of floral design experience inspired by her mother’s gardening passion, owner Natalie Elsberry has always felt the Lord’s calling to spread her love for flowers and plants throughout Lincoln, Nebraska. Natalie founded and operated I Bloom, a local floral company specializing in wedding arrangements, before launching her own full-service flower boutique storefront for every occasion in 2019.

Of the Earth Florals has since filled the city’s gap as a warm and welcoming one-stop-shop for flora and fauna, local gifts and goodies, daily deliveries, community gatherings and more, meeting several customer needs that other flower shops in the city hadn’t been fulfilling. They offer the freshest, most lush and eclectic flowers available, and are guided by an unending love for natural beauty and sustainability. Treat yourself or a friend to a beautiful arrangement, join them for a class, request delivery for your next big event or simply stop by their store and say hello. Community fuels their mission, and they can’t wait to exceed your floral expectations.

Please join us on Tuesday, April 30 at noon for our special guest presenter, Governor Jim Pillen. This event will require pre-registration for lunch due to anticipated larger attendance. 

For questions, please contact Jess Kinser, 2023-2024 Rotary 14 President, at kinsernote@gmail.com. 

Dr. Rodney D. Bennett is the 21st chancellor of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, Nebraska’s flagship, Land-Grant and Big Ten institution. He is a 30-year veteran of higher education with a track record of growing research, increasing student success and building impactful partnerships.

Chancellor Bennett came to Nebraska after nine years of successful leadership at the University of Southern Mississippi. During his tenure as president, USM was reclassified from a Carnegie R2 to an R1 university, signaling growth in research prestige and funding. Dr. Bennett also invested in programs to support student recruitment, retention and outcomes, including for the 30 percent of USM students who were first-generation. His efforts led to an improvement in the university’s six-year graduation rate. He also held roles at the University of Georgia for more than a decade, Winthrop University in South Carolina, and Middle Tennessee State University. 

Chancellor Bennett values community leadership and service. He has served on numerous boards, including the Mississippi Aquarium, Northeast Georgia Girl Scouts of America, Catholic Health East (Philadelphia), and St. Mary’s Health Care System in Athens, Georgia. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and Past Sire Archon for Sigma Pi Phi fraternity, The Boulé.

Dr. Bennett earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication, a master’s degree in educational administration, and an education specialist degree from Middle Tennessee State. He earned his Doctor of Education degree from Tennessee State University.

He and his wife, Temple, are the parents of two adult daughters, Colby and Logan.

Rotary 14 will be joined by Shannon Harner, Executive Director of Nebraska Investment Authority (NIFA), and Charlie Wesche, Interim Executive Director of NeighborWorks Lincoln, for an informative presentation on Affordable Housing Developments in Lincoln from a government and non-government perspective. 

More info to come. 

More info to come. 

Tom Kerfoot joined Children's Nebraska in January of 2016 as a Director of Development for Philanthropy. Tom attended Bellevue University for Marketing Management and has thirteen years of experience in healthcare fundraising, working previously for the CHI Health Foundation. Tom has a long record of successfully working with private donors, foundations and corporate sponsors to secure funding for projects and programs. He has extensive experience in event planning and management, and collaborated with a team to develop the planned giving program at CHI Health Foundation.

Tom completed the Certificate in Fundraising Management through the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He is currently the Vice President – Marketing & Sponsorships for the Charitable Gift Planners of Nebraska and is a member of the Omaha Estate Planning Council. Tom earned the designation of Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy in 2016 through a year-long program with The American College of Financial Services and the Omaha Community Foundation.

Tom has received numerous awards and recognition for his volunteer work in the community. He was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year in 2007, 2013 and 2014 for the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce. He received the highest honor of Chamber Excellence Award in 2016 for the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce. He was honored as the Volunteer of the Year in 2009 for the La Vista Chamber of Commerce. He was recognized as the Friend of La Vista in 2011 for his work with the foundation and volunteer work in the community.