
Ben Martens describes himself as a true Nebraska boy, raised on Runza, a graduate of the University of Nebraska, married a local gal and enjoying the good life of our state. Martens was raised in Seward, a community just a few miles outside of Lincoln. He came to Lincoln for college and graduated from University of Nebraska with a degree in finance. Martens dreamed of moving to the East Coast but found himself staying in Lincoln as he met his wife at UNL.

At the beginning of July 2021, Christina Usher assumed her duties as president of one of the oldest Rotary Clubs in the world, Lincoln’s Downtown Rotary, also known as Rotary 14.
In this capacity, Usher will lead the club of nearly 300 members out of the era of online Zoom meetings and into a new hybrid style for the 115-year-old organization at a new location, the Embassy Suites Hotel in downtown Lincoln.
Usher said she has two primary themes for her year as Rotary president.
“First, building community," she said. "Post-pandemic lockdown, it is vitally important for us to gather in person, reinvest in our personal and business networks, and to again build friendships that stretch beyond our closest circles – circles we’ve been 'stuck' in the last year because of the pandemic. From this foundation of community, we can reach further and stronger in service to others."




Erin Dobesh is prepared to be a Rotarian for the rest of her life. As a Lincoln transplant who has lived both in Kansas and Colorado, she has found her most welcoming community in Rotary 14. This club has shaped her opinions of Lincoln and made this capital city into her home. She originally came to Lincoln for graduate school and graduated with a Master’s degree in architecture from University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2007. For the past six years, she has worked as an architect at Davis Design. Erin lives in Lincoln with her husband Ryan and their dog.
Erin and Ryan joined Rotary in February of 2016. They were brought into the organization by Randy Bretz. Ryan met Randy when working with TEDxLincoln. Dobesh said that they had joined previous service groups while trying to get more involved in Lincoln. However, after attending a couple Rotary 14 meetings with Bretz, they realized that this was the perfect organization to find volunteer opportunities and like-minded people. Now, six years later, Erin is proud of the organization and their work. She expected to get involved and make friends but not expect to feel this immense amount of pride. She loves the wide range of ages, personalities, and backgrounds that are represented in the club and enjoys the welcoming environment.








