Diller “Network Weaver” Among 2023 Young Nebraskans Honorees
Connecting Young Nebraskans (CYN) announced the 2023 Young Nebraskan awardees during its October 19 biennial summit, attended by about 120 young Nebraskans in Kearney at the Younes Conference Center North.
Prior to the Summit, CYN invited nominations of exemplary young professionals who are making a positive impact in their workplaces and communities. Awards were presented in six categories to ambitious young Nebraskans across the state.
2023 CYN Network Weaver
Kayla Schnuelle of Diller was named the 2023 CYN Network Weaver – an individual who embodies CYN’s mission to connect young Nebraskans and empower them to lead and shape the future.
Schnuelle’s professional passion is the intersection of leadership development and facilitation, and she specializes in strategic planning, organizational capacity building, meeting facilitation and design and leadership development. Schnuelle volunteers for the Diller-Odell Booster Club and the Diller Community Foundation Fund and was instrumental in launching Diller’s Youth Serviceship Camp, which is teaching young people the importance of community and how to be of service to others. Schnuelle is also credited with founding the Connecting Young Nebraskans organization and remains deeply engaged with the group.
Community Involvement & Impact Award
Courtney Glock of Grand Island received the Community Involvement & Impact Award for significant contributions to her community through civic engagement and involvement with charitable organizations. Glock serves as vice president of the Grand Island Area Chamber of Commerce as well as coordinator of the Grand Island Young Professionals, which has seen significant growth under her leadership. Glock worked to connect Hastings, Kearney and Grand Island Young Professionals chapters and the groups now host three tri-city events every year, connecting hundreds of young professionals in the area. Glock also coordinates over 800 volunteers at the Nebraska State Fair, helped launch a soft-skills development program and has also lent her skills to numerous charitable organizations including Northwest Education Foundation, GRACE Cancer Foundation, Make-A-Wish and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
An honorable mention for this award went to Kristina Reeves of Chadron.
Diversity & Inclusion Award
Nina Lanuza of Schuyler received the Diversity & Inclusion Award for her dedication to creating a welcoming environment and fostering a sense of belonging for all people, especially for those of diverse cultures, backgrounds, identities and experiences. As a Senior Community Organizer at the Center for Rural Affairs, she meets with community leaders to discover their challenges and assists them with bridging gaps across cultural divides. During the pandemic, Lanuza launched a YouTube channel to distribute public health information in Spanish. As the first Latina to serve on the Schuyler Public School Board, she was often the only line of communication between the board and Spanish-speaking parents. She has also served the missions of the Immigrant Legal Center, Heartland Workers Center, Schuyler Chamber of Commerce and Centro Hispano Comunitario de Nebraska.
An honorable mention for this award went to Martha Marfileno of Kearney.
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Award
The Entrepreneurship & Innovation Award, which aims to recognize innovators who have contributed significantly towards the development of a new business or idea, went to Josh Holmquist of Burwell. Born and raised in Burwell, Holmquist didn’t see many career options of interest upon graduating high school. Today he gives young people and fellow Nebraskans the advice he would’ve liked to hear: think outside of the box and use the resources in your community to try careers that aren’t always front and center. For Holmquist, that was becoming the co-owner and Chief Operating Officer of Normal Roasting Company, a small batch specialty coffee roasting company located in Central Nebraska. Josh is also a plumber, electrician, speaker and mentor to numerous Midwest coffee shops through his newest business venture, Theory Coffee Tech.
An honorable mention for this award went to Aliza Brunsing of West Point.
Leadership & Professional Development Award
The Leadership & Professional Development Award which recognizes an individual who has made a significant impact on their peers in the workplace went to Courtney Burbach of Kearney. As Program Leader at the Kearney Family YMCA, Burbach has positively impacted thousands of young people, adults and families by launching a new creative arts program as well as programs for people with special needs. She recruits and trains nearly 2,000 volunteer coaches and recently led an event that raised over $14,000 in a single day for the Strong Families Campaign. Burbach has also served numerous organizations in a volunteer capacity, among them Kearney Area Young Professionals Network, TeamMates, Alpha Omicron Phi, UNK, Kearney Area TOPSoccer, St. Jude’s, the ARC of Buffalo County and Millard North High School Unified Special Olympics.
An honorable mention for this award went to Madison Jagels of Hastings.
Young Professional of the Year Award
The Young Professional of the Year Award went to Melissa Norgard of Sidney. Norgard is the owner of Sam & Louie’s and Boss City Brewing, chair of the Sidney and Greater Area Fund and lead of the Creative District and Historical Preservation Board. In her spare time, she writes grants for the City of Sidney (including a housing proposal that was recently awarded $1.5 million). She worked tirelessly on a 90-plus page application for Sidney to be a certified Creative District and is also active in the local Energizing Entrepreneurial Ecosystems initiative, volunteering her time and giving guidance rooted in her experience in economic development and small business ownership. Norgard also serves on the Historic Preservation Board and has worked to retool programs to update dilapidated historic buildings downtown.
About Connecting Young Nebraskans
Connecting Young Nebraskans CYN connects young Nebraskans and empowers them to lead and shape the future of their communities and state. CYN’s statewide network is a dynamic and diverse group of more than 900 peers with a passion for making a difference, a willingness to learn and the desire to build important relationships to help shape the future of Nebraska. Connecting Young Nebraskans is an affiliated fund of Nebraska Community Foundation.
