Professional Development Academy – Presenter Bios

Derek Elton
UNK Undergraduate Student, Department of Kinesiology & Sport Sciences

Derek Elton is from Columbus, Nebraska and currently attends UNK as an undergraduate. He is working toward a degree in exercise science with a minor in health science and has a goal of obtaining his doctorate to pursue a career in research. Derek is involved in multiple campus organizations such as the UNK Honors Program, Exercise Science Club, Christian Student Fellowship, Health Science Club and the KSS Ambassadors. Derek also gives campus tours and is involved in the UNK URF program. His research interests include health-related behavioral motivation, physical activity and physiological aspects of the human body. Outside of academics, Derek enjoys exercising, hiking, listening to podcasts, reading and spending time with friends and family.

Jada Ruff
UNK Graduate Student, Department of Communication

Jada Ruff is a graduate assistant with UNK's Department of Graduate Studies & Academic Outreach. As a founding member of the University's Professional Development Academy, she provides leadership for the Academy's implementation team. Jada also creates content-driven newsletters that connect students to academic opportunities at the graduate level. 

Mila Serefko
UNK Graduate Student, Department of Communication Disorders

Mila Serefko is a graduate student at UNK pursuing a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. She recently graduated with her bachelor’s degree in communication disorders. She serves UNK’s Department of Graduate Studies & Academic Outreach as a graduate assistant.  

Olivia Slater
UNK Graduate Student, Department of Communication

Olivia Slater is a graduate student at UNK pursuing a master’s degree in public communication. She recently graduated with her bachelor’s degree from UNK in May, majoring in sports management with a minor is advertising and public relations. Olivia’s ideal job would be in marketing or human resources. She serves UNK’s Department of Graduate Studies & Academic Outreach as a graduate assistant.  

Megan Berry
Marketing Director, Heartland Bank

Communication is key, and once you get to know Megan, you’ll realize how much she reflects this value throughout her actions in work and life. Witty and bubbly, Megan Berry is the marketing director for Heartland Bank, where she oversees the marketing department for all 12 branches of the bank, including three other business entities associated with the bank. Possessing a fierce creative drive, Megan is constantly buzzing with unique and original ideas to better showcase a business's brand. As a forward-thinker, she enjoys the challenge of turning these ideas into goals and working tirelessly toward a finely-honed end product that is certain to impress.

A Kearney native and KHS graduate, she is proud that her career endeavors have led to deeper community involvement, allowing her to become involved with such active organizations as Junior Achievement, Leadership Kearney, Kearney Area Young Professionals Network, and serving as an advisor for the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority at UNK.

Clifton StrengthsFinder Top 5: Communication. Strategic. Individualization. Achiever. Arranger.

Amy Rundstrom
Director, UNK Academic Advising & Career Development

Amy Rundstrom has worked at UNK for 23 years, first as an advisor and assistant director in Academic Advising, then as associate director and now director of Academic Advising and Career Development. UNK’s AACD office helps students find a major and then a career.  In Amy’s role, she also works with students on academic probation and suspension, as well as running the Early Alert and Partners Achieving Student Success (PASS) program. 

Bryce Abbey, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, UNK Kinesiology and Sport Sciences

Bryce Abbey is an associate professor in Kinesiology and Sport Sciences with a master’s degree in exercise science from UNK and a Ph.D. in human sciences with a specialization in nutrition and health sciences from UNL. Bryce also serves as director of the UNK Employee Health and Wellness Program. Bryce is a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Condition Coaches Association. He also serves as a master assessor with the NSAA wrestling weight management program and assists UNK wrestling with their weight management program.  

Kiphany Hof, LIMHP
Associate Director, UNK Counseling | Independent Mental Health Practitioner

Kiphany Hof is a licensed independent mental health practitioner and the associate director at UNK Counseling. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Colorado State University and a Master of Science in counseling from the University of Wyoming. Previous work experience includes working with youth and adults in inpatient, residential and day treatment settings and teaching as an adjunct professor in the Counseling and School Psychology department at UNK. Kiphany is trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and her area of specialty is treating eating disorders. She is also trained in the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) and Assessing and Managing Suicide Risk (AMSR).  

Richard Mocarski, Ph.D.
Chief Research Officer, UNK

Richard Mocarski, Ph.D., is the Chief Research Officer at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In his career he has helped procure over $500 million in grant awards across UNK, the University of Alabama, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. As the CRO, he oversees the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Office of Research Integrity, the Office of Research Development, the office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, and UNK Institutional Network of Specialize Research Equipment. He believes that research skills are vital to fostering data-driven decision-making to help make the world a better place through individual and collaborative inquiry.

Chandra Díaz, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, UNK College of Education

Dr. Chandra Díaz is an assistant professor of middle level education in the UNK College of Education. She has a B.S. in middle grades: math, art, and social science with a specialization in multicultural education, an M.S. in curriculum & instruction: urban education, and a Ph.D. in educational studies. Currently, she serves as a board of trustee for Association of Middle Level Educators (AMLE) and chairs the Professional Preparation Advisory Committee. Her work is grounded in teacher preparation with a focus on adolescents, implicit bias, culturally sustaining pedagogies, and trauma-sensitive approaches. Her research interests are advocacy for historically marginalized populations and teacher preparation.

Sherry Stansberry
Executive Director, The Arc of Buffalo County

Sherry Stansberry serves as the executive director for The Arc of Buffalo County beginning 2016. Her many years of experience in the field of Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) has provided her with a wide range of experience to draw on when supporting persons with I/DD in Kearney and the surrounding area. Sherry also serves or has served on the Nebraska Statewide Independent Living Council, the Region III Developmental Disabilities Council, the Munroe-Meyer Community Advisory Board as well as the Goodwill-Kearney Advisory Board. In addition, she has worked in a variety of positions from direct care staff to manager with MNIS of Kearney.  

Sherry wears many hats as is common in the field of disability services and is currently the outreach coordinator for People First of Nebraska as well as an independent provider contracting with the State of Nebraska. Her position with The Arc of Buffalo County has provided her an opportunity to develop and implement new programming for members and families, such as Parent Group, DAYcation, and a variety of skills training. Sherry is looking forward to meeting students to help them to achieve a well-rounded experience working with persons who experience I/DD. 

Jaci McKeever
TeamMates+ Coordinator, TeamMates Mentoring

Jaci McKeever has served as a member of the TeamMates Mentoring Program since 2010.  She has served in various roles including quality control supervisor, Omaha Metro regional coordinator and currently oversees the TeamMates+ post-secondary program and the central office scholarships.  In her current role, she focuses on providing student support through mentoring and soft skill development as students pursue their post-secondary education 

Michael Teahon, Ed.D.
Chair and Associate Professor, UNK Educational Administration

Mike Teahon is in his fourth year as an associate professor and chair of UNK’s Educational Administration Department after spending 34 years in public schools as a teacher, coach, principal, and twenty years as a superintendent. Mike was honored to be selected as the Nebraska Superintendent of the year in 2018 by his peers. He remains active in leadership development throughout Nebraska as a member of the Nebraska Council of School Administrators, the Greater Nebraska Superintendents and is currently coordinating the inaugural cohort of the NexGen Leadership Academy.

Brenda Jochum
Associate Director, UNK CBT Career Center

Connections drive Brenda in her position at UNK, whether it is connecting with a student, employer, community member or, even more exciting, connecting them to each other. Working at UNK for three decades, she began in the Industrial Technology Department as a student worker, then an office associate, then internship director. She moved to the College of Business and Technology Career Center in 2017 and in addition to working with the internship program for sixteen majors, she gives course presentations and provides individual student appointments on resumes, career development, and CliftonStrengths. She has a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications from UNK and a master’s degree in youth development from UNL. Being a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach has provided new opportunities to connect with others and bring the joy of living strengths each day. Her Top 5 are Connectedness, Responsibility, Ideation, Belief, and Learner.  Originally from Axtell, she has called Kearney home for most of her life where she and her husband Scott have raised their two children, Zach and Katelynn.