OMAHA, Neb., Feb. 26, 2020 – The largest YP Summit in Nebraska is also the largest YP Summit in the nation: more than 1,500 young professionals gathering March 6 at CHI Health Center in Omaha to collaborate, connect and innovate, as the Greater Omaha Chamber celebrates 15 years of empowering individuals.
An annual highlight of the event: honoring Change Makers – emerging leaders shaping next-generation thought.
This year’s Change Makers include Darryl Brown Jr., founding and senior pastor of Kingdom Builders Christian Center of Omaha; Jasmine L. Harris, MPH, CHES, director of public policy and advocacy, RISE; Candias Jones, professional career coach, Mutual of Omaha; and Lynn Schneider, creative strategist, Emspace + Lovgren.
“Allowing the spiritual, sexual, and mental health condition of our community to remain the same is absolutely not good enough. The remedy is to make change,” said Brown, an author, advocate and spiritual life coach who is being recognized for motivating people to “walk into the best version of themselves.”
Diagnosed with HIV in his 20s, Brown says he spent years coming to terms with the diagnosis, and ultimately forgave the man responsible. Currently, Brown provides sexual health education to youth, and has created programming to help the homeless.
Jeremy Bouman is founder and CEO, of RISE, a career-building, community-growth initiative for currently and formerly incarcerated individuals – 2020 Change Maker Harris is director of public policy and advocacy at RISE.
“Jasmine’s passion and commitment to serve her hometown Omaha and fight for people impacted by the criminal justice system is an inspiration to us all and improves the lives of so many in our community,” Bouman said. “Thank you to the Greater Omaha Chamber and the Young Professionals Council for recognizing Jasmine and her heroic, change-making leadership.”
Like Harris, Change Maker Jones, applies “passion and commitment” to encourage individual – and community – transformation.
A childhood sexual trauma and violence survivor, Jones channeled her experiences to create a career coaching program at Mutual of Omaha as an outlet for employees to share similar traumatic events in their personal and professional lives. Jones has established a replicable corporate framework to increase employee engagement and retention.
Schneider, who caps the group of this year’s Change Makers, is being recognized for her role in developing Emspace + Lovgren’s student outreach program, Forge. Now in its eighth year, Forge is a five-session program that invites 10-12 area communications and design students to gain unique insights into the profession and to begin building their own professional networks. By providing knowledge that students may not otherwise find in the classroom, Schneider helps to show a new generation of professionals tthere are incredible opportunities right here in Omaha.
“When Lynn suggested this idea, I knew right away she was onto something completely unique to our community. Our connections with former Forgers are strong, and we are delighted that so many of them have become our professional peers over the years,” said Elizebeth Murphy, president, Emspace + Lovgren.
About the YP Summit
YP Summit organizers strive to provide a positive experience that energizes young professionals, celebrates many points of view, expands networks and challenges attendees —all with the goal of extending our talents.
About Greater Omaha
Greater Omaha is a No. 1 ranked up-and-coming-tech hotspot and Time magazine’s 2017 No. 3 Most Up-and-Coming City in America. Recognized for its “We Don’t Coast” attitude, and named America’s No. 2 Best Small City, Greater Omaha is home to more than 30 communities and nearly 1 million people, with a youthful population (more than 40 percent are age 24 or younger), low cost of living and steady economic growth that outpaces the nation. Berkshire Hathaway, Mutual of Omaha, Peter Kiewit Sons’ Inc. and Union Pacific – all Fortune 500 companies – call Greater Omaha “home.”
About the Greater Omaha Chamber
The mission of the Greater Omaha Chamber is to champion a thriving business community and a prosperous region through visionary leadership and collaboration.
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