Staff
Executive Committee
Chair, Pat Joyner, Weeping Water
Pat Joyner is a local Main Street Manager in Weeping Water. As head of the Revitalization Association of Weeping Water (RAWW), Pat has promoted Main Street, secured funds, and completed a variety of projects. Prior to RAWW, she worked with the Plattsmouth Main Street organization. Pat's extensive Main Street knowledge has proved to be an incredible asset to our state board.
Vice Chair, Luke Virgil, Wayne
Luke Virgil has been the Executive Director at Wayne Area Economic Development (WAED) since 2017 but has been working in economic development since 2012. Since starting at WAED, he has championed quality childcare, affordable housing, and reliable broadband access as strategies to attract talent and help rural Nebraska thrive. During his tenure at WAED, the organization has emphasized of tourism in Wayne and supported tourism-related business development and activities throughout the community. Virgil is a graduate of the Nebraska State Chamber’s Leadership Nebraska Program (Class IX) and is the co-chair of their Alumni Advisory Council. He participated in the Sherwood Foundation’s Community Catalyst Program (Cohort 15) and serves on various boards and committees in Wayne and Northeast Nebraska. Virgil grew up near Wahoo, NE and received his B.S. in Political Science at Wayne State College. He and his wife, Megan, have a son, Brody, and a daughter, Brynn.
Secretary, Ashley Peterson, Omaha
Ashley Peterson is the Marketing Coordinator for a sports software company called, ScoreVision. As a board member, she lends her creative strategy, promotion, and marketing skills to build visibility and awareness of Nebraska Main Street Network initiatives. Prior to her experience with ScoreVision, she served as an architectural associate for a firm specializing in historic preservation called Architexas. Her passion for historic preservation and community engagement fuels her desire to help revitalize the main streets of rural communities in Nebraska. Ashley’s energetic personality and knowledge of the architectural industry provide the ability to develop relationships with businesses and support their desire to further their reach.
Ashley graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor of Science in Design - Architecture in 2019 and has served on the board for over a year. She hopes to continue building strong relationships and preserving foundational structures that contribute to the history of our great state.
Treasurer, Dylan Schweer, Clay Center
Dylan Schweer is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In 2023, he graduated with a B.S. in Business Administration. He is currently employed at Nebraska Bank of Commerce. There, he oversees the teller line, manages scheduling, and strengthens customer relationships. Dylan's knowledge of business, banking, and available funds will prove crucial to the financial success of our organization.
At-Large Board Members
Dr. Sonya Grace Türkman, Lincoln
Dr. Sonya Grace Türkman is an Assistant Professor of Interior Design in the College of Architecture at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Her interdisciplinary background spans art, design, and architectural history; she holds a PhD in Art from the University of Georgia and an MA in Interior Design from the Savannah College of Art and Design. Türkman’s research investigates the social and spatial dynamics of designed environments, with a particular focus on historic urban markets and the cultures of labor that sustain them. Her scholarship contributes to the expanding discourse of interior architecture as a site of cultural, ethical, material, and preservation-oriented inquiry. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and contributed chapters to edited volumes from Routledge and Peter Lang. Prior to her appointment at Nebraska, Türkman taught at Istanbul Technical University, where she focused on historic preservation and adaptive reuse in one of the world’s most architecturally complex cities. She currently serves on the City of Lincoln’s Historic Preservation Commission and brings this expertise to her role on the board of the Nebraska Main Street Network.
Lauren Sheridan, Neligh
Lauren Sheridan is the Director of Economic Development for the City of Neligh, where she has dedicated over ten years to helping the community grow and thrive. She also serves as the Economic Development Director for Clearwater, Nebraska. She has been actively involved in projects that shape Neligh’s future—such as downtown revitalization, housing, childcare, and historic preservation. One of her proudest accomplishments was helping Neligh become Nebraska’s 9th Certified Local Government in 2024. Lauren also helped develop NebraskaChildcare.org, a statewide resource that supports access to quality childcare.
A graduate of the Nebraska State Chamber’s Leadership Nebraska Program (Class XIII), Lauren enjoys staying active on local and regional boards and committees that positively impact her community.
Originally from Virginia, she made Nebraska her home in 1990. Lauren earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Old Dominion University and is the proud mom of three—Kyle, Taylor, and Noah.
Randy Hawthorne, Lincoln
Randy Hawthorne brings more than two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, community engagement, and strategic planning. He is passionate about strong downtowns, local culture, and the role Main Street organizations play in building economic vitality and a sense of belonging. Randy is especially interested in ideas that connect people, activate places and help communities thrive.
Emeritus Board Members
Jeffrey B. Ray, Former Chair, Elkhorn
Jeffrey B. Ray, AICP, has more than 25 years of management and planning experience developing solutions on a wide range of projects throughout the Midwest and California. His previous professional experience includes planning manager for the 415-acre Universal Studios site located in Los Angeles, the LAX Master Plan, and Sacramento’s Delta Shores mixed use project, just to name a few.
Jeff points to June 3, 1980, the day seven tornadoes destroyed much of Grand Island including his home and school as the inspiration to his career. He received his Master of Community and Regional Planning and Bachelor of Architectural Science from the University of Nebraska. He is certified with the American Institute of Certified Planners, is the Past President of the Metro Chapter of the Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association and serves on the Sarpy County Economic Development Council.
Melissa Dirr Gengler, Former Secretary, Lincoln
Melissa Dirr Gengler is the owner and President of Historic Resources Group, Inc. (HRG). She has called Lincoln home for the last 20 years and is active in the historic preservation community throughout the region. Melissa has 25 years’ experience in the field of historic preservation. She has spent extensive time conducting surveys and evaluations of historic buildings across the Midwest Region. Prior to establishing HRG Melissa worked for the State Historic Preservation Office in Nebraska and in South Dakota. Her professional background in both the public and private sector provides a broad base of knowledge and skills to identify, evaluate, and document historic properties and understand the needs of large and complex projects.
Since its inception in May of 2010 HRG has been actively growing as a respected full-service cultural resource management and historic preservation company. HRG is a federally certified woman owned small business enterprise (WOSB), a certified disadvantaged business enterprise (DBE) and is located in Lincoln, Nebraska. Melissa is an active volunteer serving on the City of Lincoln Historic Preservation Commission, the board of the Association for Preservation Technology-Central Plains Chapter, and volunteering with many activities through her church and her son’s school activities.
Ex-Officio Board Members
Michael Sothan, Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)
Michael Sothan is the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer for the State of Nebraska. Her office and staff operate under the auspices of the Nebraska State Historical Society. Additionally, Michael is a former director of Main Street Beatrice.
Dave Honz, Nebraska Department of Economic Development
Dave Honz is an Economic Development Manager at the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) and is with the Field Service Team as a Business Development Representative for Southeast Nebraska. He has held a number of positions since joining DED in 1989; working with businesses, communities, development organizations, and individuals to improve Nebraska. He works with Federal, State, and local resources to plan and invest in community and economic development projects across the state. Prior to joining DED, he worked for the Southern Iowa Council of Governments as a Planner, where he operated a Revolving Loan Fund for business financing, prepared strategic plans for communities, wrote and administered grants from various agencies.
Dave is a native of Omaha and lives in Lincoln with his wife and two children. He graduated from Northwest Missouri State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geography, minor in Economics.
Jenna Habegger, Nebraska Department of Transportation
Jenna Habegger is the Highway Program Manager for the Nebraska Infrastructure Hub at NDOT. She has worked at NDOT for six years and has led the Infrastructure Hub for just over one year, where she supports Local Public Agencies with transportation project development and grant applications. The Infrastructure Hub provides grant writing and technical assistance, working with on-call consultants to help communities prepare competitive projects. She holds degrees in business administration and marketing from Concordia University, Nebraska, and has been PMP certified for over four years.
