Board of Governors
Central Community College is governed by an 11-member Board of Governors. Two members are elected from each of five election districts. One member is elected at-large. Members are elected to four-year terms with no limit on the number of terms.
Archived meeting information and videos
Counties and precincts included in each election district
Board Members
The following biographies include both current and past professional affiliations and awards.
District 1
Jason Buss, Secretary
NCCA Representative
Central City
Term Expires: 2028
Employment: Human resources manager and global environmental health and safety leader for Camaco in Columbus
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Missouri Western State University
Affiliations and Awards:
Nebraska Trails Foundation, president
Platte PEER Group and Dark Island Trail Advisory Group, vice president
Merrick County Child Development Center, past president
Columbus Area Recreational Trails, past president
Justice for Our Neighbors, past Spanish intake coordinator
Diane Keller
Harvard
Term Expires: 2026
Employment: Retired
Education: Bachelor of science in nursing; master of health care administration
Affiliations and Awards:
Hamilton County Leadership Tomorrow, chair
Nebraska Community College Association Board
Heartland Health Alliance
Governor’s Commission on Child Care Financing
Nebraska LEAD Fellow
District 2
Linda Heiden
Bertrand
Term Expires: 2028
Employment: Account executive at GTA Insurance Group and farm manager for family farm
Education: Bachelor of science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Affiliations and Awards:
Board of Optometry, member
Bertrand Board of Education, member and past pesident
State Board of Health, past member
Board of Cosmetology, past member
Board of Veterinary Medicine, past member
Rita Skiles, NCCA Representative
Huntley
Term Expires: 2026
Employment: Self-employed advocacy consultant
Education: Bachelor of arts in English and school rehabilitation counseling
Affiliations and Awards:
Region III Developmental Disabilities Council, chair
Central Region Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Member
Nebraska APSE Governing Board
National APSE Advisory Board
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)
Central Nebraska Respite Advisory Board
Wendy Wood National Award
Association of Community Professionals
National High Expectations Award from the Assessment Training Institute
District 3
Dr. Roger Davis, Vice Chair
Kearney
Term Expires: 2026
Employment: History Professor, University of Nebraska at Kearney
Education: Bachelor of arts degree, Youngstown State University; master of arts degree and doctorate, University of Arizona; Arizona Community College teaching certificate
Affiliations and Awards:
Phi Alpha Theta National History Honor Society, national advisory board and national council member
North Central Council of Latin Americanists, president
Nebraska State Education Association Higher, Education Academy president
University of Nebraska Nineteenth Century Studies Steering Committee
Buffalo County Historical Society Board, member and editor of the Buffalo Tales publication
UNK United Way, campaign chair
Trevor Lee
Gibbon
Term Expires: 2028
Employment: President, Development Council for Buffalo County
Education: Bachelor of arts in political science, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; master ‘s in urban and regional planning, University of Colorado
Affiliations and Awards:
Nebraska Economic Developers Association, Past President
Heartland Economic Development, Board Member
Kearney Area Chamber of Commerce, Ex-Officio Board Member
University Village Development Corporation, Ex-Officio Board Member
District 4
Tom Pirnie
Grand Island
Term Expires: 2028
Employment: President, Grand Island Express
Education: Two years in electronics
Affiliations and Awards:
Grand Island Area Economic Development Corporation, vice chair
Five Points Bank
Nebraska Trucking Association
Truckload Carriers Association
Grand Island Rotary Club, past president
Grand Island Dive Rescue Team
Nebraska Trucking Association, past chair
Lynne Werner
Grand Island
Term Expires: 2026
Employment: Chief Fiduciary Officer and Trust Department Manager, Equitable Bank
Education: Bachelor of science in nursing, University of Nebraska Medical Center; juris doctor degree, Creighton University College of Law
Affiliations and Awards:
Hall County Airport Authority, vice chair
Central Community College Foundation, ex-officio non-voting member
Greater Grand Island Community Foundation, past board member
Grand Island Public Schools, past board member
Grand Island Public Schools Foundation, past board member
2016 Grand Island Independent Woman of the Year for Community Service
Nebraska State Bar Association
Nebraska State Banking Association
District 5
Linda Aerni, Chair
Columbus
Term Expires: 2026
Employment: CEO and president, Digital Gaming Solutions; CEO, Community Internet Systems
Education: Associate of science, bachelor of science
Affiliations and Awards:
Nebraska Information Technology Committee Board
Nebraska Commission on the Status of Women
National Association of Commissions for Women
2001 Athena Award for Outstanding Women in Business
2004 Central Community College Alumni of the Year
2007 Nebraska State Chamber Leadership Nebraska
NFIP Nebraska Leadership Council
Winning Women, Excellence in Public Service
Columbus Area Chamber Technology Task Force, past chair
Columbus Leadership, alumni and coordinator
Center for Rural Development and Revitalization Advisory Board
Columbus Area Women's Division, past president and board member
Dann Smith, Treasurer
Columbus
Term Expires: 2028
Employment: Pinnacle Bank of Columbus, market president
Education: Bachelor’s degree in agribusiness and economics, Chadron State College
Affiliations and Awards:
St Isidore Catholic Church, past president of finance committee
Knights of Columbus, 3rd Degree member
Columbus Area United Way, past campaign chairman; past Volunteer of Year
Columbus Volunteer Fire Department, past 25-year member
Columbus Days, past committee member
Nebraska One Box Hunt - past board president
American Red Cross, past Northeast Nebraska Council; 30-year blood donor
At Large
Michelle Broekemier
Grand Island
Term Expires: 2028
Employment: Pursuing an advanced degree in health care
Education: Associate of applied science degree in practical nursing, Central Community College; associate degree in long-term care management, Southeast Community College; bachelor's degree in health care management, Bellevue University
Affiliations and Awards:
Nebraska Healthcare Association member
Nebraska Nurses Association member