Board of Directors and Staff

Jacob Betsworth - Board President

Jacob Betsworth is a Lieutenant for the Sarpy County Sheriff's Office.  He is actively involved in the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce through the Leadership Sarpy advisory board, volunteers for Police Athletics for Community Engagement, and is the recent recipient of the CHI Health Community Partnership Excellence Award. Jacob and his family are parishioners of St. Columbkille Parish and are proud to live and serve in Papillion and Sarpy County.

Travis Jacott - Board Vice President

Travis Jacott is an attorney with Adams & Sullivan, P.C., L.L.O. located in Papillion, with a focus on real estate development and transfers, litigation, and estate planning. Travis is a proud member of the Papillion Area Lions Club, Nebraska Bar Association, and Sarpy County Bar Association. He is a graduate of the Sarpy County Leadership Program and an active member of the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce.

Mike Rukstalis, DVM - Board Treasurer

Owner and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine of the Papillion Animal Hospital. A graduate of Papillion La-Vista High School and longtime community member.  Mike is active in the following organizations: Board of Directors for the Nebraska Academy of Veterinary Medicine; Nebraska Veterinary Medical Association member; American Veterinary Medical Association member; Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce.

Margaret White -  Past President

Margaret moved to Papillion in 1986 certain that this was a two-year assignment for her Naval Aviator husband.  However, the military through many changes in staffing extended his assignment and he retired shortly afterwards. With the start of Papio Fun Park in full operations in 1990, she has now lived in Papillion for more than 35 years spending 30 of those years owning and managing Papio Fun Park.  Her 5 children have also claimed Nebraska as their home with 3 of them still living in Papillion.  She has been actively involved in their school activities and now enjoys attending the various activities of her grandchildren.

A past president of the Papillion Community Foundation as well as beinginvolved with the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce as a Gold Ambassador has kept her engaged in our community.  She currently serves as a board member of the Ralston Area Chamber and is an active member of the Omaha Executive Association.  She serves on the Sarpy County Tourism Committee and is a BEST partner with the Papillion LaVista Community Schools.

She has a BA degree in music from Bethany College, Bethany, WVa and a Masters in Music Education from Florida State University (go Seminoles!!).  Music remains the focus of her life serving in the music ministry at St Columbkille Church and in her “free” time enjoys anything musical from a school music program to attending a Broadway musical. 

Margaret grew up in Washington, D.C. and is 5^th generation Washingtonian.  When asked if she would want to return to D.C. to live, her response "a firm negative.  Why return to the east coast when Papillion is my home."

Lowell Ferguson

Lowell is from Hastings, Nebraska where he attended Hastings High School and Hastings College. In 2006, he graduated from Hastings College with degrees in business administration and management. Since graduating, he has been a resident of Papillion where he started his career in consumer lending and branch management. At Pinnacle Bank, he manages all aspects of commercial lending and Private Banking. Lowell is actively involved in his community as a Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce past chair/ board member, Sarpy County Chamber Young Professionals board of director, Lions Club Papillion President/ member, Papillion Community Foundation board of director, Aksarben Foundation/ Floor Committee, judge for Nebraska DECA, and Teammates Mentoring Program member. He is a graduate of the Sarpy Chamber's "Leadership Sarpy" 2012 and "Leadership Omaha" 2017 programs. He was awarded by the Midlands Business Journal in 2018 as one if its "40 under 40 winners". In addition to being
involved in local Papillion events, Lowell and his wife are members of Saint Columbkille Church and Oak Hills Country Club. He also enjoys being a father of two children.

William J. Bianco

Adam Boehmer

Adam Boehmer has resided and been employed in the City of Papillion for ten years. He currently serves as a police officer for the City of Papillion and previously, a Nebraska State Probation Officer out of the Papillion office. Family and community have always been a number one priority. When not patrolling the streets, Adam enjoys spending time with family, the outdoors, and working on countless DIY projects. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Omaha with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice. Utilizing both his professional and community involvement, Adam looks forward to continuing to serve the City of Papillion through this organization.

Travis David

Travis David is in banking management. He is actively involved in Sarpy Chamber of Commerce and also sits on the board of the Papillion YMCA. He is very invested in the advancement of the foundation and the Papillion Community.

Jerrod White

Jerrod White was born and raised in Papillion.  A graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Jerrod started his banking career with a teller position in 1995, and worked with finance lending and compliance before moving into operations and branch management.  Now, as Market President for Citizens State Bank's new Papillion location, Jerrod White is deeply committed to excellence in serving the customers of Citizens and serving his community through his involvement with non-profit organization and activities in the Sarpy County area.  

Peggy Woltman

Peggy is recently retired after 33 years with SACFCU. She is also involved in – Sarpy County Relay for Life – Chair; Papillion Junior Women’s Club member.

Megan Nemitz

Megan Nemitz was born and raised in Scottsbluff, and Papillion feels similar to her hometown! A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a masters from Doane University, Megan works in the non-profit sector at Immanuel Communities, leading their digital marketing initiatives. Megan has worked in a variety of tech companies and start-ups, and has a passion for using technology in marketing!

When she is not working, Megan enjoys spending time at home with her husband, cooking, reading, catching a game at Werner Park, and walking around Prairie Queen Rec Area!

Brent Pohlman

CEO of Midwest Laboratories continues to build on Midwest Laboratories rich analysis history. Under, Brent’s leadership, the company had its best year ever in the year of the pandemic. Brent gives credit to his wonderful team that focuses on a “People First” mentality with respect to their employees and their innovative science and dynamic service.
Brent enjoys working on strategic initiatives and supporting his leaders and directors. Brent’s recent accomplishments have been establishing Midwest Laboratories as a national player in the Analytical Laboratory Testing Industry. Under Brent’s direction the company has doubled its size in employee numbers and he has been able to partner with Fortune 50 companies like Costco. In 2020, Brent announced the company’s future relocation to Papillion to help continue to foster Midwest Labs fast-paced growth.
Brent has a passion for self-care and understands how important it is with respect to bringing his “A” game to work every single day. As part of his routine, Brent regularly prays for his teams at home and at work and continues to pray and connect with others as a result of his faith. When Brent isn’t working, he enjoys spending time at home with his wife Michele and their growing family. Brent has been a life-long Kansas City Chiefs Fan.
Brent continues to seek out ways to make a difference every single day and he most enjoys this process when involves teamwork and trust. Brent believes investing in people is the ultimate best way to grow a company faster and more sustainable for the long term.

Matt Rau

Is a Director of Strategic Accounts at FNTS located in downtown Omaha. He has over 15 years of experience in the IT industry. He also serves on the Leadership Sarpy advisory board, volunteers as a youth baseball coach, and is co-chair for the Omaha Information Technology Council (OITC). After graduating from the University of Nebraska - Kearney (UNK) he moved to the Omaha metro area where he started his family. Matt has lived and embraced Papillion since 2013. When Matt is not working he likes golfing, hunting, baseball, traveling, biking, boating, and cheering on the Huskers/Chiefs/Royals.

Troy Gibler

Troy has been a resident of Papillion for over 14 years. He has 5 children. Three of them attended Papillion LaVista Schools. He is the proud grandfather of 2 grandchildren. He and his wife Karen are very involved in the community and actively participate in community events and fundraisers. When he is not working he enjoys outdoor activities with his family

Troy has over 24 years of construction experience. His career has covered projects in almost every industry, setting, and region of the country. Tryo's focus is always on the completion of a successful project. He began his career with Weitz managing the development and implementation of the Weitz Supply Chain MEP division and continues to provide guidance and expertise to mechanical components of the construction process. Troy is active in the community supporting with his time and talents at the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce, Sarpy County Government Affair Committee and the Sarpy County Economic Development group. He is a council member of the Offutt Advisory Council and is currently assisting the Nebraska Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation in their fundraising efforts for the new memorial site in Sarpy County.

Tami Debonis, MSN, RN

Tami DeBonis is a Maternal & Infant Healthcare Consultant at Anthem, Inc. She assesses the quality performance of OB provider practices to identify opportunities for improvement, while working to improve collaboration and quality member outcomes. She is a large maternal health advocate and seeks to establish relationships with community partners to improve maternal outcomes. Her background is largely maternal health, and she’s spent the last 14+ years as a nurse practicing in Virginia, Nevada, South Korea, New Mexico and Nebraska. Tami has a Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in Health Care Systems Leadership, and a Bachelor’s in Nursing. She is also a proud March of Dimes Nurse of the Year finalist, and a UNMC Spirit of Nursing award winner. As a military spouse, Tami has found several opportunities to volunteer in organizations and non-profits where her family has called home. Participating on healthcare councils, community boards and volunteering with food pantries are just a few examples. Currently, Tami is preparing for the role of Key Spouse Mentor for the 595^th AMXS at Offutt AFB this summer (2021) and is thrilled for this opportunity to be more involved on base with fellow military families. Tami DeBonis is a Maternal & Infant Healthcare Consultant at Anthem, Inc. She assesses the quality performance of OB provider practices to id

Tami is a proud Louisianan, but grew up in Hampton Roads, Virginia where she met her husband, Ted, an active-duty Air Force Officer, while on assignment at Langley Air Force Base. Together they have three daughters, Joslyne, McKayla, and Giuliana, and have called Papillion home for the last four years, Tami’s favorite assignment by far! She loves the small-town feel, people and the amazing schools for her girls. When Tami isn’t working, she enjoys traveling with her family, reading, and home improvement projects. Tami is also a self-described lifelong learner and has a deep curiosity and passion for different cultures and languages.

Laura L. Schwartz

Laura Schwartz started with the Papillion Community Foundation in July of 2017. Schwartz comes to the Foundation with over 26 years of experience in wellness, customer experience and philanthropy. She is a passionate community advocate and has been a resident of Papillion for 21 years. Her corporate experience includes roles at Hewlett Packard Corporation, Prairie Life Fitness and Papillion LaVista Community Schools. Her duties included wellness development, project management, program planning, policy compliance and process development, event planning and fundraising. As a military wife for over 28 years she chaired numerous family support groups, Yellow Ribbon Events, and completed Family Readiness Group certification that focused on budgetary management and ethics.

Mrs. Schwartz is responsible for implementing the policies and directives of the Board of Directors and overall growth strategies of the Foundation. She concentrates on monitoring and increasing the Foundation’s Assets. She works closely with the City of Papillion, donors, other nonprofit organizations, corporate leaders as well as engaged citizens to continue to strengthen Papillion through creative philanthropy, vision, and leadership. “It is absolutely my honor to work with the Foundation’s Board, donors, and community partners to continue to make Papillion one of the best small cities in America” comments Mrs. Schwartz “I am blessed for the opportunity to serve the community of Papillion.”

The mission of the Papillion Community Foundation is to identify, develop and support community programs that enhance the quality of life in Papillion. As the driving force behind community events like Papillion Days, Winter Wonderland, and the Veterans Memorial Park Honor Wall the Foundation prides itself on providing high quality events that lift up our community. Papillion Community Foundation aims to balance the various needs of the community and supporting projects which enhance the quality of life for those living in Papillion.

Laura and her husband of 32 years Gerry, have two grown sons Travis and Matthew. When she is not working at the Foundation Mrs. Schwartz enjoys time spent being active with her family, cooking and DIY projects.

Joseph B. Hunter

Assistant Director

Joe Hunter started with the Papillion Community Foundation in February of 2020. He comes to the Foundation with a previous background in project management, customer service, and human resource acquisition. Joe has lived in Papillion since 2007. He is a Class of 2016 graduate of Papillion La Vista High School where he was involved with Monarch Broadcasting, SkillsUSA, and NJROTC. Currently a student at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Joe is pursuing a degree in political science and nonprofit management. Joe has a deep-rooted interest in nonprofit organization and management. He applies these skills not only at the Foundation but also by serving as Secretary of the Papillion Downtown Business Association and as a Member-at-Large for the Papillion 150 Executive Committee.

In his role, Mr. Hunter is responsible for assisting the Executive Director in bringing the policies and directives of the Board of Directors to life. Along with assisting in managing communication platforms and the Foundation’s financial systems, Mr. Hunter assists in strategy-crafting and implementation procedures to achieve the Foundation’s mission.

When Joe is not at work, he spends his time with family, on his studies, and playing golf.