2024 Board of Directors

Heartland Women’s Network Leadership Team
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Sandy Gordon

Director

Sandy is the Catering Sales Representative for Qdoba Mexican Eats in Omaha, Lincoln, Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Kansas City and North Dakota areas. She has been working for Qdoba for over 8 years. Sandy is an Omaha native and went to Westside High School. She is married to Bruce who works at UNMC. They have 4 children ranging in ages from 30-42 and 7 grandchildren with 1 on the way. They are very fortunate to have all of our children living in the Omaha area.

As a Millard resident, Sandy believes in supporting local businesses to the best of her ability. Those who know Sandy, knows she doesn’t sit still well, so she has a side business called Sandy’s Stitchery where she embroiders baby clothes and gifts. She also likes to bake and unfortunately eat what she bakes. She’s been a member of HWN for 6 years and thoroughly enjoys being a part of this organization!

Sherry Thompson

Sherry Thompson

Marketing & Secretary Chair

Sherry is a communications consultant working with nonprofits and small businesses. She works extensively with Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue, helping the nine-year-old nonprofit with communications and grant writing. During her career, she has worked as a communications manager, freelance writer, reporter, and editor in diverse corporate, newspaper, and nonprofit environments. Her work has received numerous state and national awards.

Her community involvement includes serving as vice president for the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary board and high school communications contest director for Nebraska Press Women. In her free time Sherry enjoys traveling, volunteering in the community, crafting, and spending time with friends and family. She and her husband Dennis have two children and three grandchildren.

Katie Cords LR Fnl

Katie Cords

Web and social media chair

Katie has been a resident of Omaha all her life with the exception of the few years she spent in central Nebraska attending and graduating from the University of Nebraska Kearney. Her career path began in the travel industry in the meeting, incentive and group travel sector, but then transitioned into event planning at Creighton University. Her favorite title has always been ‘Mom’ given to her by her two amazing daughters, Elizabeth and Leah. In her 8th year at the Greater Omaha Chamber, she is experienced in membership development and retention. Katie brings with her many skills in management, customer service, strategic planning, leadership and team building.

Julie Sanford, HWN Events Chair

Julie Sanford

Events Chair

Julie is the founder of Split Second Strategies, a new Omaha Startup teaching active shooter survival and verbal de-escalation skills.  Julie has spent 11 years as a deputy sheriff in Sarpy County, and many years in Security Management.  Julie is passionate about teaching businesses, organizations, and anyone else who wants to learn how to survive a gun violence incident.  

Julie launched the company in January of 2023 and has developed the Split Second Strategies curriculum along with a professionally produced 6 video series that is part of the curriculum.  Julie believes that not enough is being done to instruct unarmed citizens on how to survive these increasing and tragic events.

Julie is married to her husband Doug of twenty-one years and they have 3 beautiful daughters.

HWN Mary

Mary Grosserode

Sponsorship Chair

Mary Grosserode grew up in Lincoln, NE. Graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising with a minor focus in Marketing. While Mary worked for Brandeis Department Stores in college; she was promoted to Omaha where she worked as a buyer and store manager. In addition to retail sales and management, she has a strong and successful background in office equipment and medical sales. A few of the major companies she has worked for are XeroxCorporation, Avon, and Dorsey Pharmaceuticals.

Starting in 2002 Mary entered the world of Senior Living. For the past 22 years, she has worked with seniors and their adult children helping them decide on when to move into a retirement community. Her current role is as an independent agent helping families find the right retirement community for their parents/grandparents. Her passion for serving seniors comes from watching Alzheimer’s Disease take over her mom’s life and the effect it has on her dad and family. She has the knowledge, passion, and connections in the industry to help families navigate the maze of senior living communities in the Omaha area.

Her personal life includes being a grandmother to her two adorable grandsons, Tommy and Jonny Garvin. Her only child is Dr. Teresa Garvin married to Scott Garvin. She enjoys getting together with her Bunko Buds for a game of Bunko, a night of drinks and dinner, or their monthly book club meetings. Her passion is also in taking walks and bike riding.

Katie Hossner, Membership Chair

Katie Hossner

Membership Chair

Katie is the Group Events Manager at The Amazing Pizza Machine, a family entertainment center in Millard. Her motivation is to help facilitate fun and create JOY! Her natural enthusiasm encourages play and team spirit, which has been fundamental in her career and in the growth of those she has had the pleasure to work with over the years. She has over 25 years of experience in corporate management, leadership, planning, sales, customer relations and organization. She adores cuddling with her dogs, spending time taking pictures of the natural world and relaxing outdoors. She is an advocate for mental health awareness, animal welfare and environmental/conservation issues.

Lisa Tonjes Moritz

Lisa Tonjes Moritz

Finance Chair

Lisa is the Chief Memory Organizer at HOPE organizing. HOPE specializes in helping families organize, preserve, share and celebrate their memories. She has loved taking and looking at photos, sharing stories and organizing since elementary school and loves that she gets to do it every day.

Lisa enjoys being part of the Omaha community! Besides Heartland Women’s Network, Lisa is an active member of Downtown Rotary, a sustainer advisor for the Junior League of Omaha and each year trys to find a new organization that she can support with her time and skills. (typically related to kids)

Lisa is a native of Bertrand, NE but not a small-town girl. She loves living in midtown where they are close (often within walking distance) to a lot of fun activities the city has to offer. She met her husband Bruce while they were both on the board of the Omaha Jaycees and they like to volunteer as a family with their 7-year-old son, Anderson at least once a quarter. The also really enjoy traveling and have a goal to get Anderson to all 50 states before he graduates high school. (he was at 30 by his 7th birthday so has a great start)

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Mindy Kidney

Advisor

Mindy is a licensed residential REALTOR® at RE/MAX Results. She is a proud second-generation REALTOR® with over 16 years of licensed experience working in the real estate field.

While originally from the Kansas City Area, she moved to Omaha, Nebraska in 2002 to finish her Bachelors of Science at Grace University. After graduation, she bounced back to KC to be an office manager for a real estate firm then moved back to Omaha (for good!) in 2005 to marry her amazing husband and started selling Real Estate full time here in 2007.

In her first year of selling real, she received the Top Outstanding New Associate award from her company and has since consistently exceeded the industry average helping 30+ families make moves each year. Real Estate is not a hobby, it is her passion. She works tirelessly to sell homes and provide the best service in the industry. In her free time, she enjoys serving on boards, cooking for (and with friends), volunteering through Omaha Jaycees and snuggling her basset hounds, Magnolia and Juniper!

HWN Lili

Lili Shim

Advisor

Lili is the Director of Operations at Cassling where they help strengthen community healthcare by providing imaging and therapeutic services and solutions. She focuses on operational excellence through quality, compliance, and continuous improvement. With over 25 years’ experience in the healthcare and financial services industries, Lili is an advocate of change management to help employees better prepare for organizational transitions. She finds it rewarding to mentor and support individuals in their career development journeys, encouraging growth beyond comfort zones.

Lili holds a BS in business administration from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona and an MBA from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She enjoys volunteering for community organizations and improving her golf game with her husband and sons.

RainaGarcia

Raina Garcia

Advisor

As the Marketing Director for Restored Wings (RW), Raina is thrilled to leverage her expertise in branding and marketing to enhance brand awareness. Through active participation in community events and outreach, she aims to amplify awareness of RW’s programs and initiatives, fostering support from donors, partners, and the community at large. In her commitment to ongoing growth, Raina also freelances on the side, continuously refining her marketing skills and ensuring her long-time clients are well taken care of.

Originally from southern California, she now lives in Omaha with her husband Dave, two cats, and two dogs. She’s an animal lover and enjoys traveling to tropical destinations, exploring nature and local eateries, and indulging in streaming shows and occasional wine tastings.

Additional Commitee Members

Lisa Tonjes Moritz
Social Media Committee Member
Michele Magner
Events Committee Member
Robyn Burnett
Membership Committee Member