Elections

Meet the candidates for Parish Council and School Board

On behalf of Mary Our Queen faith community, we express gratitude for the parishioners who answered the call to be candidates for Pastoral Council and School Board. The following parishioners have expressed a desire to serve in these increasingly important roles for our parish and school. Learn more about each candidate below and prayerfully discern your vote.

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Parish Council Candidates

Aidan Chapman

Occupation: Student
Years at MOQ: 15

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
I was a student at MOQ for 8 years and continue to belong as a parishioner

Qualifications to bring to Parish Council:
I have a unique perspective due to my youth.

Susan Huse

Occupation: Lawyer - Legal Services Consultant for UnitedHealthcare
Years at MOQ: 35

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
VEX Robotics judge, Knights of Columbus Meat Wheel clerk 5 years, School Board member 3 years, 2 years as VP, MARQUEE A/V committee 10 years, Mens Club Parking Lot picnic DJ assistant 10 years, Athletic Committee Trivia Night 2 years, various 8th grade DC trip fundraisers

Qualifications to bring to Parish Council:
I am an alum and mother to three alums. I earned my juris doctor degree from Creighton University School of Law in 2015. Previously, I earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Creighton University.

School Board Candidates

Kristi (Crooks) Evans

Occupation: Homemaker
Years at MOQ: 4

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
I am a proud MOQ alumna and have gone to Catholic Schools my whole life. Three of my four young children attend school here. I have volunteered for various Home and School events, have been a room parent for two years, am serving as a Girl Scout troop leader, and will be serving as the head of the Girl Scout program at MOQ.

Qualifications to bring to School Board:
Both my husband and I are educators and firm believers in the value of a good education. I hold a B.S. in Elementary Education and an M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction. I have a unique perspective on education from working with kids with diverse academic needs and families with different socioeconomic backgrounds. From working at schools here in Omaha and on the east coast, and now as a parent of four young children, I take a common-sense approach to teaching and parenting. I'm eager to help guide the administration on academic and school policies and am confident that my knowledge, experiences, and values will be an asset to MOQ’s School Board. I hold an active teaching certificate for the State of Nebraska. I started my teaching career in an OPS inner-city school and have also worked with Sudanese refugees at a Catholic summer school program. I then taught elementary school for nearly a decade for the Archdiocese of Omaha and the Diocese of Richmond, VA. While I was a teacher, I attended a variety of educational seminars and workshops. I was involved in a pilot program for the Omaha Archdiocese Educational Assessments and have served on various committees, including the Creighton University Teacher Advisory Committee for the College of Education.

John Hillebrandt

Occupation: LoTemp Equipment Company, part owner
Years at MOQ: 8

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
Parishioner - 2013--Present Mary Our Queen Men’s Club, August 2013—Present, MOQ Men’s Club Treasurer, April 2018—May 2020, Youth Soccer Coach at MOQ, 2017—Present, Children in 4th, 2nd, and Preschool

Qualifications to bring to School Board:
My background as a lawyer, teacher, and mechanical contractor gives me a unique perspective to evaluate the issues and decisions the school board will face.

Ashley Klug

Occupation: Mother/Yoga Instructor
Years at MOQ: 2

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
Member of the Home & School Committee 2021-2022. Room Parent 2021-2022, 2020-2021

Qualifications to bring to School Board:
Ashley holds both a Master of Science and an Educational Specialist degree in School Psychology. She has experience serving grade schools as a former School Psychologist and is eager to use her skills to better serve the MOQ community. She holds a professional interest and expertise in child mental health, academic and behavioral interventions, and early childhood programming. In her previous work, she served children birth to 21. Ashley currently teaches yoga and enjoys helping her students build a practice that supports their physical, mental, and spiritual health. She would love to help in seeing these values of health and wellness extend further into the MOQ school community as well.

Anne McGill

Occupation: Director of Admissions
Years at MOQ: 8

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
My husband, Jason and I joined the parish when we moved to the neighborhood over 8 years ago. We found a wonderful community, with very friendly parishioners. We were excited to find more opportunities to get involved, especially now with our three sons currently enrolled in the school. Below is a brief list of my current and previous involvement: o EMHC 4+ years o Lector 4+ years o Member of the Marquee acquisitions committee and co-hosted a sign-up party 3+ years o Capital Campaign committee member to build the Mary Our Queen preschool & early childhood education program; contributed and solicited funds o Previous room parent.

Qualifications to bring to School Board:
• As a daughter of educators, I value tremendously the educational efforts of Mary Our Queen’s dedicated administration, teachers, and staff. I would like to promote and support the already positive communication between school and families. I would like to ensure the individualized academic needs of every student are met, regardless of their ability or background. I would encourage the continued utilization of the school’s excellent and available resources. • I would like to see all children grow in their faith through kindness and respect for one another, and in service to our community. • I am well-organized, responsible, resourceful and possess very strong communication skills. I am comfortable working with others for the success of stated goals. • My top strengths include Communication, Positivity, and Harmony, among others. All of these traits I believe would serve me well in representing my fellow families on the school board at Mary Our Queen. • I am genuinely pleased to be a part of this parish at Mary Our Queen and excited to help the school and parish to further work towards the remarkable success of Mary Our Queen School.

Kate Sampson

Occupation: Founder, Quelle Health, Integrative Nutrition Health Coaching
Years at MOQ: 2

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
This would be my first "formal" involvement as a MOQ parishioner. However, I was part of an ALPHA group this school year with a group of women on Friday mornings at Carrie Wortmann's home. We supported Marquee as a group. My husband and I have also attended the Trivia Night, Fall Festival, and Casino Night!

Qualifications to bring to School Board:
I feel I am uniquely suited to serve the Mary Our Queen School Board for a variety of reasons. First, I understand Catholic education. Aside from being raised in a large Catholic family, I have worked as a teacher, teacher educator and administrator for over 15 years in schools before starting my own business. While I understand schools, I also have a keen business savvy. As a leader, I am a collaborator. I also believe that I bring a perspective of holistic education that few others have because of my unique journey. I want nothing more than to elevate the amazing tradition and culture of MOQ, and I know that progress requires a collaborative environment for discussion. I am an excellent communicator, and I honor and respect traditions. I believe that I can breathe a fresh perspective into the school when it comes to the health and wellness of our staff and students and teaching pedagogy. In light of all that we've gone through with COVID, I feel I can offer a tremendous skill set in this area. I am connected with a large network of community leaders, and together we could really make some outstanding things happen at Mary Our Queen that would set our school apart!

Ellie Stull

Occupation: Nurse Manager at Nebraska Medicine Diabetes & Endocrinology Center
Years at MOQ: 7

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, Member of Magis prayer group, Trivia Night Co-Chair Room Parent, Junior Achievement instructor, Soccer coach for mirco and 6/7U, Volunteer for various activities including donut Sunday, trunk or treat, set up for Marquee, fundraise for Capital Campaign

Qualifications to bring to School Board:
Three of my four children attend MOQ, which keeps me current and provides insight into the importance of preserving and improving the quality of education for all students. My degree is Nursing and I currently manage the Diabetes & Endocrinology Center at Nebraska Medicine which gives me knowledge in culture, innovation, teamwork and operations. I understand growth, the importance of collaboration and serving others and have a well-rounded background to effectively serve as a MOQ school board member. My husband, Kerry, is a teacher so I am not foreign to putting myself in the shoes of teachers and what they go through every day. I’m also approachable and will listen to the issues and needs of parents to help make their children’s experience both enjoyable and fulfilling. MOQ has been such a positive experience for my family and I desire to be part of the bigger picture to meaningfully contribute to serving the mission of MOQ.

Kevin VanWinkle

Occupation: Athletic and Activities Director
Years at MOQ: 2

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
I am a member of the Men's Club and the Knights of Columbus Council. I coached the U7 Girls Soccer team in the Fall of 2021.

Qualifications to bring to School Board:
I have experience in curriculum review, STEM research, school finance, service trips, retreats, athletics, and student activities. I am energetic and passionate about Catholic education. Our oldest of three children is in Kindergarten now and we look forward to many years of serving MOQ school and parish.

Carrie Wortmann

Occupation: Teacher, now stay-at-home-mom
Years at MOQ: 10

Current/Prior involvement at MOQ:
Alpha group leader, Grace Within group leader, Live Lent Together coordinator, Home and School volunteer, Early Childhood Education Capital Campaign volunteer, room parent, Ladie Guild member and various other volunteer commitments at the parish and school

Qualifications to bring to School Board:
As a former teacher and adjunct faculty member at Creighton University, I am eager to support the mission of our great school and parish. My background in Education includes a Master's degree, teaching high school Spanish, developing a Campus Ministry program (St. Peter Claver Cristo Rey), and directing a teacher training/faith formation program at Creighton University (Magis Catholic Teacher Corps). I am passionate about education and our Catholic faith, and I would love the opportunity to represent the families of MOQ on the school board.