The Hixson-Lied Advisory Board was created to review and react to requests for expenditures of income from the Hixson-Lied endowment to benefit the college and its affiliated organizations. The board encourages requests for funding that will truly advance excellence in the college and enhance its national reputation. Additionally, the board is involved in overseeing the investment of the endowed funds in cooperation with the University of Nebraska Foundation's Finance Committee.
The Advisory Board is comprised of the trustee of the Lied Foundation Trust, the chancellor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the president of the University of Nebraska Foundation, the dean of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts, and six additional members appointed to a three-year term who may serve two consecutive terms.
Andy Belser
Andrew (Andy) Belser is the dean of the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts.
Trent Claus
Trent Claus (B.F.A. 2006) is a visual effects supervisor and senior compositor at Lola VFX and has been with them since 2007. The company has developed many unique and proprietary effects that have been used in more than 120 feature films and television productions, including “Captain America: The First Avenger,” “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “The Mandalorian” and “Obi-Wan Kenobi.”
Eric Dawson
Eric is an Emmy Award-winning television and film casting director. He is the recipient of the Casting Directors of America’s highest award, The Hoyt Bowers Career Achievement award, which he received in 2019 for his contributions to the casting profession and in recognition of his body of work over the last 30 years.
David Duffy
David Duffy is Vice President of Live Entertainment at Disney World in Florida.
After graduating from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in 1988, David Duffy joined the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and began his Disney career. As a performing artist, he sang and danced across Walt Disney World, At the same time, he was an actor and worked in commercials and television shows. His career took a turn when he joined production and became director and creator of shows. The first show he worked on was called "The Innoventors."
Terry L. Fairfield
Terry L. Fairfield is currently Vice Chairman of the University of Nebraska Foundation. He previously served as CEO of the University of Nebraska Foundation from 1987-2008. He is a graduate of Kearney High School and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, he has completed post-graduate work at UNL and The George Washington University.
Karen Harris
Karen Harris is a homemaker and volunteer. A native Nebraskan, she graduated from Lincoln Northeast HS and received her Bachelor of Science from UNL.
Harris has worked as a child welfare caseworker, and as district manager for Doncaster Clothing.
She served on the Friends of Lied board of directors from 2002-9. While on the board she served as president and gala chair. She currently heads the Lied Legends. Harris also served on the Lied Center of the Performing Arts statewide advisory board.
Marg Helgenberger
Marg Helgenberger is a film and television actress known for her roles as Catherine Willows in the CBS drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" and as K.C. Koloski in the ABC drama "China Beach," which earned her the 1990 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She earned two Emmy Award and two Golden Globe nominations for her work on CSI. In 2005, she won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Female Television Star and CSI received the Screen Actors Guild’s Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
Pamela Hemann
Pamela Hemann, FASAE, CAE, is president of Association Management Services, Inc. (AMS, Inc.), a management company serving regional, state and national nonprofit organizations, founded in 1988 by Ms. Hemann. Under her leadership, AMS, Inc., has grown significantly during its 26 years of operation, and continues to expand its services.
Christina Hixson
Christina M. Hixson graduated from Clarinda High School in Iowa in 1944. She borrowed $600 from an Uncle and moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to attend business school. After seven months, she went to work for Mr. Lied's car dealership as a switchboard operator and took dictation since his secretary could not. After the war, Miss Hixson became his secretary and also took on the accounting duties. Miss Hixson joined Mr. Lied in Las Vegas in 1960 and became his assistant.
Heather Jones
Heather Jones received her Bachelors' degree at the College of Saint Mary in Omaha in early childhood and elementary education. She is currently attending the University of Nevada Las Vegas to receive a Master's of Education in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Literacy.
Barbara Kohler
Barbara Kohler is the Director of Development for Visual and Performing Arts at the University of Nebraska Foundation. Born and raised in Lincoln, Barbara attended Lincoln Southeast High School and the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, majoring in English with a double minor in French and Art History. She received her master’s degree in English at Creighton University.
Dr. Lance Nielsen
Dr. Lance D. Nielsen is the Supervisor of Music for Lincoln Public Schools where he supervises all music programs K–12. Prior to becoming an administrator, he taught for 23 years in both public schools and higher education. His teaching appointments included Associate Professor of Music at Doane University, music teacher at Lincoln East High School, Norris Public Schools, and Kimball Public Schools in Nebraska. He continues to serve as an adjunct professor for Doane University teaching online music courses.
Rita Stinner
Rita Stinner is a proud alumnus of University of Nebraska at Lincoln where she earned both Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music degrees. Rita dedicated her professional endeavors to an improved quality of life in Nebraska, to the arts, and to music education. Additionally, Rita has been active in economic development, tourism, public relations, marketing, philanthropy and a solo singing career. She taught for the Lincoln Public Schools for 17 years before moving to western Nebraska. Ms.
Michael Zeleny
Mike Zeleny, chief of staff and associate to the chancellor since January 2018, is a senior adviser and reports on a wide variety of strategic and executive duties, including both internal and external relations.