Anahí Salazar Angulo is the Policy Coordinator at Voices for Children in Nebraska. She is committed to making the state of Nebraska the best place for kids to grow up in and live full healthy lives. She believes in the impact of community collaboration and advocacy, at any age. With a background in education and non-profit work, Anahí strives to be a support for community leaders who are helping bring justice and equity to Nebraska.
Ronette Steffes is the Finance Director at Voices for Children. Ronette has worked in Non-Profit Accounting and Administration for the past 20 years. Ronette holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from Bellevue University. In her free time Ronette enjoys camping and spending time with her family, which includes her husband Paul, their three daughters, three grandsons, and three grand pups.
Juliet is passionate about equity, justice, and getting our systems right for kids. She has been an elementary school teacher, a public defender, and previously served as the Policy Coordinator for Voices for Children for six years. Most recently she utilized her legal skills defending youth as the staff attorney at the Creighton Law School Juvenile Justice Legal Clinic and a contracting attorney with the nonprofit Education Rights Counsel. She is excited to be returning to system-advocacy work and the Voices for Children team. Juliet, her husband Matt, and their three kids like to spend their time out and about at baseball games and theater performances or lounging at home with their sweet old dog and bossy three-legged cat.
Josh Shirk is the Research Coordinator at Voices for Children in Nebraska. Josh recently graduated from UNO with a Ph.D. in public administration. His research has appeared in Administration & Society and Community Development. His primary role with Voices for Children is the yearly publication Kids Count. In his free time, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife and two children, playing pick-up basketball, and reading continental philosophy.
Katie Nungesser is a Policy Coordinator at Voices for Children in Nebraska. She is passionate about helping others share their stories and centering individuals with lived experience. She believes that those directly affected by social challenges should have a seat at the decision- making table, as their perspectives are invaluable in shaping effective and inclusive solutions. Katie is guided by her compassion and her own lived experience. In addition, she earned a bachelor’s degree in social work from Nebraska Wesleyan University and has 15 years of nonprofit experience. In her free time, Katie enjoys spending time with her daughter and taking road trips.
Michael Watkins is the Fund Development and Marketing Manager at Voices for Children in Nebraska. He is a University of Iowa graduate (BA and MA) and has more than 25 years of experience in marketing, communications and development – that past 10 years with nonprofits. He is an award-winning local, regional and national writer and communicator. When he’s not working, he enjoys playing tennis, watching movies, working in his yard and on his house and spending time with family and friends.
Nia Williams joined the Voices for Children in Nebraska team in 2023 as the Youth & Family Engagement Coordinator.
She brings 20 years of progressive experience working with at-risk and justice-involved youth to the role — challenging them to make more positive behavioral and academic choices.
Nia earned her bachelor’s degree in child protection and juvenile justice from Bellevue University and her master’s degree in criminal justice/criminology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
She specializes in youth advocacy in the areas of behavioral/cognitive skills development, education and academic counseling, family dynamics, violence prevention and vocation/employment.
Board of Directors
Board Photo
Executive Committee
President: Michael Beverly, Jr., MBA, Boys & Girls Club of America
Secretary: Tim Hron, MA, LIMHP, Radius
Treasurer: Gary Bren, Turner Technology
Vice President: Jill Batter, JD, Apple Pie Investments
Members At Large
Al Davis, OLO Ranch
Daniel Gutman, JD, Law Office of Daniel Gutman LLC
Christina Kahler, First National Bank
Bruce Meyers, Retired, Cannonball Express Transportation, LLC. and Cannonball Express Inc.
Emily Mwaja, Kiewit Luminarium
Patty Pansing Brooks, Brooks Pansing Brooks Law
John Stalnaker, JD, McGill Gotsdiner Workman & Lepp
Kate Noble Weitz, CommonSenses Festival & Weitz Family Foundation
Lia M. Whitehead,Nebraska Medicine and TransPhorm Improvement Consulting
