Meet Your Board of Directors.....
Board Members are elected every two years from their respective year groups and serve for a term of four years. One member is in an at-large position and is appointed by the Board of Directors to a four year term.
5-15 Year Group | Vacant | Term expires in 2027.
16-25 Year Group | Jennifer Hill, '96 | "I was in Barb & John Real's home for six years of my time in Boys Town. I currently work as a Dental Administrator in Hawthorne NJ. I have three boys, Luis, Max and "Fonzi" and enjoy hiking, cycling, fishing, golf, spending time with my boyfriend and doing anything outdoors! I am also a member of a craft club, book club and workout at my local gym. I look forward to being on the board and getting my age group involved in all the current Boys Town activities on and off Home Campus." Jennifer was previously a member of the Board of Directors representing her region and we welcome her back to the board. She is a Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. Jennifer's term will expire in 2025.
16-25 Year Group | Carley Kaufman-Rupert, '07 | "I moved to Boys Town in 2005 and was there until I graduated in 2007. After Boys Town I attended nursing school at Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing and Allied Health. I completed my degree in nursing with a BSN and with many other certifications. I have been a nurse for 11 years now and through my journey of nursing from floor nursing to being a director of nursing I found my passion in-between, wound care and ostomy care. I was awarded a scholarship from the Alumni Association for my ostomy and wound certification which I finished in 2021. However, I have been in wound care for 8 years but now I am Board certified. I work in an acute care hospital in Peoria IL as a wound and ostomy nurse (CWON). prior to Illinois I lived in Colorado for ten years, I am originally from Omaha. I am married to Derek Rupert we have been married for 6 years and have two children." Carley is an Annual Member of the BTNAA. Her term expires in 2027.
26-35 Year Group | Theresa Wilkinson-Nelson, '91 | "I was at Boys Town from 1987 to 1990. After Boys Town, I attended Central Christian College Of Kansas and UNO. My husband Rodd and I have two boys, Daniel (25) and Luke (20) and farm in Central Kansas. I am currently teaching math and science to special needs children in a private Christian school I helped start 12 years ago. I volunteer as safety officer for the local volunteer fire department as well as serving on the board for the fire department. I’ve been serving on a board for Community Thanksgiving Incorporated that provides a free Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner for the community to insure that no one has to be alone for their holiday meals. I am also working to become an instructor for the ATA (American Taekwondo Association). I previously served on the BTNAA board from 2020 to 2022 and have also served, in the past, on boards for the Kansas Farm Bureau at the state and county level and NAMI Kansas (National Alliance for Mental Illness. I look forward to helping the alumni association continue to make a positive impact." Theresa is a Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. Her term will expire in 2025.
26-35 Year Group | John Soby, '95 | "I graduated from Boys Town in 1995 and served as Mayor from 1994-1995. While at Boys Town I was involved in lots of activities from sports to trades in the Career Center. This is where I met and made lots of my friendships and relationships that I still have today. Also while at Boys Town I was involved in the Fire Cadet program with Fire Chief John Sing. I am the CEO and owner of a Heating and Air Conditioning, Sheetmetal, Electrical company, based out of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska. I learned all these great skills for business at Boys Town in the Career Center. The trades have been a great place for me to work since I left Boys Town. I have also been involved in being a volunteer firefighter for the last eighteen years. I recently obtained my national registration as an EMT and am a Nebraska certified EMT. I am involved in the Firefighter Combat Challenge competition all over the United States in varied events. My roots and interest in firefighting came from Boys Town as well. On a personal level I am involved in Church and I’m part of mentor program for at Risk Youth in the foster care system." John is a Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. His term will expire in 2027.
36-45 Year Group | President | Jeffrey James, D'83 | Jeffrey has had a life long passion for working in sales and performance development positions within the automotive and electronics industries ranging from director of national accounts, general manager to corporate trainer. He has been a trainer/consultant for the past several years. He is a proud parent of three kids (girl and two boys) and says thankfully they are all out of college now! Jeffrey and his wife enjoy camping, hiking and hunting with their dog. They live in Brunswick, Ohio. He is looking forward to being able to give back to his Home and the Alumni Association representing the 36-45 year-group. He is a Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. Jeffrey’s term will expire in 2027.
36-45 Year Group | Michael Saine, '79 | Michael and his beautiful bride Karen live in Toledo Ohio. They are parents to 6 daughters, and grandparents to 2 boys and a girl. Michael graduated with an AS in Accounting from MTCC, and a BA in Accounting from the College of St Mary’s. In addition to currently being the Operations Director of a local BatteriesPlus franchise, he has served the Knights of Columbus both locally and state wide for over 25 years. He also managed St Vincent DePaul thrift stores for over 10 years. As a parent of six kids, Michael constantly remembered the words of Father Flanagan, there’s no bad kids, just bad training, bad environment, and bad examples. He is a Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. Michael's term will expire in 2025.
36-45 Year Group | Vice President | Matt Valenzuela, '85 | "My first day at Boys Town was January 3, 1979. I was 12 years old and from Carson, California. While at Boys Town I spent a majority of my time in the Career Center. My first job was in the Ceramics shop making Boys Town statues. Then, while in high school in the morning, I would work in the foundry for the machine shop making parts that we would finish in class. After school I worked as a student janitor. I had the privilege of singing in the choir touring around the United States for six years. I graduated from high school mid-term and enlisted in the Navy. After my "A" school I came back for the graduation in my dress blues. I was an Instructor Mechanic in the Navy and stayed in California for 10 years. I came back For my first convention in 1995 and got home sick and had my job transferred to Omaha. I have been a Diesel mechanic ever since I was in the military. I started a real-estate business with my wife renovating houses, flipping and renting them. I have not missed a convention since 1995. I have always felt that I want to commit more time to the place that shaped my life. This is why I want to be you're representative for our year group. To give back to the home that has helped me in my life so much with college and getting me settled back here in Omaha is something that is important to me. I want to let other Alumni know that they can come back whether they graduated from here or left early…we are family and we welcome them back." Matt is a Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. His term will expire in 2027.
46+ Year Group | Secretary | John Mollison, '64 | "I arrived at Boys Town from Lubbock, Texas in August of 1957 with my nine year-old brother Arthur. I was immersed in Boys Town’s music program singing in the Concert Choir, playing trumpet in the band, viola in the orchestra and studied piano. I was a commissioner in Cottage 37. Upon graduation I enrolled in the University of Nebraska. I received a commission in the Air Force and completed Navigator training. I flew 171 combat missions as a weapon systems officer in F-4 Phantom fighters in Vietnam and Thailand followed by flying tours in Germany, New Mexico and Korea, staff tours at Headquarters and the Pentagon and additional flying in the AT-38 trainer as a squadron commander. After a tour on the faculty of the Air War College in Alabama I took command of the 93rd Support Group at Castle AFB, California and then my final assignment as the commander of the 55th Support Group at Offutt AFB, Nebraska. In 1998 returned to Boys Town and spent 10 years as the Vice President of Human and Physical Resources. After retiring I served as Senior Advisor for Alumni Matters/Alumni Director, a post which I held for 11 years until my retirement in 2019. I volunteer with the BTNAA as webmaster and I served on several BTNAA board committees. I served as President of the BTNAA Scholarship Fund for a number of years and am presently the Secretary of the Scholarship Fund." John is a Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. His term will expire in 2027.
46+ Year Group | Treasurer | Richard Tapio, '67 | Rich attended Boys Town from 1964 to 1967. He joined the US Navy and served on Cruisers, Destroyers and LST’s 1968 thru 1972. He is a Vietnam Combat Veteran. After Active Duty he switched from the fleet to the Seabees (reserves) as a Builder (BU) and retired from the Navy Reserves in 1995 as a BUCS. Rich then became a social worker and director for the Indian and Chicano Health Clinic in 1973 and a member of Labors Local 1140, Omaha, running the CETA program keeping intercity at-risk youth in school and preparing them for employment in the construction trades. In 1975 he went to work for the U.S. Department of Labor (OSHA) in Omaha Nebraska. Rich spent 34 years working around the country and the world, leading the department on several high-profile operations earning numerous awards and served as Chief Policy Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Labor in Washington D.C. as a Senior Executive. He is an alumnus of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Rich retired in 2009 from the U.S. Government and currently operates his own company serving the needs of the upstream and downstream segments of the oil and gas production industry in the areas of Risk Management. In addition, he teaches safety and health classes for Texas A&M engineering extension services. Rich has been married to Carol (Dougherty) Tapio (South High 1967) for over 52 years. They have 3 sons and 5 grandchildren and currently live in McHenry, IL. He is active in his local VFW Post 4600 (Life Member) and served as an election judge for McHenry Country for the last 10 years. Rich is an enrolled member of the Oglala Lakota Tribe, Pine Ridge South Dakota and an ordained minister. He is Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. Rich's term will expire in 2025.
At-Large | Vacant |
Alumni Advisor, Ex-Officio | Mike Trevino, '58 | Mike lives in Gladstone, Missouri. Mike and his late wife Carol have been active for many years with the BTNAA as Covention Chairman and most recently as organizer of the Convention Golf Tournament and Carol with the BTNAA Auxiliary. He is a member of the BTNAA Scholarship Fund Board of Directors. Mike is a former member of the BTNAA Board of Directors and brings years of experience and wisdom to his role as advisor to the BTNAA Board of Directors. Mike is a Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. Mike was appointed to the position of Alumni Advisor in 2015.
Senior VP for Successful Futures/Alumni Director/Alumni Office, Ex-Officio | Tony Jones, '88 | Tony and his wife Simone live in Omaha, Nebraska and are the proud parents of three children. After graduation Tony attended school at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, worked at a number of different jobs and in 1996 he and Simone were hired as Family-Teachers at Boys Town. They held that job for 23 years helping hundreds of Boys Town youth to have a better life. During this time Tony completed his degree in Health and Human Services at Bellevue University. He is the founding creator of the new Boys Town Successful Futures Program that helps to mentor and monitor graduates for their first five years after graduation or departure from Boys Town's treatment program. He brings a wealth of experience to the position of Alumni Director and is looking forward to working to help grow the Alumni Association and bringing new generations of members to the BTNAA. Tony is a Lifetime Member of the BTNAA. | ph: 531-355-1150
Honorary National President, Ex Officio | Dr. Bob Pick, Ph.D., Retired Executive VP of Youth Care | In 1979, Dr. Pick and his wife Ann joined Boys Town as one of the early group of Family-Teachers and for six years they helped young boys to become young men during their stay at Boys Town. His career at Boys Town progressed through a number of ever increasing levels of responsibility, including stints as Clinical Specialist, Staff Evaluation, Community Director, Director of Training, Evaluation and Audit, Director of Program Audit, Regional Director of Special Projects for the National Resources and Training Center (NRTC), Director of Operations for the NRTC, and another turn at the helm of Program Audit. In 2002 he was promoted to Associate Executive Director of Certification and Evaluation and followed that appointment to become the Executive Director of Home Campus. In 2008 Dr. Pick was named Vice President of the Nebraska/Iowa Region handling all program operations in both states. His next promotion in 2017 saw him leading the entire Youth Care program for Boys Town as the Executive Vice President and Director of Youth Care. After 40 consecutive years of service, he retired from his work at Boys Town in January of 2020. Dr. Pick is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Boys Town National Alumni Association. His term will expire in 2025.