Lighthouse Staff

	Thinking back to when I first came to Lighthouse 20 years ago as one of the original youth; I remember hurting people to get what I wanted. As I reflect upon the impact that the staff made on me at the time, I realize without their intervention I would not be the man I am today. The reason I am here at Lighthouse is to give guidance and to help our young people in the same manner in which I received help. I became a staff member in 1996 working my way through college and receiving my Master’s Degree in Counseling. I have been the Executive Director since March of 2005. I believe that every young person has the potential to succeed; we are here to help foster that potential and help them realize it. Lighthouse is a very unique environment, here we believe that Love is our change agent, we provide a safe, supervised environment that is family oriented. One of my beliefs is that youth are not “at risk” but they are more “at promise”. With our help I truly believe today’s youth will be our future. Bill Michener Executive Director bmichener@lincolnlighthouse.org

	When I first started working at Lighthouse in 2011, I was taken by surprise at how welcoming, comforting and loving the staff were. They made my transition to Lighthouse a smooth, quick, and easy process. After some time, I also realized just how wonderful the teens were too. We are like one big Lighthouse family here. I plan certain programs so our youth are able to experience and develop through opportunities they normally would not have. Sam Christiansen Volunteer Coordinator/Facility Manager sam.christiansen@lincolnlighthouse.org

	I started with Lighthouse back in 2005 as a volunteer. I was a college student that didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do with my future. I started volunteering for a class without even knowing what Lighthouse really was. Through the positive interactions with the youth and staff I was hooked. I ended up volunteering for Lighthouse for 3 quarters of college and eventually was hired on as a full time staff in 2010. Lighthouse is truly a wonderful experience for everyone. Billy Vrtiska Program Director bvrtiska@lincolnlighthouse.org

	As a Lighthouse alumnus, I always wanted to give back to the community. After I graduated, knowing I was going to be on my own in college was a bit scary, since Lighthouse had always been there for me. I volunteered at Lighthouse for awhile, then was offered an AmeriCorps position in 2010. My goal at Lighthouse is to provide opportunities to youth, and help them flourish to reach their potential. Since 2010, I have gotten really close to many youth. I want to continue opening doors while developing my healthy relationships with our youth. Falah Al-Hirez Youth Program Coordinator falah.alhirez@lincolnlighthouse.org

	I had heard only amazing things about Lighthouse from friends and family when I was searching for a program to volunteer at. I volunteered at Lighthouse for 5 months and truly enjoyed every minute of it. The staff were very welcoming, and I never felt out of place or uncomfortable. I have lived in Lincoln my whole life, and I wish I would have heard of Lighthouse when I was younger. After graduating from UNL, with a Family Science degree, I wanted even more experience working with youth, so I became a full-time AmeriCorps member at Lighthouse. I am thankful to have this opportunity, and can't wait for what the year has to bring! Kailey Keefe AmeriCorps Member kaileykeefe555@gmail.com