Kathryn Dillow

President

&

Executive Director

Kathryn is a second-generation homeschooler who graduated from homeschooling in 1980.  She served in the United States Air Force as a registered nurse for over 21 years and when she retired in 2005, she considered teaching at a university but was called to homeschool her own children instead.  She treasures every moment she has been teaching her children and thanks God for showing her His priorities for her family. 

Kathryn and Eric, her husband since 1984, started homeschooling their children in 2008.  Since that time, they have graduated their son in 2015 and their oldest daughter in 2019.  They are on schedule to graduate their youngest daughter in 2021.

Kathryn first joined the NH-HEN board in 2014 as a Member-at-Large and represented NH-HEN at NE Department of Education meetings during the latest revision of NDE Rule 13.  She became the President of NH-HEN in 2016. 

She is currently working on increasing awareness of Nebraska Homeschool through community outreach and is seeking new ways to serve our homeschool community in Nebraska and the surrounding areas.

Lead Programs: Leadership Development, Community Outreach, Network News Editor, Social Media Lead Admin, Website Manager

Jessica Howell

Secretary

&

Treasurer

Jess has always found ways to keep herself busy in life. She graduated in 2000 with a major in Business Management at Northwest Missouri State University before beginning her career at a small market research firm.  In 2004 she returned to college to earn her MBA from the University of Nebraska Omaha.  The following year she married her husband Shawn and together they completed their MBA program in 2006.

Shortly after the first of their three daughters was born, Jess began leading the Early Childhood ministry at her church.  Over the following several years, her involvement in the church included a position on the church board as well as Administrative Assistant to the Lead Pastor. 

At the peak of her part-time work in ministry and her career as a Project Manager, God placed the idea of homeschooling on her heart.  Seven months later she left the career she loved to begin her homeschooling journey with a 5, 4 and 2 year-old in tow.  In addition to homeschooling, Jess works part-time with Abraham Catering and is also very active in her church as a life group leader and Early Childhood Director.

Lead Programs: Membership Coordinator, National Homeschool Honor Society - Chi Zeta Chapter Manager, Conference Coordinator, Social Media Admin

Tricia Croushorn

Member-at-Large

Tricia moved to Omaha from Cedar Falls, Iowa in 1980. Soon afterward, she met her husband-to-be, Mike, and became a Husker fan. Married in 1985, Tricia and Mike had three children – Abilene, Tyler, Samuel, and one grandson, Zachary. They began their homeschool journey in 1992 shortly after meeting friends who homeschooled their children. Then, in 1993 they attended their first homeschool graduation, and their path was set. Over the next 21 years, they homeschooled their three children from kindergarten through graduation. Tricia began her volunteer journey early in her homeschool career. Her servant’s heart and management skills were well-suited for the homeschool community and have benefited many. She enjoys working with and serving others who are on the homeschool path. Tricia has been instrumental in providing many iconic homeschool opportunities around the Omaha metro – virtually every Nebraska Homeschool (HEN) program, Lightning and Wildcats homeschool athletics, various homeschool dances, and the Metropolitan Area Homeschool Graduation are just a few of the programs that bear the loving touch of Tricia. In 2017, after 34 years with Tricia, Mike passed into his Savior’s arms after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Tricia now runs their family business, Liberty Property Management Company, and continues to serve our homeschool community.

Lead Programs: Legacy Yearbook, Metropolitan Area Homeschool Graduation

Julie Knutson

Member-at-Large

Julie joined the Board of Directors...she's been a longtime volunteer with our group.  We're excited to have her take a seat at the table as we continue to grow our group and find new ways to serve our homeschool community!

Lead Programs: Legacy Yearbook, Metropolitan Area Homeschool Graduation, Homeschool Picture Days, Resource Expo/Exhibit Hall Planner

Debbie Nordstrom

New Homeschool Mentor

Debbie Nordstrom finished her homeschooling journey of 23 years in 2017 and wouldn't trade it for the world. She learned so much about God and His strength made perfect in her weakness. Her favorite part of homeschooling is just being with her kids and seeing them learn together as she is a lifetime lover of learning.

She began serving on the board of NH-HEN in 2013 to give back to the community some of what she received when she began homeschooling. She also loves to meet new homeschoolers and through the new homeschool workshops, she gets an opportunity to inspire and instill confidence that you are the best parent/teacher your child could have! 

She has been married to her wonderful, supportive husband Scott since 1982, and together they have raised four biological children and countless others who have been unofficially adopted into their eclectic family.  They also have a family Christmas tree farm which has been a great source of learning how to work together as a family.

Lead Programs: New Homeschool Workshop, New Homeschool Mentoring

Daphne Carden

Event Helper

Prior to working full-time as the Vision Therapy Coordinator at Heartland Eye Consultants, Daphne served the homeschool community by helping with P.E. and craft classes, as well as volunteering several years at the Omaha Homeschool Learning Center.  She has served on the board of Omaha Eclipse Volleyball and volunteered for Homeschool Teen Serve projects since the inception of their program. 

In previous years, Daphne helped organize the speaker workshops for the Nebraska Homeschool's annual summer conference and she continues to serve as a helper in this event each year.

She earned her Bachelor of Science at Illinois State University in Normal, Illinois and her Master of Social Work at Hunter College in New York City, New York.  She has worked with children and families in a variety of settings.  Daphne is married to Ken and she has homeschooled their four children.  She enjoys her faith, history, and music along with needlework and physical fitness.

Tami Kolar

Homeschool Picture Days

Dawn Andersen

Rose Theater Field Trips

Biography coming soon!

Lead Program: Rose Theater Field Trip Coordinator

Marianne Toovey

Nebraska Homeschool Spelling Bee

Biography coming soon!

Lead Program: Nebraska Homeschool Spelling Bee Coordinator

Diane Cary

Box Tops for Education Program Coordinator

Biography coming soon!

Lead Program: Box Tops for Education Coordinator