The Speakers
STEVEN JENSEN
Steve Jensen, a registered Landscape Architect and Certified Planner, is the former Director of City Planning in Omaha. During his tenure as City Planning Director from 2005-2009, Steve Jensen was responsible for administering the City’s long-range planning, current planning, annexation, capital improvements, housing and community development, economic development, code enforcement, permitting and inspection activities. Mr. Jensen dedicated 34+ years to service with the Omaha Planning Department, and now maintains a private practice providing planning and urban design consulting services to a variety of public and private clients. As co-chairman of the Environment Omaha – Environmental Master Plan committee, Mr. Jensen has worked to create a comprehensive environmental section for addition to the city’s master plan covering five major areas – the natural environment, urban form & transportation, building construction, resource conservation and community health.
KRISTI WAMSTAD-EVANS
Kristi Wamstad-Evans is the Sustainability Coordinator for the City of Omaha. In late 2009, Ms. Wamstad-Evans spearheaded a multi-faceted effort to attain $10 million in Department of Energy grant funds for a program to transform building energy efficiency in the Greater Omaha/Greater Lincoln area. Known as the reEnergize Program, the goal is to evaluate and upgrade about 3,200 residential homes and 260 commercial/non-profit buildings by May 2013. Ms. Wamstad-Evans draws upon 20 years of experience developing sustainable solutions as an organizer and business leader at the local, national, and international level. Prior to joining the City, she was the National Sustainable Solutions Program Coordinator for HDR, Inc. Ms. Wamstad-Evans holds a Masters Degree in Community and Regional Planning from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Bachelors Degrees in Biology and Environmental Studies from the University of Colorado-Boulder.
JOHN O’KEEFE
John J. O’Keefe, Ph.D. is a Professor of Theology at Creighton University. He is currently working on projects that explore Christian theologies of nature and the Christian contribution to the environmental movement. He is also the founding director of the newly established Center for Catholic Thought at Creighton University.
