Meet the Staff
Kimberly Thomas oversees the execution of the organization’s mission to ensure girls of color in Omaha have equitable opportunities in sports.
Ms. Thomas brings more than 25 years of experience serving Nebraskans and working with diverse teams to ensure the needs of underserved communities are met. Most recently, she was the executive director at CASA for Douglas County for over nine years, where she multiplied its number of staff and increased the number of children served from 190 to nearly 600. Prior to her work at CASA, she worked with national organizations such as the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Georgetown Center for Juvenile Justice Reform to improve life chances for youth involved in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems.
Kimberly is a graduate of Leadership Omaha Class of 43 (the best virtual class EVER) a graduate of Lead Diversity Cohort 2, Women’s Fund of Omaha Circles (2012), and TEAM Cohort 1. She actively volunteers with the Dreamweaver Foundation, making life-long dreams come true for seniors.
Thomas is a former board member of the Nebraska CASA Association and the Refugee Empowerment Center. She is an avid fan of volleyball and coached for years with the YMCA and through a local club. Kimberly is married to Sylvester and has six children and two fur babies.
Born and raised in North Omaha, Racquel is a courageous leader that actively works to use employment as a tool to elevate peoples’ circumstances. In her work as an influencer, activiss, and community advocate, she is a champion for change through education, employment, and community resources. Racquel has spent more than 10 years serving her community by providing second chances in reentry programs and uplifting youth in higher education opportunities. Racquel has been pivotal with creating opportunities for individuals to elevate their lives and become the best version of themselves. Previously, as the Pathway Coordinator for the Walter Scott Jr. Career Pathway Scholarship at Metropolitan Community College, Racquel focused on the retention of first-generation and underrepresented students by providing intrusive academic support and guidance on the way to Career Placement. Racquel also serves as the Employment and Education Coordinator for Black and Pink — the nation’s largest prison abolitionist organization. Additionally, Racquel is a Professor at UNO where she instructs a course centered on issues of race, ethnicity, and the criminal justice system. Racquel works with the Terraluna Collaborative on the Lived Experience Project which seeks to assist youth and families who have been impacted by the juvenile justice system in providing resources and workshops that facilitate healing with a focus on gathering their voices and stories, and is a Consultant for the Community Wellness Collaborative where she provides mentorship and employment skills for cohorts of young adults for the Health Care Collaborative Academy.
Racquel serves as a mentor with The Keys Foundation, where she works to improve academic achievement, self-esteem, social competence and avoidance of problem/high-risk behavior, and recently completed her master’s degree from the University of Nebraska Omaha, where she studied Criminal Justice and disadvantaged communities, and was inducted into the National Honors Society of Criminal Justice. A 2024 Women’s Center for Advancement Tribute to Women Award Recipient, 2023 Urban League African American Leadership Award Recipient, 2023 Phenomenal Woman of the Year Recipient, 2023 ICAN Award Recipient, 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Fulfill the Dream Award Recipient, 2022 Own the Pond Big Fish Award Recipient, 2022 Community Focused Award Recipient, 2021 Greater Omaha Chamber Changemaker Award Recipient, 2021 Ten Outstanding Young Omahan Award Recipient, 2018 Young Professional of the Year Urban League of Nebraska Award Recipient, 2018 MORE Women Award Recipient, and 2017 Young Black and Influential Award recipient, Racquel is deeply dedicated to her community and is committed to witnessing its flourishing. In 2015 Racquel Founded of #TheBeProject — a movement based on bringing awareness to various jobs and resources to community members. She recently completed a 2023 National Fellowship in the Women Organizing for Justice and Opportunity National Leadership Lab and completed a fellowship with the National Youth Justice Leadership Institute and was inducted into Women’s Fund Circles 9, and is committed to growing personally and professionally while assisting in improving the lives of women and girls in the community.
Racquel serves on the board of I Be Black Girl, YouTurn, and NOISE. Racquel is a proud mother of two, a friend, neighbor, and community member.