Who we are

Our leadership team

With a foundation built on 135 years of experience and forward-thinking innovation, we aim not only to meet the needs of seniors but also to redefine the possibilities in retirement living and senior care. We set a standard that transcends time and expectations.

Executive leadership

Eric Gurley, Chief Executive Officer, Immanuel
Eric Gurley
Chief Executive Officer
Eric Gurley, Chief Executive Officer, Immanuel

Eric Gurley

Chief Executive Officer

Eric is the President and CEO of Immanuel. He is a skilled financial and operational professional with more than 20 years of senior housing and healthcare experience, excelling in the areas of strategic planning, implementation, and reporting.

Eric served on the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Board of Directors from 2005 to 2013. He joined the EAA Foundation board in 2015 and currently serves as the vice president. Eric re-joined the EAA Board in 2020 and is a member of the finance committee.

He resides in Omaha, Nebraska, with his family and is a member of the Omaha Symphony board and finance committee, Lutheran Giving board and finance committee, and Nebraska Lutheran Outdoor Ministries finance committee.

Julie Kaminski, Chief Operations Officer, Immanuel
Julie Kaminski
Chief Operations Officer
Julie Kaminski, Chief Operations Officer, Immanuel

Julie Kaminski

Chief Operations Officer

Julie Kaminski is the Chief Operating Officer for Immanuel Communities, a nonprofit provider of retirement living and senior care spanning a two-state region, including Omaha, Lincoln, Des Moines, and Council Bluffs. Immanuel has a long Christ-centered heritage of healthcare and senior services. The organization’s mission is to serve seniors with compassion and devote resources to bettering our communities.

Julie is responsible for the strategic operations of all of Immanuel’s service lines. With a master’s degree in gerontology, she has held leadership positions at LeadingAge Nebraska and Notre Dame Housing and Life Care Services. Julie has extensive leadership experience focusing on operational excellence, mentoring, and critical thinking. She is passionate about older adults, aging services, and being a collaborative leader in the field. Julie serves on the LeadingAge Iowa Board of Directors, Nebraska’s Alzheimer’s Advisory Committee, Business Ethics Programming Committee, NHCQP Quality Committee, and Lutheran Services of America Affordable Housing Committee. She has been an adjunct instructor for the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Midland University, and the College of St. Mary.

Scott Bear, Chief Financial Officer, Immanuel
Scott Bear
Chief Financial Officer
Scott Bear, Chief Financial Officer, Immanuel

Scott Bear

Chief Financial Officer

Scott is a dedicated leader with a strong background in healthcare finance. He has over 20 years of experience specializing in strategic, operational, and financial planning and budgeting.

Scott has a passion for developing great business relationships to create consistent supply chain processes for the organization's effective acquisition of goods and services.

Tammy Sealer, Chief Administrative Officer, Immanuel
Tammy Sealer
Chief Development Officer
Tammy Sealer, Chief Administrative Officer, Immanuel

Tammy Sealer

Chief Development Officer

Tammy Sealer is Immanuel’s Chief Development Officer. She has more than 30 years of experience in senior services, including operations, development, and project management.

Tammy is a member of the local healthcare associations and serves a Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Society for the Advancement of Gerontological Environments (SAGE).

Joe Brown, Vice President of Marketing & Sales
Joe Brown
Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales Experience
Joe Brown, Vice President of Marketing & Sales

Joe Brown

Senior Vice President of Marketing & Sales Experience

Joe Brown is a Nebraska native with former executive leadership positions in banking, agriculture, nonprofit, and IT-managed services. He earned his degree at Hastings College in web communication design and has won 7 international marketing awards. As Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Joe oversees all occupancy, branding, growth, and communications initiatives.

Betty Harris, Vice President of Human Resources
Betty Harris
Senior Vice President of HR and Employee Experience
Betty Harris, Vice President of Human Resources

Betty Harris

Senior Vice President of HR and Employee Experience

Betty Harris, Immanuel's Senior Vice President of HR and Employee Experience, brings over 30 years of experience in human resources and organizational development. Leading a team of 20 HR professionals, Betty is dedicated to optimizing service delivery and achieving organizational goals.

With a master's in organizational design, she has successfully managed HR for diverse companies, from small entrepreneurial ventures to large corporations like FDC Card Division. Betty's passion lies in enhancing and aligning the employee experience with organizational values. Her leadership has fostered a high-performing team focused on customer service, performance, morale, ethics, and integrity.

Since joining Immanuel in 2018, Betty has continued to drive HR excellence.

Leadership team

Alan Jarecki, General Manager of Culinary Operations
Alan Jarecki
General Manager of Culinary Operations
Alan Jarecki, General Manager of Culinary Operations

Alan Jarecki

General Manager of Culinary Operations

With 17 years of expertise in retirement living and a master's degree in healthcare management, Alan Jarecki leads as the General Manager of Culinary Operations. Responsible for the vision, execution, and satisfaction of the culinary program across the company, Alan's extensive experience ensures a top-notch dining experience. Beyond his role, he actively contributes to community welfare by serving on the OneWorld Organization Board of Directors.

April Butterfield, Vice President of PACE Operations
April Butterfield
Vice President of PACE® Operations
April Butterfield, Vice President of PACE Operations

April Butterfield

Vice President of PACE® Operations

As Vice President of PACE® Operations, April Butterfield oversees the strategic operations of Immanuel's three PACE® Centers. April has over 20 years of experience in revenue cycle and healthcare administration, most recently leading primary care operations and value-based initiatives. With a master's degree in organizational leadership, she brings a passion for servant leadership, health equity, and serving the underserved.

Dr. Devin Fox, Medical Director
Dr. Devin Fox
Vice President of Clinical Operations
Dr. Devin Fox, Medical Director

Dr. Devin Fox

Vice President of Clinical Operations

Dr. Devin Fox serves as the Vice President of Clinical Services at Immanuel and is responsible for all clinical elements of each service line

Dr. Fox is a board-certified internal medicine physician who has practiced in the Omaha area for over 20 years and has expertise in geriatrics, hospice care, quality, patient safety, and leadership development.

Before coming to Immanuel, he served as Chief Medical Officer at Creighton University Medical Center Bergan Mercy Hospital. He is a member of the Creighton University School of Medicine faculty and the National Board of Medical Examiners. He is active in the Omaha community with service on the Boards of Directors of the Josie Harper Hospice House, the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, the BLUEBARN Theatre, and the Metro Omaha Medical Society Foundation.

Jamie Pearson, Vice President of Information Technology
Jamie Pearson
Vice President of Information Technology
Jamie Pearson, Vice President of Information Technology

Jamie Pearson

Vice President of Information Technology

Jamie Pearson is the Vice President of Information Technology at Immanuel. Jamie has held leadership positions across various industries, including many years specializing in supporting clinical systems.

With more than 30 years of technology experience and over 15 years in leadership roles, Jamie is focused on operational performance, efficiency, and long-term forward strategy. Jamie also has a background in information security, which is an area of primary focus for Immanuel.

Jamie joined Immanuel in 2021 as the Vice President of IT. A lifelong Nebraskan who enjoys the outdoors, Jamie resides with his family just outside Omaha, Nebraska.

John Croghan, Vice President of Immanuel Community Operations
John Croghan
Vice President of Immanuel Community Operations
John Croghan, Vice President of Immanuel Community Operations

John Croghan

Vice President of Immanuel Community Operations

John Croghan has served in the senior living industry for over 25 years and is Immanuel’s Vice President of Operations. John has served at three different Immanuel campuses and held the Regional Director of Operations-Lincoln position before assuming his current role. Previously, he worked as a regional operations manager for a senior living organization, assisting in opening new retirement communities across the Midwest. He also gained experience in an affordable housing setting, managing Housing Urban Development apartments and tax-credit apartment homes.

John has been actively involved in various organizations and committees throughout his career. He served on the Government Relations Committee with the Nebraska Health Care Association and was a member of the statewide advisory board for the Alzheimer’s Association. Additionally, he is a past president of the Seniors Foundation in Lincoln and has served as the NALA Director-at-large, Non-Profit for the Nebraska Health Care Association. He serves on the Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementia Advisory Council for Nebraska. In 2019, he was recognized by the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living as a future leader in long-term and post-acute care. He also contributed to the mayor’s COVID-19 task force for Lincoln, Nebraska.

Outside of work, John enjoys leading the 4-H Dog Club called 4 On the Floor and is a member of the cover band Blacktop Pony. He and his wife, Krista, are proud parents of two beautiful children, Noah and Bella.

John Sigmon, Corporate Legal Counsel
John Sigmon
Corporate Legal Counsel
John Sigmon, Corporate Legal Counsel

John Sigmon

Corporate Legal Counsel

As Corporate Legal Counsel, John Sigmon oversees Immanuel's legal, compliance, and government relations aspects. John serves on several industry association committees and is passionate about issues affecting the communities Immanuel serves.

Pastor Brian Maas, Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Care
Pastor Brian Maas
Vice President for Mission and Spiritual Care
Pastor Brian Maas, Vice President of Mission and Spiritual Care

Pastor Brian Maas

Vice President for Mission and Spiritual Care

Brian Maas, Immanuel's Vice President for Mission and Spiritual Care since 2022, previously spent a decade as the Bishop of the Nebraska Synod, ELCA.

A Nebraska Wesleyan University and Yale Divinity School graduate, Brian served congregations in Tekamah, Lincoln, and Kansas City. With board roles at Immanuel and the Immanuel Vision Foundation, he brings a wealth of experience. Brian, married to counselor Debbie, is a proud parent of two adults and a grandchild.

His journey reflects a commitment to spiritual leadership, profoundly impacting both local congregations and broader organizational boards.

Rhonda Distefano, Vice President of Construction, Facilities Management & Environmental Services
Rhonda Distefano
Vice President of Construction, Facilities Management & Environmental Services
Rhonda Distefano, Vice President of Construction, Facilities Management & Environmental Services

Rhonda Distefano

Vice President of Construction, Facilities Management & Environmental Services

Rhonda Distefano has nearly 30 years of experience in commercial construction. She brings the ability to create a vision of excellence throughout Immanuel's construction, facilities management, and environmental services areas. Rhonda is a past board member of Habitat for Humanity.

Scott Groth, Director of Business Analytics
Scott Groth
Director of Business Analytics
Scott Groth, Director of Business Analytics

Scott Groth

Director of Business Analytics

Immanuel Board of Directors

Cynthia A. Alloway

Retired - CHI Health

Dan R. Friedlund

Retired - Immanuel

Clarence L. Nichols

BancAlliance

Rev. E. Jon Benson

St. John Lutheran Church

Jill M. Powers

Retired - CHI Health

Steven R. Bullock

OpenBook Pharmacy & Perfect Rx

Scott J. Howerter

North Channel Capital

Randal J. Burns

Foundation First Corporation

Eric N. Gurley

Immanuel

Steven A. Scanlan

Retired - Physicians Mutual

John E. Bothof

Retired - Northwest Bank

Andrea M. Skolkin

OneWorld Community Health Centers, Inc.

Bishop Scott A. Johnson

Nebraska Synod ELCA

Mary A. Balluff

Retired - Douglas County Health Department

Brenda Bergman-Evans

Retired - CHI Health

Mary J. Parker

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

Teresa L. Hawlik

CHI Health

Roger E. Thompson

Retired – Seim Johnson, LLP


Immanuel Affordable Board of Directors

Betty G. Foster

Retired - University of Nebraska Medical Center

Brenda Bergman-Evans

Retired - CHI Health

Carolina R. Padilla

Intercultural Senior Center

Dan R. Friedlund

Retired - Immanuel

Deborah M. Conley

Methodist Hospital

Delight Wreed Byrd

Retired - Bellevue University

Eric N. Gurley

Immanuel

Jane A. Tonniges

Retired

Kristen L. Hoffman, M.D

Retired, Methodist Physicians Clinic

Mary A. Balluff

Retired - Douglas County Health Department

Rev. Timothy M. Koester

Saint Michael Lutheran Church

Scott A. Bear

Immanuel


Immanuel Vision Foundation Board of Directors

Bishop Scott A. Johnson

Nebraska Synod ELCA

Bruce A. Plath

Security National Bank

Cynthia A. Alloway

Retired - CHI Health

Dara L. Troutman

University of Nebraska Foundation

Eric N. Gurley

Immanuel

Mary A. Balluff

Retired - Douglas County Health Department

Mary J. Parker

Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

Rev. E. Jon Benson

St. John Lutheran Church

Rev. Kathryn K. Gerking

St. Timothy's Lutheran Church

Steven R. Bullock

OpenBook Pharmacy & Perfect Rx