Kim Bader Joining NTC feels like the perfect next chapter following my retirement from a rewarding 32-year teaching career—26 of those years dedicated to special education. In my final four years, I worked with high school students, where I discovered a true passion for helping them plan and prepare for life beyond graduation. I'm excited to continue supporting young adults as they take their next steps toward the future.

My husband and I live just north of Grand Island with our two dogs, and we’re proud parents of three grown children. Alongside teaching for NTC, I also work part-time as a receptionist. In my free time, I enjoy walking, working out, reading, and spending time with our kids and pups. We're hoping to travel more in the coming years—starting with a trip to Yellowstone next summer!

Hi everyone! My name is Staci Rother, and I’ve been a special education teacher for 28 years. I currently teach in a small rural school just north of Grand Island, Nebraska. My husband and I live on a farm where we stay busy with our two dogs, chickens, a horse, and a few cows. We have four wonderful children and recently welcomed our first grandchild—a beautiful baby girl.
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I have a deep passion for helping children and students reach their full potential in all areas of life. My goal is to support them in becoming successful, confident members of society who find joy and meaning in life.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, gardening, and helping run a small-town eating establishment and social bar. I’m excited to be part of this class and look forward to learning and growing with all of you!

Leah Hosseinabad As an occupational therapist specializing in neurodivergence, I am passionate about helping young adults embrace their strengths and navigate the world with confidence. My approach is holistic, focusing on fostering independence, self-awareness, and personal success through each individual’s unique talents. I graduated from the College of St. Mary's with a bachelors and masters in Occupational Therapy, and have found my greatest joy in my career path is working with teens and adults to identify and strengthen who they wish to become. 

In this class on Healthy Romantic Relationships, I aim to provide a safe, inclusive space where young adults can explore topics like communication, boundaries, emotional regulation, and self-advocacy in relationships. My goal is to empower each student with practical skills and insights to build meaningful and fulfilling connections while honoring their authentic selves.

I look forward to learning and growing together in this journey toward healthy relationships!

Leslie McDaniel has spent the last 29 years working with students with disabilities as a special education teacher, as transition specialist with Nebraska VR and as a foster/adoptive parent. Her passion is assisting young people to be equipped to live as independently as possible. She's honored to join the NTC community and is looking forward to what we can do together.

Troy Kantor has worked in education, mostly as a special education teacher for sixteen years. The past ten years, he has worked in the high school setting or community base training program with young adults. He is excited to join the NTC team, to support individuals, to reach their goals.

Marci Ludwig has been in the education field for 32 years. Marci earned degrees from Wayne State College, Peru State College, and a Transition Specialist degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. She taught 7–12+ grades at Ashland-Greenwood and Wisner-Pilger Junior/Senior High Schools and Intro to Special Education at Wayne State College. Marci and her husband have seven beautiful grandchildren and two spoiled cats, Torti and Burt.

​Dr. Stuart Stofferahn serves as the Executive Director of Nebraska Transition College. He has taught vocal music in the elementary school, served as a director of youth and family ministries, and finished a 31-year United States Air Force career of reserve and active duty military service. His master’s and doctorate are both in education leadership, and he is an active volunteer in the Lincoln community. ​

Alessandra Mengel has been working with people with disabilities for 13 years. She is a former special education teacher and now runs  Angel Guardian's Work-Based Learning Program. She is a fierce advocate for disability and education rights and a firm believer that with the correct knowledge, adaptations, and modifications, everyone can find their unique purpose and initiate positive change in our communities. She loves to hear all about people's passions, aspirations and where they find joy! She is honored to be part of Nebraska Transition College and looks forward to learning and growing with our students.

Jennifer Fowler has worked as a special education teacher for 26 years. She has a K-12 special education degree and a masters in behavior disorders. She is an active member of the Metro Autism Team and is excited to join the NTC community and help individuals with disabilities live their best life.

Shawnie Motschenbacher has dedicated her career to teaching Special Education. She has spent the majority of the past 30 years at the middle and high school level in Life Skills and Behavioral Skills. With the majority of those years being at the middle and high school level in the area of Life Skills and Behavioral Skills. Shawnie is a lifelong resident of Lincoln who enjoys quilting, kayaking, fishing and spending time with her family and grandchildren when she is not teaching. She prides herself in empowering individuals to appreciate their unique talents and gifts and ignite their desire to grow.

Kari Kensinger, Ph.D.,CTRS , CAS is a certified recreational therapist and autism specialist. She earned degrees in therapeutic recreation from the University of Nebraska at Omaha (BS.Ed., M.S.) and the University of Florida (Ph.D.) At the University of Florida she minored in special education with an emphasis in transition. After spending 17 years teaching recreational therapy in higher education including being a tenured associate professor at Grand Valley State University and developing and teaching a social skills lab for Florida International University; Dr Kensinger returned to Nebraska to provide recreational therapy to individuals with autism and developmental disabilities. Since 2018, she has taught social skills and vocational skills as a recreational therapist for Wonderfully Made. In the summer of 2019, the executive director of Wonderfully Made became Peers Certified and the Wonderfully Made social skills curriculum in the Fall of 2019 was based on the PEERS curriculum. Dr. Kensinger attended the PEERS training offered by Autism Society of Nebraska in February 2020.

Carol Salber is a Mental Health Therapist at Skills 4 All Abilities in Omaha. She received her Master's Degree in Counseling from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She has over 20 years of experience in special needs community outreach. She has been teaching life skills classes to teens and adults with different abilities for the last 3 years. She also has over 10 years of experience in behavior health therapy, including providing behavior-based therapy with her son who has Autism. She is trained in PCIT, CBT, and has a Specialized Endorsement in Low Cognitive Disorders and Mental Illness. Her professional interests include assessing behavior challenges, the impact of health and nutrition on mental illness, and improving community inclusion for all.

​Jessi Sandberg has a passion for helping students make a successful transition from high school to adult living. Transition is what drew her to the field of teaching and Special Education. Jessi has 16 years of experience working with students with disabilities as a high school teacher. She is excited to continue her service to students through Nebraska Transition College.

​Todd Sandberg just entered his twentieth year as a high school special education teacher. Throughout the past two decades he has picked up many different teaching styles and techniques as well as worked with a wide range of students with unique needs. The past few years he's dedicated himself to work in the area of job seeking skills as well as job keeping skills. He is excited to join the NTC community to help individuals learn skills to live a productive and enjoyable life. 

Jennifer Sexton is a graduate student in the neuroscience & behavior program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha where she works as a lead teaching assistant for the psychology department. She is particularly interested in developmental neuropsychology and plans to pursue a Ph.D. with a focus in clinical neuropsychology in the future. Currently, she works as a clinical assistant to Dr. Natalie Swift, who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health conditions. Jennifer is also a graduate assistant in the Warren Neuroscience Lab and has recently received a grant to research Alzheimer's disease risk among individuals with Down syndrome using neuropsychological, neuroimaging, and genetic techniques.

​Andrea Street has 15 years of experience working with students with disabilities, with the last 12 working in Transition. She is passionate about helping individuals with disabilities realize their potential and fullest level of independence.

Dr. Natalie Swift is in private practice in Lincoln and Omaha providing outpatient therapy and consultations services. Dr. Swift has extensive experience in the evaluation and treatment of individuals with developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health conditions. Dr. Swift’s professional interests include strength-based approaches to treating individuals on the Autism Spectrum and other developmental disabilities, the impact of culture on disability, and the role of faith and spirituality in mental health. She obtained her master’s and doctorate degree in clinical psychology with an emphasis on multiculturalism and treatment of diverse populations from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

​Jamie Thavenet is currently working full time at ESU 5. She has worked at ESU 5, in special education, since June 2005. Currently, Jamie is a transition specialist and 504 coordinator. Previous to being a transition specialist, Jamie was a birth-5 special education coordinator. She has her Nebraska teaching certificate with a special education endorsement. She has also completed a master's program in educational leadership and communication through UNL, and is a current Ed.S./Ph.D. candidate at Doane University. Jamie is originally from Lincoln. She has been married to her husband Jim for 26 years and they have 3 daughters ages 15, 17, and 20.