Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird today announced her nominations of Dr. Maribel Cruz and Rich Rodenburg to fill vacant positions on the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission. If approved by the City Council and County Board, the pair will serve six-year terms ending in 2027.
Cruz has been the Director of Leadership Consulting at Talent Plus since 2010. Prior to that she worked at the Gallup Organization for 15 years. She holds a B.A. from Allegheny College and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. Cruz serves on the Mayor’s Economic Recovery Task Force and LPS Superintendent’s Advisory Committee and is President of Angels Theatre Company. She previously served as President of El Centro de las Americas, a member of the LPS Bond Campaign Steering Committee, and a member of Friends of the Haymarket Theater.
Rodenburg is a Real Estate Broker/Agent and founder/co-owner of Coldwell Banker NHS Real Estate in Lincoln. He is a business entrepreneur and has started and run several Lincoln businesses, including Bike Pedalers and Walton Trail Company. Rodenburg is a volunteer and board member of Lincoln Bike Kitchen and served previously as both President of the Great Plains Trails Network and Chair of the City of Lincoln Pedestrian Bicycle Advisory Committee. He has been a swim coach for nearly 30 years, founding the Lincoln Dolphins swim team and serving as Assistant Men’s Swimming Coach at UNL.
The Planning Commission is nine-member body responsible for advising the City Council and County Board on planning and development matters. The Mayor appoints members for six-year staggered terms with concurrence of the City Council and County Board. More information is available at planning.lincoln.ne.gov.
(Photos: City of Lincoln)