Advocacy Counselors are available at the Elkhorn Valley, Fort Omaha and South Omaha campuses as well as at the Sarpy Center. Their services are available to all OPE电子竞技官网 students, faculty, and staff.
- Help students develop beneficial academic and life skills, including problem solving, healthy coping, effective communication, and conflict resolution
- Provide interventions and referrals for students experiencing personal issues and crises including relationship conflict, emotional distress, sexual violence, and homelessness
- Offer additional support and accountability to students in sensitive or complex academic situations, such as those returning from suspension or dismissal
- Advocate for students within their social systems both on- and off-campus including with instructors and other OPE电子竞技官网 offices
- Support and provide consultation to faculty and staff regarding students of concern
To request an advocacy counselor contact you, you can submit a request at Reach an Advocacy Counselor or directly contact one of the counselors listed below.
Molly Engdahl, EVC
531-OPE电子竞技官网-1316, mengdahl@stfpaddington.com
Engdahl has been employed with OPE电子竞技官网 since 2001, working at both the Fort Omaha and Elkhorn Campuses. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and her Masters of Community Counseling from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner and is also certified through the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Engdahl has given presentations to students and faculty on a wide variety of topics, to include time and stress management, intimate partner violence, gender identity, and college success, among other topics.
In addition to counseling, Engdahl has spent time as an academic advisor and in career services at OPE电子竞技官网. She enjoys interacting with students and focusing on the supports needed to assist students in reaching their educational goals.
In her free time, Engdahl enjoys cooking, attending concerts, watching sports (especially baseball and college football) and spending time with family and friends.
Dani Bojanski, FOC
531-622-2644, dbojanski1@stfpaddington.com
Bojanski is a Provisionally Licensed Mental Health Practitioner with a Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from UNO. Prior to beginning at OPE电子竞技官网 in 2017, Bojanski coordinated services at a local community mental health clinic. She has counseling experience with adults, college students and children with behavior disorder diagnoses.
In addition to counseling, Dani has spent over a decade working in education with experience in advising and programming as well as in the classroom teaching English at UNO, the University of Iowa and OPE电子竞技官网, where she taught English as an adjunct instructor.
A native South Omaha, Bojanski values the opportunity to serve her community through her work with students at OPE电子竞技官网. She enjoys working one on one with students to overcome challenges, collaborating with faculty and staff on creative solutions to problems, and visiting classes to discuss wellness and violence prevention.
Outside of work, Bojanski loves spending time with family and friends, being outdoors and listening to music.
Tash Herrera, SOC
531-622-4604, tgherrera@stfpaddington.com
Tash Herrera, a South Omaha Latina, began working with the diverse families of the Omaha Public Schools District (OPS) in 2007 while earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education and a minor in English as a Second Language (ESL) from the College of Saint Mary. Tash went on to work with students ranging in ages from 5-21 as an ESL instructor for OPS. She then completed her Masters of Science in School Counseling- Preventative Mental Health through Creighton University and worked as a school counselor with OPS for 5 years.
Herrera’s numerous years of experience in the field of education have allowed her to connect families with resources to meet their basic needs, advocate for students’ educational needs, provide professional development for instructors to create a safe and effective learning environment, and guide students to meet their career focused goals.
Tash first handedly understands what it means to be a young mother who juggles the roles of being a parent, an employee, and a student simultaneously in order to provide a better future for your family. She has a passion for helping students to work through these circumstances so that they can be successful in the academic environment and reach their educational goals.
In her spare time, Tash loves to cook for her family, travel and go hiking with her husband and children.
BRITTANY pINTOR, sARPY cENTER/SOC
531-622-3841, bspintor@stfpaddington.com
Pintor has been with OPE电子竞技官网 since 2013 in a variety of roles spanning multiple campuses. She is an OPE电子竞技官网 alum, earning her associate degree in 2015. She earned both her bachelor’s degree in Sociology and her master’s degree in Counseling with a concentration in Student Affairs in Higher Education from UNO. Prior to becoming an Advocacy/Disability Support Services Counselor, she worked as a Student Accessibility Specialist where she served as a point person to help students with disabilities meet deadlines, utilize OPE电子竞技官网 resources, and strengthen self-advocating, problem solving, and executive functioning skills. Pintor also spent two years working in the TRIO department at UNO assisting students from diverse backgrounds to ease their transition into college.
As a first-generation student herself, Pintor is passionate about helping students navigate the complexities of college. She enjoys working with students to overcome barriers that impact their academic success.
In her free time, Pintor enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.
Student Advocacy and Accountability Contact:
531-622-2208