Keynote Speaker
Dr. JoAnne Owens-Nauslar, Ed.D
JoAnne Owens-Nauslar, Ed.D; FASHA, FNAS, LBWA
a.k.a. “Dr. Jo”
Vice President for Partnerships
The GeoMotion Group, Inc.
JoAnne Owens-Nauslar has spent 44 years promoting the benefits of healthy active living and is considered one of the nation’s most vocal personalities on issues of physical activity for children and the potential for school success.
She has been described as past president of many organizations, including the National Association for Sport and Physical Education; the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, & Dance; the Nebraska AAHPERD; the Central District AAHPERD; and the Husker Athletic Fund.
Dr. Jo taught in Newcastle, Wyoming, for five years and then the University of Nebraska at Lincoln on a graduate teaching assistantship. She has taught at all levels and was the State Director for Comprehensive Health and Physical Education at the Nebraska Department of Education for 19 years, and the Director of Professional Development for the American School Health Association for nine years. Ten years ago she joined corporate America.
Our Survivor
Deborah Rose, Brigadier General USAF (Ret)
Deborah Rose is a lifelong member of the Overbrook community. She was graduated from Overbrook Rural High School in 1968. In 1982, Deborah graduated from Washburn University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing, and was employed at the Colmery-O’Neil Veteran’s Affairs Medical Center for fourteen years. She received a direct commission in the Air Force Nurse Corps in 1983, beginning her military career at the 184th Tactical Fighter Group in Wichita, Kansas. She transferred to the 190th Air Refueling Wing in 1985. In 1989, Deborah graduated from Wichita State University, with a Master’s Degree in Nursing. In 1994, the leadership of the 190th requested she leave the Nurse Corps to take a critical leadership position. She served in assignments with progressively more responsibility at the 190th Air Refueling Wing, first at the squadron level, then at the group level and finally at the wing level. She became the highest-ranking female in the Kansas National Guard when she was promoted to the rank of Colonel in 2002, and upon her promotion to Brigadier General in 2007 was also the first female to achieve that rank in the Kansas National Guard. Her final assignment with the military was as the Director of the Joint Forces Headquarters, Kansas National Guard, where she was responsible for the integration of the nearly 8000 Kansas Army and Air National Guard forces for homeland security missions. She was additionally assigned as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Commander of U.S. Air Force Africa. She retired from the Air Force on September 30, 2011. In May 2012, she received an honorary doctorate degree in public service from Washburn University. Deborah has been an active member of her community serving in a variety of positions in the American Legion; Veterans of Foreign War; National Guard Association of Kansas; Past President, Board of Directors, YWCA Topeka; Stormont-Vail Foundation Board of Directors; the piano and organ accompanist for the Overbrook United Methodist Church; and as a volunteer registered nurse. Deborah has been married to Joe Rose Jr, Colonel, USAF, Retired, for 44years, and they live on the family farm in rural Overbrook. They have two children, Jessica Frye, Overbrook, and Joe Rose III, Overbrook, and six grandchildren.
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