Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Conversations: Executive Panel on the Freedom of Thought and Belief

Featuring Tim Burke, Carmen Tapio, and Joe Gerstandt

Tri-Faith Initiative is committed to celebrating and protecting the diversity of thought and belief that makes our institutions and communities strong.

Diversity of thought welcomes the full potential of all people by acknowledging and appreciating each person’s unique perspective, and how our identities, personalities, and experiences shape it.

Join Wendy Goldberg as she facilitates a panel discussion with Omaha thought leaders and executives around diversity of thought and belief in the workplace, as we honor and celebrate the work and retirement of OPPD President and CEO Tim Burke.

During his 24 years at OPPD, Tim championed diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. As a result, OPPD now has one of the region’s most diverse senior management teams.

“OPPD is proud of its inclusive culture, empowering our employees to bring their whole selves to work every day in service of our customers. We support all our employees, their families and the communities we serve. I’m proud of how employees live out our core values each and every day,” says Burke.

ABOUT OUR PANELISTS

Tim Burke, President & CEO, Omaha Public Power District (OPPD)

Timothy J. Burke joined OPPD in April 1997 as vice president.

He has served as vice president of Customer Service & Public Affairs, overseeing Customer Service Operations, Customer Sales & Service, Customer Strategy, Economic Development, Safety & Technical Training, Corporate Marketing & Communications, Operations Analysis, Governmental Affairs, and Environmental & Regulatory Affairs. In May 2015, he became president and CEO.

His local and industry board affiliations include American Public Power Association; Large Public Power Council; Nebraska Power Association; Business Ethics Alliance Trustee; Past Chair and Executive Committee – Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce; United Way of the Midlands; Chair, StratCom Consultation Committee; Executive Committee – Offutt Air Force Base Advisory Council; Civic Leader – Chief of Staff of the Air Force; and Air Force Global Strike Command Civic Leader.

Burke holds a master’s degree in public administration from Drake University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Buena Vista University. 

Carmen Tapio, President & CEO, North End Teleservices

Carmen Tapio began her career in teleservices at the age of 18, rising from contact center positions to global leadership roles and a successful consulting business. A dedicated servant-leader within her community, she has built a career that embodies and exemplifies her passion for successful clients and thriving communities.

Carmen’s current role as founder and CEO of North End Teleservices, LLC is the culmination of her passion for business and community by creating jobs and changing lives in Northeast Omaha. North End Teleservices takes a holistic view of everyone they employ; not only by helping them to create a vision for their lives and what is possible but also by helping them to achieve it. 

Tapio believes that a rising tide lifts all boats, focusing her energy and efforts on advancing the lives of others by creating pathways to fully participate in the economy, enabling choice and legacy building. She is a servant-leader who believes that through economic development and the upward mobility of all people, individuals, families and communities win.

Joe Gerstandt, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Speaker, Author, and Advisor

Joe Gerstandt is a speaker, author and advisor bringing greater clarity, action, and impact to organizational diversity and inclusion efforts.

Joe has worked with Fortune 100 corporations, small non-profits, and everything in between. He speaks at numerous conferences and summits, and blogs at joegerstandt.com. He is a featured contributor for the Workforce Diversity Network Expert Forum and his insights have been published in Diversity Best Practices, Diversity Executive, HR Executive, The Diversity Factor, The American Diversity Report, the Corporate Recruiting Leadership Journal, Associations Now, other print and on-line journals and he co-authored the book Social Gravity: Harnessing the Natural Laws of Relationships.

Today, Joe believes that we can ill afford to continue applying a 20th century approach to an increasingly critical set of 21st century issues. A strong advocate for resetting the diversity and inclusion conversation, Joe sees diversity and inclusion as poorly understood and often misunderstood. His keynote messages and interactive workshops bring greater clarity, action, and impact to existing and new organizational diversity & inclusion efforts.

Tri-Faith Initiative events are recorded and archived on our YouTube Channel.