daOMA (design alliance OMAha, Inc.) is a non-profit dedicated to public education and appreciation of architecture and the design arts. daOMA is about design in all forms and the education and community that perpetuate it. This is accomplished by fostering a continuing and challenging public discourse on the design disciplines and their relationship to our cities, workplace, and home. Rooted in the intellectual and social foundations of design culture, daOMA’s primary mission is to expand and grow design appreciation and awareness. Central to this mission is the organizations core programs of public lectures and presentations featuring local, regional, and world renowned architects, designers, critics, historians and patrons.
Design, in the middle of everywhere.
Lectures
daOMA has established a world class lecture series, that has brought many of the world’s best architects and designers to the city of Omaha and the state of Nebraska for the first time this series has seen a total programming attendance in that time of nearly 8,500 people.
Library
As part of our partnership with the Omaha Public Library, we archive our podcast for the public there and daOMA works to recommend books on each seasons speakers so that the public can learn more about them at the library before and after the lectures are over. We also work in partnership to advise the library on the architecture and design sections of the library working to keep them current for its patrons.
Pecha Kucha
This world renowned presentation format/venue was added in the second season. It provides the vehicle to feature the work of the best and brightest members of the regional creative community while also connecting Omaha and Nebraska to a larger global network of creative cities. In season 5 we have solidified partnerships with Slowdown and Blue Sushi for the 4 PKN’s we host each season. Unique to PKN-Omaha is our final PKN each season features the best design talents coming out of the design schools in the region and the standout faculty educating these students.
Film
The work of Film and Cinema have been linked to Architecture and Design since the beginning. daOMA in partnership with Film Streams and Omaha Creative Institute works to present an annual film screening and panel discussion where the relationship between these artistic media can be further defined in a public venue.
Board of directors
daOMA’s membership is led by a board of directors, who have been selected to represent our partners’, design disciplines and/or interests in the areas of architecture, urban design, landscape design, interior design, industrial design, graphic design, photography and fashion design.
Jeffrey L. Day, AIA
Principal of Min | Day, an Omaha and San Francisco-based architecture and design company, professor of architecture and landscape architecture and director of the architecture program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Jeff graduated magna cum laude from Harvard College with an BA in Visual and Environmental Studies in 1988 and received a Master of Architecture from U.C. Berkeley in 1995. At UNL, Jeff runs FACT (Fabrication And Construction Team), an award-winning, academic/professional collaborative design lab.
Brian M. Kelly, RA
Brian is an architect and faculty member with the University of Nebraska — College of Architecture. His previous teaching experience includes Drury University’s Hammons School of Architecture in Springfield, MO and California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. Prior to joining the faculty at UNL, Brian served as lead designer in the office of Randy Brown Architects, designing several award-winning projects of various types and scales. In addition to teaching, he is owner of AToM, a design studio which focuses on smaller scale architectural projects, objects, and graphics.
Justin Kemerling
Design director at JKDC and chief design officer for a technology startup called MindMixer. Justin is a collaborative designer focused on making it beautiful, moving people to action and getting good things done. His work is graphic design, as well as art, activism, citizenship, entrepreneurship, strategy, and very much Midwest.
David C. Levy
Chair of the Baird Holm, LLP Real Estate Section. David represents clients in zoning, land use, energy, environmental and general real estate matters. He taught at the University of San Francisco School Of Law and at Creighton University School of Law. Prior to returning to Nebraska, David practiced land use and environmental law with a firm in San Francisco. Before beginning his legal career, he worked for seven years as a city planner for the City and County of San Francisco.
Amy Mather
Amy serves as the Adult Services & Programming Manager for Omaha Public Library. As part of her adult outreach initiatives, she was recognized along with a colleague as one of Library Journal’s Mover & Shakers in 2010. She currently serves on the daOMA (design alliance Omaha) board, Host and producer of Whatever Mathers, a podcast of cultural conversation and a graduate from Leadership Omaha, a 10 month program to develop community leaders.
James Menard
James Menard, CPA Jim is a Shareholder of Schroer & Associates, P.C. a public accounting firm in the Omaha Metro area. He graduated from Nebraska Wesleyan University in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. He has over ten years of experience in public accounting including auditing and consulting for various non-profit organizations.
Alan Tipp
Design Director at Eyeking, LLC (a New York based sunglass design studio, producer, and distributer of globally licensed eyewear brands). A native to Omaha, Tipp studied Industrial Design and graduated from the University of Kansas with his BFA and currently holds over 40 US & Foreign patents. He’s designed and developed products for The US Marine Corps, The Home Shopping Network, Dicks Sporting Goods, The Sports Authority, Lands End, The Sharper Image, & various other specialty retailers. Tipp now designs sunglass collections out of his Omaha based studio for Eyeking’s most notable licenses; Under Armour, Crocs, & Hobie.
Thomas J. Trenolone, AIA
Architect, design enthusiast and wanna-be ad man. A graduate of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with degrees in both advertising and architecture, Tom went on to receive his master’s degree in architecture at the University of Kansas, and is a Studio 804 alumnus (216 Alabama). He is a design principal and vice president with HDR Architecture, and a founding partner in the international design collaborative n:dL (nocturnal: design Lab). Tom established daOMA in 2006 with a mission to bring a greater awareness of progressive architecture and the design arts to Nebraska and western Iowa.
Sabrina Weiss
Director of development and external affairs for Joslyn Art Museum. An Omaha native, Sabrina has over 12 years of experience working in the non-profit field in both the arts and education. She received a BS degree from Oklahoma City University while also performing with the American Spirit Dance Company. In 2007, Sabrina received her Masters of Public Administration degree with an emphasis in Non-Profit Arts Management from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Jake Welchert
Independent designer and multidisciplinary creative that thrives on ideation, experimentation, and doing some good for those who deserve it. Jake has worked as a freelance designer for small startups, as well as full-time at companies including Ervin and Smith Advertising and Obama For America, the 2012 re-election campaign for Barack Obama. Beyond work, he serves as an Omaha Pecha Kucha co-coordinator and emcee.