There’s nothing more powerful than a group of people coming together to create an impact. Thank you for helping us celebrate our 35th Anniversary of doing this work with you. A few highlights:

We began the event with a special performance by BUFFY the Band!
Executive Director Jo Giles highlighted our history, celebrated our partners and founders, and helped us all look to a future that’s possible when we build it together.
A special video produced by Clark Creative Group overviewed our more than three decades of work in the community while every attendee got a copy of our annual magazine, Today’s Omaha Woman.
And what a special half hour of storytelling and connecting our keynote speaker Ashley Judd delivered to a crowd of nearly 1,000 attendees.

Marian Ivers Community Leadership Award

ADITI RAI

2025 Award Recipient

Aditi Rai leads with compassion, connection, and a drive to help others thrive. A senior at UNO majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Chemistry, she balances a rigorous academic load with a deep commitment to service—from supporting Ukrainian students to volunteering at CHI Health and Nebraska Medicine. Through global nonprofits like Aid2Day and Interns4Good, she’s raised thousands for children with cancer and connected peers to meaningful projects.

At UNO, Aditi has served as Chair of the College of Information Science & Technology Student Advisory Board and now as Student Body Vice President, advocating for collaboration and inclusion across campus. “Making a difference doesn’t always mean big projects—it means showing up, creating space, and making opportunities for everyone,” she says.

Rai hopes to merge her passions for technology and medicine to improve patient care—embodying the spirit of the Marian Ivers Community Service Leadership Award.

About Marian Ivers Award

Marian Ivers’ life is an example of the value of hard work and positive support of the organizations and people around her. As a single mother, she raised two daughters while working full-time. She had a secretarial degree, coupled with an intense drive and great vision. She started a 27-year career at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce in 1962 as executive secretary. During her career, she constantly worked to promote Omaha, the chamber, countless staff and volunteers.

She quietly served the Omaha Chamber, always promoting others, until the last ten years of her career when she directed her talent to helping nonprofit organizations. Marian was a founding member of many organizations, including the Women’s Fund of Omaha and was honored numerous times for her visionary leadership and ability to develop community support.

After her death in 2013, her friends made the decision to honor her memory by raising funds to develop the Marian Ivers Community Leadership Award and the Marian Ivers Internship. Both are designed to inspire and encourage University of Nebraska at Omaha students to develop critical leadership skills.

Because Marian was so critical to the early success of the Women’s Fund as well as countless women leaders in our community, we are honored to recognize her contributions through this award.

2025 Sponsors

With the generous support of the individual donors and corporate supporters, the Women’s Fund is able to identify issues, fund solutions and lead change to ensure a bright future for every person in our community.