[vendtalk] Nebraska Business Enterprise (NBE) Manager Introduction

[DeFreece, Carrie]

Hello everyone!  I am Carrie DeFreece, the new manager for the NBE program.  I spent 6 great weeks in the Center participating in Blind Immersion training and hit the ground running a few weeks ago with the new position.  I will spend half of my time supervising NBE and the other half working with the Business Office.  I am very excited to be here and love the mission of this Agency.  It fills my heart each day to come to work knowing that I am making a difference in someone's life.  I am looking forward to learning more about the Agency, our mission and our work as well as all that is going on around the country.

A little about me.  I am a Lincoln, Nebraska native, graduating from Lincoln High more years ago than I care to mention.  I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Environmental Studies with an Emphasis in Sociology from UNL.  I have always wanted to save the world from humanity!  I spent two years as a Project Manager for the Nebraska State Recycling Association and 18 years as the Executive Director of WasteCap Nebraska, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping businesses and communities reduce waste and improve recycling programs.  I have two boys.  Joshua is 19 and just recently left for the Army.  Nicholas is 12 and is a 7th grader at Schoo Middle School.  As a family, we love hiking in the mountains and anything having to do with the beach or water.  I think we were all born with gills!  I am also an avid gardener and love to cook and entertain friends.  I'm very social and highly extroverted which serves me well in public speaking and networking and also didn't hurt my high school cheerleading career!

I look forward to meeting you all and spend time discussing the blind vendor programs across the US.  Since this is not my area of specialty, I still have a lot to learn but am up for the challenge!  My strengths lie in planning, communication, project management organizational development.  I plan to be throwing many questions and topics out there since I am a sponge for information.


Carrie DeFreece
NE Business Enterprise (NBE) Manager
NE Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired

402-471-8188
Carrie.DeFreece at nebraska.gov