5/28/26

Young Leadership Awards

Thursday June 4, the Jewish Federation of Omaha’s Annual Meeting and Awards Night will celebrate two deserving volunteers. Leora Werner will receive the Lois Jeanne Schrager Memorial Young Leadership Award and Dr. Carlos Gomez has been named as the recipient of the Bruce Fellman Memorial Young Leadership Award.

Both awards are given annually to honor a young woman and man under the age of 45, who have demonstrated personal commitment, dedicated involvement, and exemplary leadership qualities in rendering service to the Jewish and general community. The recipients are provided with a stipend to participate in the Jewish Federation of North America General Assembly or Young Leadership Conference.

Leora Werner is married to Matt; they have a son, Gabe, and a daughter, Mia.

“She has been an active and engaged member of the Omaha Jewish community since childhood,” Temple Israel’s Rabbi Deanna Berezin said, “having moved to Omaha at the age of four. Throughout her life, and across many spheres, Leora has demonstrated a natural ability to build community, foster connection, and lead with energy and care.”
Leora said she feels incredibly honored to receive the Schrager Award:

“Those who have won in past years have demonstrated exceptional leadership and service in our community. It’s a privilege and I profoundly thank the dedicated clergy and local leaders, such as Rabbi Berezin, who nominated me.”

After college, Leora returned to Omaha to serve as BBYO Director at the Staenberg Omaha JCC, a role that aligned closely with her passion for youth engagement and community‑building. That work also led her to re‑engage deeply with Temple Israel, where she taught in the religious school at both the sixth‑ and eighth‑grade levels.

“I hope my own kids see that being an active member of the Jewish community is something you participate in, not just something you live in,” she said. “I want them to understand we all have a responsibility to look out for one another, support and contribute in ways that make our Jewish community stronger. Whether that means volunteering, going to Jewish youth group, attending Jewish camp, supporting local organizations, or simply treating people with kindness and respect, I hope they learn their actions matter.”

Leora has played a central role in shaping experiences beyond the classroom. She was instrumental in developing and co‑leading Temple Israel’s 6th Grade Family Retreat, an annual program designed to strengthen relationships among students and parents as families approach the B’nai Mitzvah journey. Even after stepping away from formal teaching, Leora continued to co‑lead the retreat for several years, reflecting her commitment to long‑term community impact.

“She understands the power of personal outreach,” Rabbi Berezin said, “it is often the key factor in engaging people. She connects with people one-on-one and invites them to join her in the experiences she creates.”

She has also served as a co‑chair of TISH, Temple Israel’s affinity group for members in their 30s and 40s, since the program’s founding nearly a decade ago. Through personal outreach and thoughtful programming, Leora has helped cultivate meaningful connections among families navigating similar stages of life.

“Strong Jewish communities are built by people who are willing to show up, give their time, and help where they can. I get involved,” she said, “because I want to give back to the community that has, for decades, consistently supported my family and me.”
She knows what Jewish Omaha means:

“It is a sense of belonging and community. It’s a network of relationships, shared values, and generations of people who have worked to support one another and strengthen the broader Omaha community. It means showing up for a friend in need, teaching our children the importance of identity and service, and ensuring the next generation feels connected and proud.”

Beyond the Jewish community, Leora is deeply involved in civic leadership as well, including service with the Omaha Children’s Museum Guild, NorthStar Guild, and her children’s school PTO. Known for her enthusiasm, generosity, and humility, Leora leads by example and remains unwavering in her belief in the power of community—especially Jewish community—to bring people together. Her greatest strengths are her passion, enthusiasm, kindness and her genuine care for others. She truly understands community-building.

Dr. Carlos Gomez and his wife Sara moved to Omaha in 2022. From the start, the Jewish Federation of Omaha and its affiliated institutions opened their doors and welcomed the family warmly. That sense of belonging was, in fact, a meaningful part of the decision to put down roots in Omaha.
The Bruce Fellman Memorial Young Leadership Award is given annually to a young man who has demonstrated personal commitment, dedicated involvement, and exemplary leadership qualities in rendering service to the Jewish and general community. Over the last four years, Dr. Gomez’s involvement in the Omaha Jewish community has embodied exactly that.

“The community embraced us,” Dr. Gomez said. “My wife, my kids, and I have benefited so much from being part of this community, and I wholeheartedly wanted to give back — to learn about the challenges and contribute in a meaningful way.”
That impulse led him to join the JFO’s inaugural cohort of Young Omaha Emerging Leaders (YOEL), a six-month program designed to introduce rising lay leaders to the structure, history, and priorities of Jewish Omaha. Throughout the program, Dr. Gomez distinguished himself as a thoughtful participant who actively sought opportunities to translate learning into service.

“During those months, Carlos showed a great desire to learn as much as he could about our Jewish community and made it known from the start that he was interested in giving back in any way he could,” said Stacy Feldman, JFO Chief Impact Officer, who led the inaugural YOEL cohort. “Carlos showed a real penchant for leadership right from the start — not afraid to ask questions or share thoughts and opinions. He’s also altruistic. He approaches leadership with intention, curiosity, and care.”

Dr. Gomez’s experience in YOEL led him to play an instrumental role in the development of the JFO’s NextGen Think Tank. The catalyst was deeply personal. After October 7, Dr. Gomez felt compelled to act.

“I knew the world would not be the same,” he said. “I was concerned about the fractures forming across generations — in how people understood and valued Israel, in how communities were experiencing the rise of antisemitism. I wanted to bring people together, to listen to one another, and to support each other.”

Working alongside JFO professionals, he helped convene peers in their 20s, 30s, and 40s for open dialogue about Jewish identity, belonging, and resilience. The success of this initiative expanded the Think Tank model and strengthened peer-driven connections across the community.

Dr. Gomez also serves on the Rose Blumkin Jewish Home Advisory Board, where he contributes his expertise in medicine and healthcare — but, he is quick to note, the learning has gone both ways.

“I came in thinking I could offer some perspective on healthcare, but what has surprised and moved me is how much I’ve learned from my peers on the board and the staff at RBJH — the complexity of delivering compassionate, high-level senior care, and the extraordinary passion and devotion they bring to it every day. RBJH is a remarkable institution, and I am proud to support it.”

Dr. Gomez is an Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) where he specializes in caring for transplant recipients and cancer patients with infectious complications. He co-directs the Transplant Infectious Diseases Research Program and leads clinical trials in drug therapeutics, vaccines, and diagnostics.

Away from medicine and community work, Dr. Gomez is a fútbol man — soccer, for those who insist. “Mention fútbol and you’ve got my attention,” he says.

On the award, he doesn’t reach for easy gratitude. “Honestly, I wonder if I deserve it — that’s the imposter syndrome I carry inside. But this hits the button. It doesn’t silence the doubt, it just pushes you to stop hesitating, get your hands dirty, and do the work. And then I think about the men I’ve met along the way — at the JCC, the JFO, these institutions — who have been showing up for decades, without fanfare. We desperately need male leaders who protect and elevate everyone around them, and I have found those role models here — in a boardroom conversation, a casual gathering, or a word from Bob, our CEO. They have taught me more about real leadership than I expected. I’m still learning from them. This community has been good to my family. The least I can do is show up and earn it.”