Charlotte Narjes
Director
Cooperative Development Specialist
cnarjes1@unl.edu
Charlotte joined NCDC in March 2019 and is a Community Vitality Educator focused on cooperatives. She has been connected with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Ag Economics for over 20 years and is aligned with Extension’s Community Vitality Initiative.
Charlotte has extensive grant and project experience including a $2.5 Nebraska Broadband Planning grant. Charlotte has facilitated and developed educational programs, visioning and networking opportunities for rural communities including working with businesses through the Gallup EAS project.
Originally from a farm in Sidney, Nebraska, Charlotte previously worked at US West and the Nebraska State Legislature. She has a BA in Economics and MS in Leadership Development from UNL.
Cindy Houlden
Cooperative Development Specialist
choulden2@unl.edu
Cindy Houlden joined the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center in August 2018. She is a graduate of Kearney State College with a degree in International Studies – Marketing emphasis and Economics with a minor in Political Science. She received her MBA with emphasis in Corporate Communications from the University of Nebraska.
She has been employed in a variety of economic development and academic positions including Project Coordinator with Buffalo County Economic Development, Program Coordinator – Nebraska Safety Center, Economics Lecturer – University of Nebraska – Kearney. Most recently, she was the Donor Relations Coordinator for the National Audubon Society – Nebraska Office.
Having lived in rural Nebraska since 4th grade, and being a farm girl at heart, she has a passion for empowering the residents of rural Nebraska to develop their communities. She is excited to focus on helping cooperatives and groups to develop and grow within their communities. Cindy is based in Kearney.
Margaret Milligan
Cooperative Development Specialist - Local Foods
Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska Coordinator
mmilligan2@unl.edu
Margaret Milligan works for Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska and the Nebraska Cooperative Development Center to promote local food in Nebraska and strengthen BFBLN’s network of farmers, ranchers, makers, and local food businesses.
She believes the cooperative model has potential in the local food system of Nebraska to expand markets and the improve quality of life for small to mid-sized farmers and ranchers in the state. She sees cooperatives as a way to tackle a variety of issues that affect local agriculture in the state– be it quality of life issues, lack of access to certain markets, or business succession.
Margaret earned a B.A. in Religious Studies from Nebraska Wesleyan in 2008. She has training in vegetable production, organic certification and inspection, cooperative board governance & finances, seed saving, natural building, and farm business planning.