About the Foundation

Mike Appleby is a Veteran of the United States Army. He served our Country as an Airborne Military Policeman and Service School Instructor. As an Army brat, Mike has lived all over the World, but calls Omaha home. He is a lifetime member of the United States Cavalry Association and an avid history buff and collector. Mike attended several Colleges and Universities while in the Service studying Business Management and Criminal Justice. Mike trained to compete in the United States Cav Association Equine Events and was a close friend of Donovan Ketzler, his mentor, who founded the Omaha Police Mounted Patrol in 1986.  

Carol is a native Texan but has called Omaha, Nebraska home since 1985.  She graduated from Oklahoma Christian University  and St Anthony Hospital School of Medical Technology. She was certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists as a medical technologist. Since 2017, Carol served as the Volunteer Coordinator for the International Omaha Jumping and Dressage competition and World Cup Finals. She has also been an active volunteer with Women's Ministry Leader at Southwest Church of Christ, President of Oklahoma Christian University Alumni Board and President of Leawood Southwest Homeowner Association.  Currently, she serves on the Advisory Board of Nebraska State Recycling Association.  Carol, and her husband Rick, are avid lovers of outdoor adventure.  They enjoy summers  in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming in their log cabin and spending time with their grandchildren.

Kerry Heinrich is currently the Director, Marketing Communications for WoodmenLife. Heinrich earned her Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 1993. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in History and Spanish from Northwestern University. She is an accredited public relations professional, earning her APR designation in 2001. An active community member, Heinrich currently serves as the President of the Nebraska Kidney Association and as a director on the board of CHAD. She was honored as one of the “Ten Outstanding Young Omahans” in 2000 and as one of The Midland Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 2005. In her free time, Heinrich enjoys cooking, reading, working out, traveling, and spending time with her dog.

A seasoned professional in the field of dentistry, Dr. Matranga is the owner & operator of 40th and Dodge Family Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Matranga earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at Marquette University School of Dentistry. After joining the U S. Air Force, he served as a General Dental Officer at several Air Force bases, including Phan Rang Air Base, Viet Nam, and San Vito, Air Station, Italy, as Preventative Dental Officer. Captain Matranga earned his Master of Science degree in General Dentistry from the University of Texas at Houston and his board certification from the American Board of General Dentistry.

Gina Melton is the co-host of Steve & Gina in the morning on Kat 103.7 in Omaha. This is a dream come true, since she's  wanted to be in radio ever since she was in the 4th grade. When other kids were playing doctor, Gina was listening to talk radio and watching Diane Sawyer pave the way for other women in broadcasting. She started her career in radio and television during her days at University of  Nebraska-Omaha. That’s when she interned at WOWT NBC Omaha which led to a job there and then eventually a career in radio and TV. Gina Melton is the President of the iHeartRadio Local Advisory Board and has served on several other boards in the past. She received the Alumni Achievement Award from her college University of Nebraska Omaha. She is also a past recipient of the American Red Cross “Hero in the Heartland” award for her substantial service to some of Omaha’s most prevalent non-profits. She has also been awarded two ACM Awards and two CMA Awards for her work at Kat 103.7 Radio Station.  

Jackie is Corporate Events & Client Support Officer at American National Bank. Jackie graduated from Russell Sage College in Troy N.Y. with a degree in Psychology and Sociology. Jackie worked for 20 years in Washington, D.C., in the event management industry as Director of Special Events for Courtesy Associates/Smith Bucklin orchestrating corporate and association events throughout North America. Prior, she was Director of Operations for the Presidential Yacht Trust managing all official and client events, as well as sponsorship marketing for the former Presidential Yacht Sequoia including two eight-month, 7,000-mile national goodwill voyages around the eastern seaboard and Mississippi River. In 2013, Jackie joined the Omaha Equestrian Foundation and was instrumental in conceptualizing and creating the educational experience at the annual International Omaha and World Cup Finals in 2017.