8 alumni 'Masters' back on campus Nov. 4-6

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Masters Week program will celebrate its 45th anniversary this year with a visit by eight outstanding alumni Nov. 4-6.

Since 1964, more than 200 alumni have participated in Masters Week. Its primary goal has always been to link the university's outstanding alumni with students who can benefit from their experiences and knowledge. Masters are invited back to campus to meet with students in the classroom, living units and at student organization meetings to share various ways to apply their formal education to working situations and career goals.

Candidates for Masters Week are alumni who have shown great promise, success and leadership in their fields. The selection of the Masters is competitive. Each spring, a committee of students, faculty and administration make recommendations to the chancellor, who chooses the participants for the program. The program is sponsored by the Innocents Society, Mortar Board, the Student Alumni Association, the Chancellor's Office and the Alumni Association.

These are the 2009 Masters:

Connie Collingsworth, '82, is general counsel and secretary of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle. Her career includes positions as a partner at the law firm Preston Gates & Ellis LLP and co-chair of Social Venture Partners, a nonprofit organization focused on social and environmental issues. Collingsworth was co-founder and has served as president and board member for the French American School of Puget Sound. She also is an advisory board member of Attenex Corp. and the National Center on Philanthropy and the Law and a member of the International Program Advisory Committee for Independent Sector. Collingsworth is hosted by the College of Law.

Jim Davidson, '81, is co-founder and chairman of Silver Lake, a global private investment firm, and chairman of the executive committee. Prior to Silver Lake, Davidson was a managing director at Hambrecht & Quist, a technology-focused investment bank and venture capital firm (now part of JP Morgan Chase & Co., "H&Q"), where he managed the technology investment banking business and the mergers and acquisitions business. He also serves on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations. Davidson is hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Deb Fiddelke, '90, has been the senior manager of international and government relations at Chicago 2016, the bid for Chicago to host the 2016 Olympic Games. She has also served as deputy assistant to the president for legislative affairs at the White House, special assistant to the president for legislative affairs and as the associate director for congressional affairs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Prior to these positions, she served as senior policy adviser and communications director for U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and as press secretary to U.S. Rep. Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio. Fiddelke is hosted by the College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

David Landis, '70, '71, '95, is director of urban development for the city of Lincoln. Prior to this position, Landis was a Nebraska state senator from 1979 to 2007, representing District 46 in northeast Lincoln. During his 26-year tenure in the state's unicameral legislature, he successfully sponsored 250 bills, including legislation to create a statewide network of mediation centers, and created the state labor-management collective bargaining system. He taught negotiation courses for 15 years at the UNL College of Law and the UNO School of Public Administration. His negotiation skills were developed at training seminars at Harvard, MIT and the University of Illinois. Landis is hosted by the College of Architecture.

Eugene O'Brien, '67, '69, is executive associate dean at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. His responsibilities include coordinating faculty appointment procedures, supervising enrollment-related matters and policies for summer session academic activities. He is also a professor of music composition at the Jacobs School. He has received numerous grants, awards and fellowships, including the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers award in 2006. He has published and recorded more than 30 compositions. O'Brien is hosted by the Hixson-Lied College of Fine and Performing Arts.

Teresa Poggenpohl, '83, is the executive director-global image for Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company. Poggenpohl's role at Accenture is to drive a powerful and consistent brand in the global marketplace and is responsible for advertising, brand management and marketing research and strategy. With more than 20 years of experience, she has crafted award-winning advertising campaigns, created the first global research function for Accenture, designed and executed the organization's first client satisfaction program and established a European Marketing and Communications function. Poggenpohl is hosted by the College of Business Administration.

Eulanda Sanders, '97, is an associate professor in the Department of Design and Merchandising at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. In 2009, she launched Yo-San Studio LLC, where she serves as design director for her signature collections of wearable art textiles. Sanders has exhibited 49 pieces of fiber and wearable art in juried exhibitions. She is hosted by the College of Education and Human Sciences.

John B. Solie, '82, is a regents professor in biosystems and agricultural engineering at Oklahoma State University and a registered professional engineer. He is the leader of the Variable Rate Technology Team at OSU, which targets more efficient use of agricultural resources. He has received eight patents, six of which relate to the GreenSeeker sensor that is now commercially sold and has improved fertilization practices in many countries around the world. Solie is hosted by the College of Engineering and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.