BOARD MEMBERS
Matt Weber
COO, Director, Chef
Chef Matt Weber grew up in his Grandmother's kitchen. He took his love of food and cooking with him in 2002 when he followed his Wife Simone to New York City where he attended Culinary School at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Food and Healing. He interned at the James Beard House and Aquavit before taking a Garde Manger position at Candle 79 on the upper east Side of Manhattan. In 2005 Simone and Matt returned to Nebraska to start a family. After a short time at Dish restaurant in Lincoln, Matt took the Executive Chef position at Carol Joy Holling Camp, conference and retreat center (NLOM) in Ashland, NE. Matt co-founded Table Grace ministries in 2008 and opened Table Grace Cafe in 2011. In addition to being the Chef of Table Grace, Matt serves as the Executive Director of Table Grace Ministries. In partnership with Family First Chiropractic, Matt teaches healthy cooking workshops at Natural Grocers several times a year. Matt also leads the catering service of Table Grace Cafe. He also enjoys playing music with Simone at Table Grace, Morningstar Lutheran Church, and beyond. "Table Grace is able to nourish hungry bodies and souls because we facilitate an environment that encourages a give-give approach to hunger outreach. We bridge the socioeconomic divide. We are a venue where authentic relationships, mutual respect, and an all-around healthy environment help people to be the best versions of themselves every day and take that positive energy with them into the community."
Simone Weber
CEO, Musical Missionary
Simone Weber co-founded Table Grace Ministries in 2008 with her husband Matt and has served as Table Grace’s COO since 2014. Simone’s calling and vision is in music, ministry, hunger outreach and development. She obtained her BME degree and ESL endorsement from UNL with highest honors in 2002. While in college, she worked at Hudson Bay company as a professional fundraiser and traveled on several oversees mission trips to serve in various third world countries. She then went on to sing professionally, teach ESL and work in many restaurants in New York City. In 2005 she returned to Nebraska and worked fulltime as First Lutheran Church’s Director of Music Ministries until 2013. Simone is a Nashville recorded singer and songwriter who has created seven CDs, and part of a musical to date. She has a passion for taking the church outside of the church walls and using music as a vehicle to bring people together, raise funds for Table Grace and inspire all people to use their talents to serve one another. She currently also serves as worship leader at Morning Star Lutheran Church in Omaha.
Rob Sauer
Treasurer
Rob Sauer first met Matt and Simone when they came for a music visit to St. Paul’s Lutheran in Millard. He was then and continues to be inspired by their strong confidence in their faith to lead them to their true calling. His wife Karla and he began financially supporting table grace pretty well since the start of the organization.
He believes in being thankful for what gifts he has. He believes in sharing those gifts and lending a hand to those less fortunate. He believes a good meal is a great place to start. He believes that preparing and serving a meal, if done well, can show someone empathy and dignity.
Rob is a versatile, hands on and results oriented operational and financial manager. He has held positions as General Manager, CFO, Director of Pricing, Integration Manager, and more.
Dan Allan
Chair
I have called the Omaha community home for 25+ years and am currently serving as a Technology Director at CSG Systems. I am a firm believer that for-profit and non-profit organizations working together helps to support a healthy and strong community. Additionally, the non-profits that have the potential to help support patrons beyond transactional assistance and on a path to better life are even more near and dear to me. The mission of Table Grace is to "Nourish Hungry Bodies and Souls". The "and Souls" is what makes this non-profit organization very special to me. I am humbled to work alongside equally passionate founders, board members and Table Grace staff to serve the Omaha community.
Andrew Karrmann
Vice Chair
The thing that moves me most about Table Grace Ministries is how you invest in the entire person. The mission isn’t simply to get a few warm meals on a plate for whoever happens to walk by that day. It’s about serving the whole person, body and soul. Table Grace hasn’t confined itself to small geographical footprint, but through forward thinking has shared its mission beyond the Omaha metro area. Starting with my decade of work in Youth Ministry and continuing with my time over the last few years as a Financial Associate with Thrivent Financial, I have sought out ministry partnerships which exemplify God’s Grace. I have focused my career on helping people & organizations maximize their God-given gifts. I have always had a strategic outlook and have focused my efforts on building sustainable and repeatable systems which encourage organic growth within an organization through leveraging areas of strength to creatively shore up areas of weakness. I hope that my focus on long-term sustainable growth will be a voice which pushes Table Grace beyond its comfort zone so that together we can grow and serve more bodies and souls in the Omaha area and beyond.
Lauri Jayne
Secretary
Lauri is an Assistant Director at RISE Services Inc., a non-profit facilitating in-home supports for people with disabilities and has had a career in the non-profit and ministry fields. Although Lauri currently resides in Oregon with her wife, Whitney, her roots are in Nebraska. She has been on the team from the early years and brings a passion for making a positive difference in communities. Lauri gravitates towards endeavors that create opportunities for people to realize God's loving embrace and their individual potential. Lauri is inspired by the feeding of hungry bodies and souls that Table Grace Cafe achieves.
