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Dr. Ivette Trentini is the new associate dean for Business/CIT/Trades on Southeast Community College’s Lincoln Campus. She’s spent the past 12 years as a speech instructor at the College and is looking forward to her new role.

“I want to build relationships with faculty and make sure they don’t burn out of their important roles as educators,” she said. “I feel this is an important aspect of serving our students, our community and the world.”

Trentini was raised in Lincoln by two immigrant parents; her mother is from Guatemala and her father is from Brazil. Growing up, there were three different languages circulating in her household.

“My mother is quite upset at me for not remembering enough Spanish,” she joked.

Trentini received her degree in Environmental Laboratory Technology from SCC in 1997. She went on to work at Molex in the chemistry lab adjusting chemicals for the manufacturing lines. She then went on to work at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. First, she supervised and trained employees and later worked in research conservation.

“I worked with endangered animals and frequently I would work in cages with the big cats. They were sedated, but not so much that they didn’t growl at us,” she recalled.

She then switched gears and worked in the non-profit field, both in fundraising and administration. She started teaching part-time as an adjunct and decided that it was something she wanted to do.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Management at Bellevue University in 2006 and her master’s in Communication in 2008. She started in 2009 as an adjunct at SCC, and full-time in 2011. She then received her Doctorate of Education in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University in 2018. She will continue to keep teaching in her new role.

“I’ve taught several different classes under the realm of communication,” she said. “I try not to broadcast the ‘speech teacher’ role because people become self-conscious.”

One of the reasons she decided to pursue this new position is when she retires she would like to work and/or develop international education for the underserved. She believes this is a natural step toward that goal.

“She readily acknowledges the benefits of the community college education because she is living proof of its benefits,” said Dr. Kathy Eitzmann, dean of SCC’s Business and Community Services divisions.

When she’s not working, Trentini enjoys cooking and spending time with her boyfriend and two cats. Her office is in T-101 on the Lincoln Campus.