Maile Ilac Boeder, IOM
- Executive Director, Nebraska Vocational Agricultural Foundation d/b/a The Leadership Center
Pronunciation: Maile (my-lee) Ilac Boeder (e-lack bay-der)
Maile Ilac Boeder calls Aurora, Nebraska home these days and is positive she has the best job in the world as the Executive Director of The Leadership Center, a non-profit retreat and conference center, owned and operated by the Nebraska Vocational Agricultural Foundation. Ilac Boeder is responsible for every aspect of the business including operations, contracting, budgeting, fundraising, curriculum and program development, and everything in between. She works with an inspiring team to create moments that matter for their 50,000 guests from all over the world and loves it.
Before landing in Nebraska, she earned her non-profit stripes as the Executive Director of two different Chambers of Commerce in Michigan. First was the Greater Algonac Chamber of Commerce and the last where spent a number of years was the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce. She built membership, community relationships and developed a number of programs that encompassed partnerships, networking, education, mentoring and more. Through her experiences, she became a bit of an expert in rebranding, creating financial stability and sustainability plans and incorporation as well as leveraging relationships and partnerships. During her time in Michigan, she also joined forces with the equally passionate Kate Zimmer of the C2D Group. Together, they worked with non-profits on event planning, fundraising, grant writing and marketing their causes.
Beyond her non-profit work, since Mailè was in high school, she has been delivering a powerful message of optimism and encouragement to youth and her peers there her personal passion project called “Cup of Dreams, INK.” Over the past 25 years, she has traveled all over speaking on topics such as leadership, communication, self-improvement, women in business, interviewing & etiquette and making the most of each day. Whether she’s in a classroom, at a banquet, or gracing the stage at a convention, her vision is to design and present programs that ignite the flames in the hearts of youth as well as the “young at heart” to realize their full potential to do ordinary things in the most extraordinary ways. With her charismatic spirit, humor and unique style, she truly motivates her audiences.
Maile attended Oak Hills Christian College and graduated with her B.S. in Agricultural Education from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She completed her I.O.M. at Winter Institute in Tucson, AZ in January of 2016. She also serves as U.S. Chamber Institute of Organization Management faculty.
In her free time, she loves reading, drinking bucket loads of coffee, ultra-trail running and spending time with her husband, John, their 12-year-old son, Chaz, and their pets. Together with her husband, they have hosted 16 exchange students in the last 13 years. She is a member of the Nebraska Society of Association Executives (NSAE), US Chamber of Commerce, Connecting Young Nebraskans (CYN), Aurora Area Chamber of Commerce & Development Corp. and the York Chamber of Commerce.
