Faculty and Board

Dedicated to advancing education in the field, the Bellevue University Center for Cybersecurity Education (CCE) offers a wide variety of interdisciplinary degrees, student resources, and community outreach events. The Center brings together the best cybersecurity education programs and facilities with highly qualified faculty who possess the kind of real world experience you expect at Bellevue University.

Director

Douglas Rausch, MS, CISSP

Photo of Doug Rausch

Douglas Rausch, MS, CISSP, is the Maenner Endowed Chair, Associate Professor, and Program Director for the Cybersecurity Program at Bellevue University. In 2019 Professor Rausch was the recipient of the Bellevue University Excellence in Service Award and named the AIM College Tech Educator of the Year and has over 30 years of experience providing communications systems and cybersecurity expertise in both the defense and commercial sectors.

In addition to his teaching and academic leadership pursuits, Rausch is a sought after consultant on many cybersecurity efforts, Some of his recent projects include developing a security architecture and leading security accreditation efforts for the Air Force Research Laboratory allowing the use of commercial ground stations for United States Air Force satellite control; providing security assessment and authorization strategies for companies developing logistical control and civil defense information systems for DoD use; and advising the National Broadband Network of Australia on cybersecurity capabilities for a new ground control network supporting two new broadband satellites.

Rausch retired in 2013 as a Colonel in the United States Air Force after spending more than 25 years as a cyber operations officer leading risk management activities, assessing cybersecurity, and recommending cybersecurity policy and technologies for Department of Defense and Air Force terrestrial and space systems. He joined the Bellevue University faculty in 2014.

In the Air Force, he held key leadership positions with Air Force Space Command and U.S. Strategic Command, where he led cyberspace operations, cryptographic, and information assurance professionals in their efforts to assess and exercise cybersecurity capabilities, certify and accredit Air Force networks, and recommend cybersecurity technologies for Department of Defense and Air Force terrestrial and space systems.

A leader in advancing the implementation of cybersecurity and risk management principles, Rausch was selected to chair the Committee on National Security Systems Space Policy Working Group, which updated the national information assurance guidance for space systems supporting national security missions. Additionally, he led the development of policy and procedures to guide the transition of the Air Force certification and accreditation program from the Defense Information Assurance and Certification Process (DIACAP) to the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF).

Cyber Faculty

Karla Carter

Associate Professor Karla Carter draws on more years than she should admit to of information technology experience to teach undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity courses in social engineering/security awareness/human aspects, security operations, physical, operations, and personnel security, white collar crime/cybercrime, and information technology ethics for Bellevue University. Since arriving at Bellevue University in 2006, she has been honored with the Excellence in Online Teaching Award from Bellevue University in 2009, the Excellence in Teaching Award from Bellevue University in 2020, and the Excellence in Service Award from Bellevue University in 2023.

Carter holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from Bellevue University, a Master of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Arts of Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, as well as certifications in SANS Security Awareness Professional (SSAP), Security Awareness and Culture Professional (SACP), GIAC Cyber Incident Leader (GCIL), Security+, MCSD.NET, MCSD, MCAD, MCP, and MCT [now Alumni]. She is interested in correlations between the Big5/OCEAN personality measure and cybersecurity awareness.

Carter is involved with the ACM Committee on Professional Ethics (COPE) and the local Nebraska IEEE section and runs the Bellevue University Cybersecurity Network on LinkedIn and the Minervaverse Discord server, a social and professional club for women in cybersecurity who are affiliated with Bellevue University. She can be found giving conference talks such as “Stand-up Cybersecurity Awareness: How To Laugh When You WannaCry”, “It’s Okay to Walk Away”, and “Cybersecurity, Compliance, and the Titanic Walk Into a Bar: Ethics Could Have Averted that Collision” and convincing random strangers to use unique passwords for every account as well as multi-factor authentication whenever possible.

Carter is curious, intense, and irreverent. One of her favorite phrases is “what if…?” She’s aggravated by the reason “because that’s the way we’ve always done it” and can quote parts of Melville that were not in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Eric Jackson

Eric Jackson, MS, joins the faculty with extensive experience in Cybersecurity and computer programming spanning over 25 years. His extensive real-world experience equips him to provide students with invaluable insights and practical skills in this critical field. Eric believes that the security field is the most rewarding field in IT for those who put in the time and effort to learn as much as they can about it. For over a decade, Eric has held leadership positions in various organizations, including Fiserv and West Corporations as a Director of Cybersecurity. After his direction at these companies, he became a private consultant, acting as a Chief Information Security Officer for numerous clients. He brings expertise in developing and implementing comprehensive security programs across government, military, and civilian sectors.

His technical expertise and interests focus on the technological arena of network security, as well as the impact that security technology has on business and people. In his spare time, Eric works on various computer-related hobbies, such as building IOT devices and 3D printing, in addition to security research. Eric’s main form of relaxation is cooking, and he has cooked nearly every day for the last 15 years.

Jason Kramer

Jason M. Kramer is an Assistant Professor of Cybersecurity at Bellevue University. Jason has an academic background and practical experience. He holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity along with two Bachelor of Science degrees in Software Development and Systems Network Administration from Bellevue University. He earned an Associate of Science in Aircraft Maintenance Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. He helps students develop talent through various readings and discussions.

Professor Kramer brings decades of technical expertise to the classroom. He worked as a Senior Software Engineer at The Home Depot and CACI, Inc. He led development using Java, Python, and JavaScript with multiple frontend frameworks, while managing teams to enhance decision-making support across Combat Air Force systems. His prior roles include Software Engineer III at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City and Fiserv. He contributed to scalable web applications and modernized development tools.

His leadership experience began in the U.S. Air Force where he served as an Aircraft Maintenance Supervisor and Front Line Lead. He supervised the maintenance and security of military aircraft worldwide. He managed purchasing accounts and led teams in aircraft support operations. You will find his blend of military discipline and technical skill valuable in understanding cybersecurity principles. Professor Kramer operates a 3D printing online store named 3 Dogs 3D Prints. He manages a multi-device print farm. He prepares graphic elements using Inkscape and manufactures prints using multiple filaments. He enjoys comic book culture and incorporates themes from Marvel, DC, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings into his projects. He shares his home with his three dogs consisting of two huskies and one brown cavapoo.

David Kohrell, MCRP, MA, CISM, CISA, CRISC, CGEIT, AAIR, PMP, PSM, LSSBB  

David has over thirty years of public and private sector program management, IT and Cybersecurity experience.  He has been in management and leadership roles with the Nebraska State Patrol, City of Omaha, Gallup, Fiserv (First Data), Bank of The West, Haleon, ACI Worldwide and Bellevue University.  He was a member of ISACA’s beta Advanced Artificial Intelligence Risk certification program in 2025-26.  He holds a Masters in Architecture & Planning (1990) and Management Information Systems (1994) from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He also holds eight industry certifications. He is actively involved in ISACA, Nebraska InfraGard, NebraskaCERT, ISC2 and PMI.  

Career highlights include:

  • Nebraska State Patrol Automated Fingerprint Identification System and Omaha Police Department’s Technology Modernization (1993-98)
  • Leading the software development for Gallup Strength’s Finder and leading the Gallup Labs Software Development Team (1999-2001)
  • Partnering with Bellevue University to launch their Project Management program (2002-08) and creating his own company that equipped 2,500 professionals to attain their PMP, Lean Six Sigma or Agile certifications (2002-15)
  • Herding critical programs for First Data that sparked its growth in Merchant Boarding, Credit Card issuing and Tokenization (2008-18)
  • Pioneering Shadow IT remediation and Cybersecurity cross functional improvement for Bank of the West (2019-22)
  • Ahead of schedule OT (Operations Technology) Separation for Haleon from GSK and shaping Haleon’s AI Strategy. (2022-24).
  • EU AI Compliance Act attainment for ACI Worldwide (2025-26).

David serves Bellevue University as the Director of Workforce Skills Academy and as an Instructor for the Cybersecurity Program, GRC at Bellevue University.

He and his wife Jana enjoy their family, hiking and outdoor adventures.  David has completed over 100 half marathons or more including 17 Pikes Peak Ascents or Marathons since 2005.

Advisory Board

Rob Baldi
Chief of Security, American National Bank

Jacob Bespalec
CEO, Apt Interactive

Rachel Johannsen
Director of IT Compliance, First National Bank of Omaha

Bryan Van Deun
FBI (retired)

Courtney Reinert
Redberry Innovations

Jeff Weeks
First National of Nebraska, SVP, Chief Information Security Officer

Terry Reinert
Redberry Innovations

Mark Walters
Sarpy County, Info Systems Director