Park University Leadership

Laure Christensen serves Park University as chief of staff. In this capacity, she works closely with the president in a variety of ways, serving as an advisor and manager of administrative, operational and financial affairs. Christensen oversees reporting needs, organizes communications, coordinates special events with other departments and serves as the main administrative liaison between the Office of the President and multiple areas, including Executive Staff and Park’s Board of Trustees. Christensen also guides administrative professionals university-wide through the Park Pirate Professionals.

Christensen began her career with Park in July 2003 and served in a variety of roles in the School for Arts and Humanities, the Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of the President. In 2011, she was honored with the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce Excellence in Education award.

Prior to coming to Park, she served as office manager and an events specialist at Vic Gutman & Associates, a special events firm which coordinates special events for the city of Omaha and area not-for-profit organizations.

Erik Bergrud is a Member, Board of Directors at Aspa Endowment and Chief Communications Officer at Park University and is based in Kansas City, Missouri.

Kena Wolf was appointed interim chief operating officer in December 2020. Prior to this appointment, she served as Park University’s associate vice president of campus center and distance operations. In that role, Wolf provided strategic leadership to the 40 campus centers in Park’s extended network as well as the undergraduate online and success teams.

Wolf began her career in education in 1995 as a high school teacher and debate coach. She has always had a passion for education and moved from teaching into higher education after five years in the classroom. Prior to joining Park in 2016, Wolf held a variety of higher education leadership positions in enrollment management, recruitment and operations. She has more than 15 years of innovative experience with multi-campus institutions.

Wolf earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Keller Graduate School of Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and secondary education from Kansas State University.

Nathan Marticke, MACL ’10, is chief advancement officer for Park University. Marticke joined the University as associate vice president for development in 2012 and was appointed chief advancement officer in 2018. In his role, he leads efforts to maintain quality constituent data, increase donor development and strengthen alumni engagement. Marticke has successfully increased fundraising revenue in support of University students and faculty by maintaining a donor-centered culture. Marticke led the successful capital campaign for the Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center, the first new construction of an academic structure at the University in more than 25 years (slated to open in Fall 2021).

Marticke has 18 years of experience in nonprofit development and leadership. Prior to joining Park, Marticke served in higher education development roles at Northwest Missouri State University, William Jewell College and the University of Missouri, Columbia. In the social service sector, Marticke was hired to launch Hillcrest Transitional Housing, a program supporting homeless individuals and families, in Kansas City, Kan.

Marticke, a first generation college graduate, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from Northwest Missouri State University and a Master of Arts in Communication and Leadership from Park University. He currently serves on the leadership council for St. Michael’s Veteran Center.