About Us
English Learning Network, which evolved into HIC, was founded in reaction to the reality that many immigrants and refugees never fully integrate into the communities in which they now dwell. The majority operate on the margins of society, creating a class of second-class citizens. HIC believes in an integrated diversity model in which immigrants acquire a new language, culture, rights, and responsibilities as new citizens while also educating other about their own culture in order to foster acceptance and alleviate the “US vs. Them” mentality that frequently fuels cultural and racial tensions. Hic is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.
Our Board
Pierre Sagitteh
Executive Director
Pierre has a master’s degree in public administration and a bachelor’s degree in World Security and Strategic Studies from Bellevue University. Metro Community College in Omaha awarded him a specialist credential in not-for-profit management. For the last 12 years, Pierre has served as the Program Director for Adult Basic Education programs in the Omaha Metro Area.
Since April 2021, I’ve been the Executive Director of the Heartland Integration Center. As a former refugee and immigrant, Pierre understands how stressful and frantic settling into a new country can be, and how critical resources are for immigrant families transiting from one crisis to the next. Pierre believes that proper integration of immigrants and refugees into our American culture will help to build stronger and better communities.
Paul Ajuoga
Mental Health Director
Paul has been a Psychotherapist for over 20 years. He has been teaching at various Universities in Nebraska and Iowa for the past 17 years. Paul Enjoy working with immigrants’ and Refugees’ families. Paul is licensed in the State of Nebraska. His areas of expertise include Trauma experiences and cultural related issues. Services Paul provides includes PTSD; Early Childhood Trauma; Depression; Anxiety; Domestic Violence; Stress and Anger Management; Self-esteem Issues; Teen Suicide; Children in Crisis, ADHD.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Policy
Heartland Integration Center (HIC) is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Our human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities, and talent that our employees invest in their work represents a significant part of not only our culture but our reputation and organization’s achievement as well.
We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make our employees unique.
HIC’s diversity initiatives are applicable—but not limited—to our practices and policies on recruitment and selection; compensation and benefits; professional development and training; promotions; transfers; social and recreational programs; layoffs; terminations; and the ongoing development of a work environment built on the premise of gender and diversity equity that encourages and enforces:
- Respectful communication and cooperation between all employees.
- Teamwork and employee participation, permitting the representation of all groups and employee perspectives.
- Work/life balance through flexible work schedules to accommodate employees’ varying needs.
- Employer and employee contributions to the communities we serve to promote a greater understanding and respect for diversity.
All HIC employees have a responsibility to always treat others with dignity and respect. All employees are expected to exhibit conduct that reflects inclusion during work, at work functions on or off the worksite, and at all other company-sponsored and participative events.
Any employee found to have exhibited any innapropriate conduct or behavior against others may be subject to disciplinary action.
Employees who believe they have been subjected to any kind of discrimination that conflicts with the organization’s diversity policy and initiatives should seek assistance from a supervisor or an HR representative.