Front Office, Game Day, Coaches & Interns

 After working for more than 25 years in professional sports, Chuck Heeman, along with his wife Mayra, founded the Pioneers in August 2017, leading up to our inaugural 2018 Championship season.

Chuck has served as General Manager for four professional baseball teams as well serving as the founding General Manager with two Oregon-based summer collegiate baseball teams, the Klamath Falls Gems and Medford Rogues. Chuck also served four years as Operations Manager with the Arizona Diamondbacks. His sports experience also includes three years with the Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds at their Goodyear, Arizona Spring Training complex immediately prior to purchasing the Pioneers franchise.

Chuck, age 64 and getting too old for all this nonsense, is also a disabled veteran of the U. S. Air Force, a 13-year former U.S. Postal Service worker and a graduate of Arizona State University. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Chuck grew up in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. He is married to Mayra Heeman. The couple has four children and six grandchildren and resides in Gering, Nebraska.

Chuck is proud to serve on the Board of Directors of the Scotts Bluff County Visitors Bureau. To find out what Scotts Bluff County has to offer, please click HERE. Chuck also serves on the Board of Directors of Oregon Trail Days and will work with OTD to bring events to the ballpark. To find out about the 2024 Oregon Trail Days event, please click HERE.  Chuck is also the Scotts Bluff County representative of the Western Nebraska Tourism Coalition. To find out more about the coalition, click HERE.

Mayra, the retired mother of four and grandmother of six, volunteers her spare time to help the Pioneers in a number of ways. She recruits and works with host families and helps with business operations. Following a heart attack, quintuple bypass and stroke in the fall of 2018, Mayra has cut back on her baseball duties and is restricted by management from doing too much. Fans and friends are encouraged to tell Mayra to slow down!

Due to past... let's say... "incidents"... Mayra is not allowed to sit and watch games in which she is not working (she gets a little intense - some stories there if you'd like to hear). However, Mayra is always ready with a smile and a hug at Pios games and loves to spend time with the fans.

Mayra served for five years as a volunteer with the Klamath Falls Gems and Medford Rogues (both in Oregon) where her husband served as General Manager. Prior to retirement and getting sucked into the baseball world, Mayra worked in the legal field as a litigating paralegal for law firms in California and Arizona.
A native of Mexico, Mayra came to the United States at age nine and grew up in Southern California. Mayra and Chuck Heeman were married in 2008 and moved to Gering in August 2017. The couple resides in Gering, Nebraska, where they purchased a home in April 2021. Mayra was named Grand Marshal of the 2021 Cinco de Mayo parade in Scottsbluff and also serves on the Board of Directors for Empowering Families. To find out about the organization, click HERE.

Isaac is originally from Houston, Texas, but he is currently a rising Junior at Arizona State University working on a bachelor’s degree in Sports Business. He is excited to have this opportunity to grow his skillset while getting a chance to work in a sport that he loves. Previously, he worked as a data collector for college football and basketball, where he developed attributes that included problem-solving and attention to detail. Since he was young, Isaac has been passionate about all sports, especially baseball, basketball, and football. He loves to watch movies and shows with family and play sports like pickleball, basketball, and football with friends. His dream has always been to work in sports, so he is extremely committed to producing high-quality work. 

Ben recently graduated with his master’s degree in Sport & Athletic Administration from Gonzaga University. He received his Bachelor of Science in Sport Management from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix in the Spring of 2022. During his time at GCU, he played club baseball competing in the NCBA Regional Finals, earning All-American recognition as a pitcher his senior year.

Ben's industry experience has included working as a Marketing & Promotions Coordinator for Goodyear Ballpark in Phoenix, supporting MLB spring training operations for the Cleveland Guardians and Cincinnati Reds. Ben also served as the Director of Baseball Operations for Ferris High School in Spokane and was selected to participate in a sport outreach program, teaching baseball in Ecuador last summer as part of a U.S. State Department initiative. In higher education, he has worked as a graduate assistant for Gonzaga’s Department of Kinesiology & Sport Management over the past two years, as well as Student Athlete Academic Services Intern at Eastern Washington University. Additionally, Ben has volunteer experience working with youth and high school athletics.

 Kaylee is originally from Caldwell, Idaho, but is currently attending the University of Wyoming. She is studying marketing and finance and plans to pursue a career in sports marketing post graduation. Kaylee currently works as a marketing intern for the University of Wyoming athletics department where she works various athletics events promoting the players and sponsors. 

Kaylee loves baseball and is very excited to work with the Pioneers this Summer. 

Kaylee is committed to promoting the players and the team through social media and marketing and believes in making the games entertaining and enjoyable for all fans and the community. Kaylee cannot wait to get started! 

 Anna is from Charlotte, North Carolina and is currently a senior at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studying Exercise and Sports Science. She currently works with Campus Recreation where she assists and facilitates Club and Intramural sporting events. This past summer she worked as a Marketing and Entertainment Intern with the Mooresville Spinners. During the summer she managed their social media accounts, promoted theme nights throughout the summer, and facilitated in-game entertainment.  Anna has always had a love for sports and is looking forward to being a part of the Pioneers team this summer!

 A'Mari Perkins is from Scottsbluff, Nebraska, sharing a hometown with the Western Nebraska Pioneers. As a freshman she is studying business administration at Western Nebraska Community College. With a passion for both athletics and the arts, A'Mari is also a member of the college dance team, and also serves as the current title holder of Mrs. Fiestas Patrias. A’Mari hopes to use her connection with the community as a stepping stone to help intertwine the Pioneers with our small and beautiful community.

A'Mari's love for sports has played a significant role in her life, and she has previously gained valuable experience working as game day staff for the Pioneers, this experience has fueled her ambition to build a career in the sports industry. With her sights set on transferring to a four-year university post graduation to further her studies in sports management, A'Mari is excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. Her hopes are to promote the team in a way that will get the town excited for the wonderful game of baseball! As she navigates her freshman year, A'Mari is excited to merge her love for sports with her academics, aiming to make a significant impact in the field she is passionate about

Emilee was born and raised in Scottsbluff, NE, where she attended Scottsbluff High School. During her high school career she participated in volleyball, soccer, cross-country, Drill Team, DECA, and National Honors Society. Currently, Emilee is attending the University of Wyoming where she is majoring in Marketing. As she continues her education, she plans to add a major in Professional Selling. 

In her free time she enjoys spending quality time with friends and family. Her normal activities include running, hiking, lifting, and hunting.