The Gazette presents Iowa Ideas 2025 Virtual Conference sponsored by ITC

Iowa Ideas 2025
Advisory Council

  • Advisory Council Liaisons

    • Elena Stark

      The Gazette

    • Grace Menke

      The Gazette

    • Sara Baranowski

      The Gazette

    • Tony Baranowski

      The Gazette

    • Zack Kucharski

      The Gazette

  • Executive Advisory Council

    • Doug Neumann

      Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance

    • Emily Schmitt

      Sukup Manufacturing

    • Jasmine Almoayyed

      Kirkwood Community College

    • Jason Brummond

      The Daily Iowan

    • Jill Wilkins

      NewBoCo

    • Josh Schamberger

      Think Iowa City

    • Melissa Tully

      University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication

    • Okpara Rice

      Tanager Place

    • Scott Drzycimski

      ITC Midwest

  • Arts & Culture

    • Betsy Potter

      Iowa City Downtown District

    • Cecilia Rokusek

      Nat. Czech and Slovak Museum and Library

    • Jaqueline Hunter

    • Jeff Chelesvig

      Des Moines Performing Arts

    • Jeff Morgan

      Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs

    • Katie Hallman

      Theatre Cedar Rapids

    • Keegan Colletta Huckfeldt

      Englert Theatre

      He/Him

    • Kurt Strand

      National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

      He/Him

    • Libbey Hohn

      Clear Lake Chamber & Tourism

    • Lindley Mickunas

    • Pristine Prescott

    • Sean Ulmer

      CR Museum of Art

    • Tim Hankewich

      Orchestra Iowa

  • Health Care

    • Tom Barton

      The Gazette — Track Lead

    • Chance McElhaney

      Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services

    • Craig Borchard

      Iowa Hospital Association

    • Di Findley

      Iowa Caregivers Association

    • Dr. Holly Stevenson

      Optimae Life Services /Current Chair of Inclusive Iowa

    • Joe Lock

      Eastern iowa health center

    • John Hale

      Advocacy Policy

      He/Him

    • Juliann Van Liew

      Polk County Public Health

    • Karen Vander Sanden

      Mercy Medical Center

    • Laura Rainey

      UnityPoint

      She/Her

    • Laura Shoemaker

      University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics

      She/Her/Hers

    • Mary Charlton

      University of Iowa - Cancer Center

    • Max Mowitz

      One Iowa

    • Megan Garrett

      Wellmark

    • Monica Vallejo

      LUCI

    • Paige Yontz

      AARP Iowa

    • Samantha Heibel

      LeadingAge Iowa

    • Tricia Neuman

      Kaiser Family Foundation/Drug Policy Expert

  • Agriculture

    • Emily Schmitt

      Sukup Manufacturing

    • Kevin Butt

      Iowa Falls/Ag Lab

    • Matt Russell

    • Sarah Thompson

      Greater Iowa City, Inc.

  • Community and Economic Development

    • Grace Nieland

      The Gazette — Track Lead

    • Megan Woolard

      The Gazette — Track Lead

    • Anthony Arrington

      Top RANK

      He/Him

    • Bill Menner

      Bill Menner Group

    • Caleb Mason

      Eastern Iowa Airport

    • Chad Schreck

      North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation

    • Cheri Kampman

      Kirkwood Community College

    • Crystal Lewis

      University of Iowa Pomerantz Career Center, DEI

    • Dustin Miller

      Iowa Chamber Alliance

    • Elizabeth Buch

      City of Cedar Rapids

      She/Her

    • Frank Cownie

      City of Des Moines-former mayor

    • Jack Hatch

      Hatch Kiernan Galloway Development

    • Jasmine Almoayyed

      Kirkwood Community College

    • Jill Wilkins

      NewBoCo

    • Jodi Schafer

      Regional Talent Acquisition Director

    • Kimberly Dukes

      United We March Forward

    • Liesl Seabert

      UNI -Institute for Decision Making

      she/her/hers

    • Maurice Davis

      South by 6 Business District

    • Melissa Silver

      NewBoCo/DeltaV Code School

    • Mickey Shields

      Iowa League of Cities

    • Molly Grover

      Dubuque Chamber of Commerce

    • Mugisha Gloire

      United We March Forward

    • Nancy Bird

      Greater Iowa City, Inc.

    • Noor Burkle

      transamerica

    • Quentin Hart

      City of Waterloo

    • Rachel Kilburg

      City of Iowa City

    • Ryan Waller

      Marion City Manager

    • Starlet Smith

      Alliant Energy

    • Taylor Petersen

      DEI consultant/Greater Des Moines Partnership

    • Tom Banta

      Russell Construction

  • Education

    • Grace King

      The Gazette — Track Lead

    • Vanessa Miller

      The Gazette — Track Lead

    • Colleen Mulholland

      University of Northen Iowa

      she/her/hers

    • Damian Thompson

      Iowa Safe Schools

    • Dr. Kristie Fisher

      Kirkwood

    • Dr. Ruth White

      The Academy for Professional and Scholastic Success

    • Dr. Tawana Grover

      Cedar Rapids School District

    • Dr. Todd Olson

      Mt. Mercy University

    • Dr. Wendy Mihm-Herold

      iJAG

    • Jason Pontius

    • Jed Peterson

      Kirkwood Community College

    • Jeff Frost

      Waterloo School District- but Jeff is retiring. After June 30, use his personal email jeff.frost55@gmail.com

    • Leisa Breitfelder

      North Linn and Central City School District

    • Margaret Buckton

      Urban Education Network of Iowa

    • Rob Denson

      DMACC

    • Ryan Wise

      Drake College of Education

      He/Him

    • Samantha Dahlby

      NewBoCo/Coding DoJo

    • Tanya Hunt

      Iowa Governor's STEM Advisory Council

    • Theresa Lewis

      The Arc of East Central Iowa

      She/Her

    • Tim Verheyen

      Miron Construction

  • Energy and Environment

    • Olivia Cohen

      The Gazette — Track Lead

    • Anne Kimber

      Iowa State University

    • Cody Smith

      Iowa Environmental Council

    • Dave Cwiertny

      University of Iowa, Flood Center

    • Gina Bell

      City of Dubuque

    • Jason Taylor

      Bur Oak Land Trust

    • Joe McGovern

      Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation

    • Monte Shaw

      Iowa Renewable Fuels Association

    • Nick Peterson

      Alliant Energy

    • Rachel Ruden

      DNR-Iowa State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

    • Rich Patterson

      former Indian Creek Nature Center

    • Rod Pritchard

      ITC Midwest

    • Scott Drzycimski

      ITC Midwest

    • Steve Guyer

      Iowa Environmental Council

      He/Him

  • Curious Iowa

    • Bailey Cichon

      The Gazette — Track Lead

      They/Them

    • 2025 The Gazette   Privacy • Web Accessibility