.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;}
What are some of your general responsibilities?

I oversee the state of Iowa, all the programming, fund raising, marketing and all of the staff (two full-time employees and 12 part-time school coordinators).

Why was this job attractive to you?

Education is the foundation for anyone’s success, and I saw how big a role it played in my life having the ability to learn new things, a lot through books and through reading. And when this opportunity came open, I saw this as a great opportunity to grow professionally and also make a big difference in the lives of children here in Iowa.

Name a goal that you would like to accomplish as the executive director.

Currently we serve 400 kids in 12 schools, most of which is here in Central Iowa. I have visions of expanding across the state, reaching dozens more schools and reaching hundreds of more kids. And to do that is challenging. We need volunteers, and we need the funds to make it happen.

Why have you taken up the cause for literacy?

I graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in community health education, and I enjoy large public health issues. Some people say, “Well you came into the literacy world; that is kind of different from the public health world,” but I disagree wholeheartedly. Educating our young is the best way to provide them with what they need to have a successful life, and literacy plays a solid role in that. If you can’t read effectively, you are going to have struggles in all avenues of your life moving forward.

In order for you and the organization to be successful, what do you see as a key change that has to happen?

We need to develop more corporate partnerships. We have great support from places like Principal Financial Group Inc. and Wells Fargo & Co., which not only help us financially but also help us by providing a volunteer opportunity for their employees.

Ever get to read to the kids?

Yep, I will be reading on Fridays at George Washington Carver Community School. One of the best things about our program – obviously it is called Everybody Wins!, and the reason it is called that is because everybody does win. Corporations win by providing employees an opportunity to volunteer with us, students win because they get the opportunity to read with a caring adult, teachers win because they see their students being more successful, and volunteers win because we get to have the opportunity to have that break from the day over the lunch hour to make a real impactful difference with only a commitment of an hour a week.

You graduated in 2005, then promptly rode your bike 4,000 miles from Oregon to Virginia. Why?

Well, you know, I asked myself that question about 300 times on that trip. I don’t know why, I guess I wanted to do something big and do something challenging, and the American Cancer Society was gracious enough to let me work with them and to promote awareness and raise money for the society along the way. The experience changed my life. It made me look at things much differently than I had ever looked at them before. It was physically challenging, but emotionally it really shaped who I am today.

How did it shape you?

The one thing that it did beyond anything is open my eyes to possibility. It opened my eyes to what is possible if you just start it. When I started in Oregon, I had no idea if I was going to finish. I had just gotten the bike two months before, I had no idea what I was going to do, and it is kind of like this job. In many ways, it is a journey. I don’t have any idea where it is going to go, but I have a good idea that if I keep on doing what I’m doing, it is going to get us where we want to go.

You’ve done RAGBRAI, so is that like a yawn for you now?

RAGBRAI is a different kind of trip. My trip was solo, so 75 percent of the days I was by myself. If I would do it again, it wouldn’t be by myself. There are too many memories and sights and sounds to not experience it with someone else.