At least 10 participants in the Ready to Run Iowa campaign training workshops won school board and city council elections in Iowa last fall, according to Iowa State University’s Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics. 

For the past 10 years, the Catt Center has offered Ready to Run, a nonpartisan program designed to encourage women to run for elective office, position themselves for appointive office, work on a campaign or become involved in public life as leaders in their communities. The program is open to both women and men.

Nearly 200 people attended the 2017 Ready to Run workshops, a record number of participantsfor the program. 

Past Ready to Run Iowa participants winning fall 2017 school board and city council races include:

• Monic Behnken – elected in September to the Ames Community School Board. 
• Courtney Clarke – elected to the Waukee City Council in November.
• Jamet Colton – elected to the Ames Community School Board in September.
• Judy Downs – elected to the Urbandale School Board in September.
• Terri Golightly – elected to the De Soto City Council in November.
• Richard Lynch – elected to the Bettendorf Board of Education in September. 
• David Martin – elected in November to represent Ward 3 on the Ames City Council.
• Lynda Murray – elected to the Burlington City Council in November.
• Gina Perez – elected to the Ames Community School Board in September.
• Dr. Ann Rathe – elected to the Waverly City Council in November.

The Catt Center maintains a database of Ready to Run Iowa participants and welcomes emails from those who have run for elected office or have been appointed to city, county or state boards and commissions. To send an update for the center’s Ready to Run Iowa database, emailcattcntr@iastate.edu.