Women of Influence

As Pat Miller sifted through her old files and prepared them for archiving, the recently retired director of Iowa State University’s Lecture Program happened upon the first letter she sent to author Margaret Atwood, inviting …

For Liz Garst, the business manager of the Garst family businesses and a 2019 Women of Influence honoree, the crossroads of agriculture and conservation are more than a career; they’re a family tradition. Her grandfather, …

For Georgia Van Gundy, collaboration is the key to achieving significant progress. 

“I work with all viewpoints. I like problem-solving, and I work hard,” Van Gundy said. 

With a resume that includes working with diverse …

Li Zhao Mandelbaum’s work on behalf of Iowans goes well beyond clearing the way for trade between the United States and her native China, to the tune of 60 product lines.

For example, for seven …

Loree Miles doesn’t like thinking of herself as retired. 

Rather, she says, “I don’t actively have an income.”

Miles’ working career spans from the early 1980s through 2018 and has been punctuated with numerous volunteer …

One of the first items Karen Novak Swalwell voted on as a West Des Moines Water Works trustee was whether to spend $4 million for a new water tower planned for the western part of …

Deidre DeJear grew up around small businesses. Her father was a car salesman before opening a home care agency with DeJear’s uncle, and DeJear spent her first job in the human resources department, learning the …

Connie Ryan’s career has always been motivated by creating change. 

Ryan, who has been the executive director at Interfaith Alliance of Iowa for the last 17 years, began her career in the Department of Human …