State System

Ryan has helped direct funding to local youth education programs through the Cedar Valley United Way. He has worked to address the Iowa child care crisis and helped develop a cutting-edge program with his wife, Bruna, for their in-home child care.

Senator Cournoyer has served as a member of the Iowa Governor’s STEM Council, Quad City Engineering & Science Council, former president of the Pleasant Valley Community School Board, and reserve deputy for the Scott County Sheriff’s Department.

Mary is a RN at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, IA where she primarily serves as the campus’ clinical nurse analyst. She volunteers & serves on multiple local, state and national boards.

Durham is a longtime economic and community development professional. Durham has established successful public-private partnerships, landed billion-dollar economic development projects, and expanded trade and investment opportunities for Iowa.

Zachary Stier, Ph.D. currently works at Ericson Public Library in Boone. Zach serves as a director for the Iowa Library Association Executive Board. Zach believes that storytelling provides power to elevate a learning experience.

Throughout her career, Garcia led improvements in organizational structure, program management, and policy development for health care systems. Garcia has served in a series of executive positions at the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

Beth Townsend serves as the Director of Iowa Workforce Development and is a graduate of Kearney State College and the University of Nebraska Law School. Beth is the mother of one son and is a proud member of the Choctaw Nation.

Wendy Greenman is a graduate of Iowa State University, and serves as a Bureau Chief at Iowa Workforce Development overseeing the WIOA Title I programs and the Trade program. She has worked within Iowa’s workforce delivery system for over 12 years.

Kimberly Villotti serves as the Director’s Designee for the Department of Education, where she is an Administrative Consultant for Early Childhood Programs and Services. She joined the ECI Steering Committee to support system collaboration.

A resident of Ankeny, Iowa, Aaron received his Bachelor’s in Communications from the Moody Bible Institute. Aaron is the Vice President of Marketing and Customer Strategy for Accumold. Aaron is currently a Director on the Ankeny Board of Education.

Director Wong has led efforts to safeguard basic rights and opportunities for underrepresented Iowans. This includes helping new immigrants find success and call Iowa home. Wong was recognized as a Women of Influence by the Business Record in 2009.

Dr. Nalo Johnson serves as the Director’s designee for the Iowa Department of Public Health. Dr. Johnson, Division Director for Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention, received a BA from Williams College and PhD from the University of Minnesota.

Gary Zittergruen is a retired Superintendent of Schools with the Benton CSD. While employed at Benton, Gary also served on the IGHSAU Board of Directors and the IHSSA Executive Committee.

Angela is an experienced educator with a Master's in Education. Angela has taught all age levels including Pre-K through to adult learners. Currently, Angela is the Academic Manager at Denison Job Corps. acting as the Principal.

Bergan is a lifelong resident of Winneshiek County. Bergan serves on three state level boards and commissions: the Mental Health and Developmental Disability Commission, ECI State Board (former HAWC Director), and the Iowa Council for Early ACCESS.

Community Investments Team Leader. This team is responsible for the management of the state of Iowa’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), as well as several state tax credit programs.

Diane serves as an administrator with Mississippi Bend AEA. She has also served as a teacher and administrator in the Muscatine Community School District. Campbell’s past board participation includes United Way of Muscatine, MCSA, and others.

Dr. Ann Lebo serves as Director of the Iowa Department of Education. She previously served as Executive Director of the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners. Dr. Lebo holds an Ed.D. and Ed.S in Educational Administration.

Dave joined Wells Fargo in 2004 and is currently a Wealth Advisor with The Private Bank. Dave has been in the financial services industry for more than 27 years. Dave is a past ECI State Board Chair and former Polk County ECI Board member.

Rich Clewell is a retired Wildlife Biologist with the Department of Army. Rich serves on the boards of the Putnam Museum and Science Center, Humility of Mary among others. Rich pursued graduate work in Animal Science at the University of Maryland.

Representative Mascher is a retired teacher from Johnson county. She has served eleven years in the House. Mascher has been engaged in several commissions in Iowa City and serves on the State Reading Recovery Advisory Board and Executive Committee.

State Senator Claire Celsi represents Senate District 21. A Des Moines native, Claire is a graduate of Drake University and spent seven years owning and operating a family childcare business. Public education is a focus of her advocacy in the Senate.

Barb Merrill served 10 years as Executive Director for the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children and held a variety of roles in early childhood throughout her career. Barb has a B.S. in Child Development and a M.S. in Adult Education.