Board of Directors & Cabinets

Maria_Volante_Circle2023
"United Way of Central Iowa is passionate about serving our community to create sustainable change in the most critical areas that we face. I am proud to serve an organization that puts equity at the center of what we do. The staff at United Way, our countless volunteers, our cabinet members and board, our committed agency partners and our corporate sponsors come together to truly live United to Thrive."

Maria Volante
Board Chair, President of Volante Consulting

Executive Committee

  • Monica Friedman
    Board Chair Elect
    Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, LCS
  • Emily Abbas
    Vice Chair, Strategic Communications
    SVP - Chief Consumer Banking & Marketing, Bankers Trust
  • Michael Abbott
    Vice Chair, Economic Opportunity
    Partner, Faegre Baker Daniels
  • Jacquie Easley McGhee
    Vice Chair, Early Childhood Success
    Director, Health Equity, Community and Diversity Services, MercyOne
  • Suzanne Heckenlaible
    Vice Chair, Health & Well-Being
    Vice President, Public Affairs, Delta Dental
  • Pete Hird
    At-Large, Labor
    Secretary-Treasurer Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
  • Steve Lacy
    Vice Chair, Give
    Community Volunteer
  • Joe Murphy
    Vice Chair, Advocacy
    Executive Director, Iowa Business Council
  • Janell Pittman
    Vice Chair, Essential Needs
    Community Volunteer
  • Colin Pennycooke
    Vice Chair, Education Success
    Assistant General Counsel, Law Department Principal Financial Group
  • Jeremy Staun
    Vice Chair, Volunteer Engagement
    Vice President, Sales & Distribution-Personal Lines
  • Mary Sellers
    Corporate Secretary
    President United Way of Central Iowa
  • Chris Terhark
    Board Treasurer Vice Chair, Finance/Audit
    Managing Director / Audit Assurance Deloitte & Touche LLP
  • Sean Vicente
    Prior Chair, Board of Directors
    Office Managing Partner KPMG

Board of Directors

Rob Barron
Executive Director
Iowa & Minnesota Campus Compact

Wendy Batchelder
Chair – IT Data Privacy & Security Committee, Chief Data Officer Centene Corporation, Centene Plaza

Kristi Burma
Exec VP/Chief Human Resources Officer
Athene

Dr. Alexis Campbell, PhD
Director
Science Bound, Iowa State University

John Currier
F&G 
President

Abby Delaney
LINC Representative
AVP, Corporate Communications Officer
Bankers Trust

Rosalind (Roz) Fox 
Factory Manager
John Deere Des Moines Works

Jem Gong-Browne
Women United Representative
Director of Enterprise Strategy
Principal Financial

Phil Hall
United LEAGUE Representative
Senior Vice President – Employee Relations Leader
Wells Fargo Corp. Human Resources

Dr. Hayley Harvey, DDS
Broadlawns

Laura Howe
Regional Banking District Manager
Wells Fargo

Erica Jensen
SVP, Chief Communications Officer
Dotdash Meredith

Erin Kuhl
Chief of Staff
Krause Group

Janice Lane-Schroeder
CEO
Children & Families of Iowa 
 
Jeff Lorenzen
President & Chief Executive Officer
American Equity Investment Life Insurance
 
Nancy Post
Community Volunteer

 

Dr. Ian Roberts
Superintendent
Des Moines Public Schools
 
Renee Schaaf
Community Volunteer
 
Nataliya Boychenko Stone, PhD
Senior Vice President/Shareholder
Holmes Murphy
 
Brent Vander Waal
President/COO
ITA Group, Inc.
 
Pastor Jonathan Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Corinthian Baptist Church
 
Steve Whitty
Community Volunteer
 
Kim Willis
Community Volunteer
 
Kevin Zaugg
Des Moines Office Managing Partner
Ernst & Young

 

Community Impact Cabinets

The primary purpose of the Community Impact Cabinets is to actively drive the resources and influence of United Way of Central Iowa to maximize impact in each of the Five Elements of a Thriving Community; Essential Needs, Early Childhood Success, Education Success, Economic Opportunity, and Health & Well-Being. Each Cabinet is comprised of community leaders and content matter experts who demonstrate a strong commitment to United Way of Central Iowa and who are willing to play a part in decision making about designing and investing funds to implement effective strategies to designed to make a real impact on central Iowa’s toughest challenges.

Essential Needs Cabinet

Janell Pittman – Chair
Community Volunteer
 
Britney Appelgate
Senior Social Impact &
Sustainability Specialist
Wells Fargo
 
Emily Berman
Division Director of Social & Clinical Care Integration
MercyOne System Services
 
Conor Boffeli
LINC Representative
Founding Partner/Financial Advisor
Aligned Wealth Advisors
 
Zane Hendricks
Midwest Growth Partners
 
Joy Ihle
Deputy Director
Polk County Community Family &
Youth Services
 
Cynthia Latcham
President
Anawim Housing
 
Latoya Lewis
Product Manager
Optum, Care Delivery Operations
 
Emily Porter
Chief People Officer
The Waldinger Corp.
 
John Rathjen
Regional President
Bank Iowa
 
Lindsey Riley
VP, Planning & Profitability
F&G
 
Don Whitt
Founder/Consultant
Bodach Consulting, LLC.

UNITED WAY STAFF

Erin Davison-Rippey
Senior Community Impact Officer

John Soener
Community Investments Manager

Diana Echeverria
Community Impact Manager

Marian Reuter-Godwin
Community Impact Services Director

Jody Kanne
Administrative Specialist

Vanessa Sedrel
Data and Research Associate

Rachelle Talbott
Research Associate

Early Childhood Success Cabinet

 
Jacquie Easley McGhee – Chair
Division Director, Health Equity, Diversity
& Inclusion
Community Services & Diversity Services MercyOne DM Medical
 
Christine Bruner
Product Manager
Principal 
 
Marc Elcock
Attorney
Elcock Law Firm

Siobhan Harman
Women United Rep
Senior Acquisitions & Dispositions
Consultant
Private Equity Team
Principal Financial Group
 
Jonathan Holstrom
COO
Willis Automotive 

 Shelley Horak
Director of Early Intervention & Support
Iowa Department of Health & Human Services

Tira Mays
Government Programs Coordinator
Broadlawns 
 
Eric Schulz
Program Manager
John Deere

Lindsey White
Control Management Senior Manager, Vice President
Wells Fargo

Amanda Young
Women United Rep
Bankers Trust

UNITED WAY STAFF

Erin Davison-Rippey
Senior Community Impact Officer

Kate Bennett
Community Impact and Integration Officer

John Soener
Community Investments Manager

Courtney Frahm
Women United Director

Marian Reuter-Godwin
Community Impact Services Director

Jody Kanne
Administrative Specialist

Vanessa Sedrel
Data and Research Associate

Rachelle Talbott
Research Associate

Cheryl Werner
Education Coordinator

Education Success Cabinet

Colin Pennycooke – Chair
Counsel
Principal
 
Connie Boesen
City Council Member
City of Des Moines
 
Chad Ellsworth
ELI Representative
Iowa Bankers Association
 
Angela Gallagher
Executive Coach
Drake University
 
Samantha Groark
Executive Director
Central Iowa Building &
Construction Trades Council
 
David Gross
Director of Business Development
Estes Construction
 
Dau Jok
Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
West Des Moines Community School District
 
Benjy Klosterman
ELI Representative
Wells Fargo
1 Home Campus
 Denise Kyle-Needs
Director Talent Development
Farm Bureau Financial Services
 
Keith Mercer
Executive Director
Mercer Elite
 
Goodluck Mukome
Software Engineer
Wells Fargo
 
Hannah Olson
Partner Success Manager
Hazel Health
 
Stephanie Oppel
Executive Director
Iowa Confluence Water Trails
 
Jennifer Rhuppiah
Manager, Regulatory Strategy
ITC Midwest, LLC
 
Srinivasa (Rao) Uppalapati
Program Leader
Corteva Agriscience

UNITED WAY STAFF

Erin Davison-Rippey
Senior Community Impact Officer

Kate Bennett
Community Impact and Integration Officer

John Soener 
Community Investments Manager

Marian Rueter Godwin
Senior Community Impact
Services Officer

Jody Kanne
Administrative Specialist

Rachelle Talbott
Research Associate

Cheryl Werner
Education Coordinator

Chase Young
Education Leadership Initiative Director (ELI)

Economic Opportunity Cabinet

Michael Abbott – Chair
Partner 
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath

Darlene Ackley-Raymond
VP President/Residential Mortgage Officer
Iowa State Bank

Ena Babic Barnes
Executive Director
Iowa Credit Union Foundation

David Chapman 
Managing Director, Institutional Relationship Manager
BTC Capital Management

Dennis Henderson
Internship Coordinator
Broadlawns Medical Center

Brian Israel
Associate Chief Counsel and
Global Public Policy Manager
John Deere Financial

Kia Lewis
Leadership Development Program Associate
Principal

Paula Martinez
President
South Central Iowa Federation of Labor,
AFL-CIO

Nursel McFarland
Staff Accountant
Life Care Services (LCS)

Renee Schaaf 
Community Volunteer

Liza Veren
SVP Human Resources
Athene
 

UNITED WAY STAFF

Erin Davison-Rippey
Senior Community Impact Officer

Michelle Seibert
Community Impact Officer – Economic Opportunity

John Soener
Community Investments Manager

Marian Reuter-Godwin
Community Impact Services Director

Jody Kanne
Administrative Specialist

Vanessa Sedrel
Data and Research Associate

Rachelle Talbott
Research Associate

Health & Well-Being Cabinet

Suzanne Heckenlaible – Chair
Vice President, Public Affairs
Delta Dental of Iowa
 
Rona Berinobis
VP, Corporate Social Responsibility &
Organizational Development
Athene
 
Philip Blumberg
Clinic Executive Director
Des Moines University
 
Chrissy Brabandt
Store Leader
Scheels
 
Dwana Bradley
Owner
Iowa Urban Media
 
Dr. Kevin Carroll
Director Healthcare Services
Molina Healthcare
 
Ana Coppola
Public Health Planner
Polk County Health Department
 
Chris Costa
President & CEO
Knapp Properties
 
Sarah Dixon
Senior Director of Partnerships
& Development
Iowa Primary Health Care Association
 
Dr. Nalo Johnson
President & CEO
Mid-Iowa Health Foundation
 
Corey Lewis
Health Coach
Broadlawns Medical Center
 
Amy Madyun
Community Volunteer
 
Michelle Sandbulte
ID&E Program Manager
Corteva Agriscience
 
Breanne Ward
CEO/Owner
ForWard Consulting, LLC
 
Michelle Weil
Organizational Engagement
Consultant
ethOs
 
Chaney Yeast
Director of Government Relations &
Family Services
Blank Children’s Hospital

UNITED WAY STAFF

Erin Davison-Rippey
Senior Community Impact Officer

John Soener
Community Investments Manager

Diana Echeverria
Community Impact Manager

Marian Reuter-Godwin
Senior Community Impact
Services Officer

Jody Kanne
Administrative Specialist

Vanessa Sedrel
Data and Research Associate

Rachelle Talbott
Research Associate

2024 Campaign Cabinet

  • Mike McCoy
    Campaign Chair
    NCMIC
  • Sean Vicente
    Campaign Vice Chair
    KPMG
Emily Abbas
Bankers Trust

Abigail Bogaard
Farm Bureau Financial Services

Amanda Carstens Steward
Athene USA

Don Coffin
Bankers Trust Company

Blake Crow
Eide Bailly LLP

Joy Evans
Dotdash Meredith 

Misty Gleason
Athene USA

Ryan Fick
Principal

Scott Jean
EMC Insurance Companies

Katy Kiick
Dotdash Meredith

Grant Kvalheim
Athene USA

Steve Lacy 
Meredith Corporation, Retired

Matt Marckmann
The Prairie View Group
at Morgan Stanley

Jess McCulloh
Wells Fargo

Tim McCulloh
Holmes Murphy & Associates

Todd Millang
CBRE

Andy Moffitt
Ryan Companies

Tony Montgomery
Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines

Gerry Neugent
Knapp Properties, L.C. 

Dr. Jennifer Olson
MercyOne Des Moines

Braden Renaud
Bankers Trust Company

Tim Rhoades
John Deere

 

Jeff Rommel
Nationwide 

Matt Sokolowski
Willis Automotive

Julie Stewart
Prairie Meadows

Tom Stewart
Holmes Murphy & Associates

Rob Tekolste
Sammons Financial Group

Tony Timm
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa

Michael Trettin
UHY LLP

Neal Westin
Nyemaster Goode

Rich Willis 
Willis Automotive 

Bill Wright
CBRE

 

UNITED WAY STAFF

Kristin Young
Corporate Engagement Officer

Public Policy Cabinet

Joe Murphy – Chair
Executive Director
Iowa Business Council

Brandon Geib
Government Relations Counsel
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

Pete Hird
Secretary/Treasurer
Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

Natali Justiniano Pahl
Executive Coach & Community Leader
Community Volunteer

Jess McCulloh
Women United Representative
Senior Human Resources Consultant
Wells Fargo

Dawn Martinez Oropeza
Executive Director
Al Exito

Kelli Soyer
Executive Director
United Ways of Iowa

Mikki Stier
Vice President of Government Relations and Public Affairs
ChildServe

Andrea Woodard
Sr. VP of Government Relations and Public Policy
Greater Des Moines Partnership 

UNITED WAY STAFF

Dave Stone
Advocacy Officer

Jody Kanne
Administrative Specialist

Volunteer Engagement Cabinet 

Elaine Collet
Volunteer Engagement Manager
Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity
 
Won Hyon
Community Volunteer
 
Angela Jiskoot
Community Engagement Manager
F&G
 
Mike Merritt                
Community Volunteer
 
Ellen Moore
Marketing Director        
Holmes Murphy
 
Amanda Parkins        
Volunteer & Outreach Manager        
DMARC
 
 
Brandon Qualley        
Manager, Financial Reporting        
Sammons Financial
 
Missy Reams        
Volunteer & Community Outreach Manager        
Families Forward
 
Jeremy Staun        
VP, Personal Lines Sales and Distribution        
Nationwide
 
Ryan Stellner        
Business Support Consultant
Wells Fargo
 
Andrew Verlengia        
Director of Alumni Relations        
Drake University

UNITED WAY STAFF

Joy Talmon
Volunteer Engagement Officer

Lynne Melssen
United 55+ Initiative Director

Sarah Underwood
Volunteer Engagement Manager

Jennifer McCullough
Administrative Specialist

Finance/Audit Committee

Chris Terhark – Chair
Managing Director / Audit Assurance
Deloitte & Touche LLP

Wendy Batchelder
SVP of Global Data Governance and Chief Data Officer of Trust
Salesforce
 
Jem Gong-Browne
Director of Enterprise Strategy
Principal Finance
John Currier
F&G
President
 
Kevin Zaugg
Des Moines Office Managing Partner
Ernst & Young

UNITED WAY STAFF

Anne-Lyse Badou-James
Chief Operating Officer
 

Strategic Communications Cabinet

Emily Abbas – Chair
SVP, Chief Consumer Banking and Marketing Officer
Bankers Trust

Sara Bonney
Public Relations Leader
Principal Financial Group

Patrick Dix
Vice President of Public Relations
SHAZAM Network-ITS, Inc.

Matt Harris
Business and Community Partnerships Manager
DART

Chris Jones
SVP Customer Engagement Solutions
ITA Group, Inc.

Cristy Magill
Community Involvement Specialist
EMC Insurance Company

Phil Roeder
Director of Communications & Public Affairs
Des Moines Public Schools

Courtney Shaw
Senior Vice President of Communications
Greater Des Moines Partnership

Katie Wengert
Chief Strategy Officer
Innovative Radiology

UNITED WAY STAFF

Mary Sellers
President

Susan Kloewer
Chief Advancement Officer

Sarah Anderson
Strategic Communications Officer

Demir Alford
Digital Communications and Social Media Manager

Mujo Ramic
Strategic Communications Creative Services Manager

Paige Weinschenk
Strategic Communications Content and Media Manager