Gov. Terry Branstad Announces Members of Governor’s STEM Advisory Council
Gov. Terry Branstad Announces Members of Governor’s STEM Advisory Council
Lt. Gov. Reynolds and UNI President Ben Allen to Co-Chair
(DES MOINES) Sept. 6, 2011 – Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds today announced the 40 individuals who will serve on the Governor’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Council.
Created by Executive Order 74, the STEM Advisory Council will be co-chaired by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and University of Northern Iowa’s President Benjamin Allen. The new council will work to grow Iowa’s commitment to bolstering STEM education, STEM innovation and to better position Iowa’s young people and the state’s economy for the future.
“It is with great pleasure that Lieutenant Governor Reynolds and I announce today the names of those who will serve on the new Governor’s STEM Advisory Council,” said Branstad. “These professionals come from a broad spectrum of the state’s education, business and civic sectors and will work together to lead the way toward a strong future for our state in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. This group was created to advise our office on ways to improve STEM education and STEM innovation and economic development.”
Lt. Gov. Reynolds and President Allen appointed Jeff Weld, director of the Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP), as executive director of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. IMSEP will become the administrative and programmatic arm of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, while fulfilling its current responsibilities.
Lt. Gov. Reynolds announced at the Iowa Education Summit in July the STEM advisory council where she stated, “Students better prepared in STEM stand to energize Iowa’s workforce. Just as important, scientific, technology and mathematical literacy are critical to being good citizens in the increasingly complex 21st century.”
The Executive Committee of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council are:
Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, Committee Co-Chair
Ben Allen, President, University of Northern Iowa, Committee Co-Chair
Jason Glass, Director, Iowa Department of Education
Debi Durham, Director, Iowa Economic Development Authority
Teresa Wahlert, Director, Iowa Workforce Development
Greg Geoffrey, President, Iowa State University
Sally Mason, President, University of Iowa
Rob Denson, President, Des Moines Area Community College
Raynard Kington, President, Grinnell College
John Carver, Superintendent, Van Meter Schools
Gail Wortmann, K-12 educator, Bloomfield
Don Frazer, Private employer, SynGest
Paul Schickler III, Private employer, Pioneer
Additional appointees to the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council are:
Lin Chape, Newton
Pat Barnes, Bettendorf
Alissa Jourdan, Des Moines
Rachel Hurley, Johnston
Jonathan Wickert, Ames
Victoria Sharp, Iowa City
Dr. Douglas Dorner, Des Moines
Nancy Foerstel, St. Louis, Missouri
LeAnn Jacobson, Des Moines
Carolyn Boss, Clive
Jordan Cohen, Iowa City
Teresa Finken, Iowa City
Valerie Newhouse, Emmetsburg
Jeff Hertzberg, Manson
Allison Gilchrist, Ames
Gary Scholten, Des Moines
Cindy Dietz, Cedar Rapids
Craig Johnson, Cedar Falls
Deb Dunkase, Iowa City
Katherine Swoboda, Pleasant Hill
Kichoon Yang, Haymarket, Virginia
Isa Kaftal Zimmerman, Boston, Massachusetts
Jon Ericson, Iowa City
Senator Brian Schoenjahn, Arlington
Senator Mark Chelgren, Ottumwa
Representative Sharon Steckman, Mason City
Representative Josh Byrnes, Osage
The first meeting of the Executive Committee is set for September 14th, 9 AM to 11:30 at the Capitol.