Branstad, Reynolds announce members of governor’s STEM Advisory Council

Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds Tuesday announced the  individuals who will serve on the Governor's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Council.

Created by Executive Order 74, the 40-member STEM Advisory Council will be co-chaired by Lt. Gov. Reynolds and University of Northern Iowa's President Ben 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 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, 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, stating, “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 21

^st

century.”

The Executive Committee members of the Governor's STEM Advisory Council are:

• Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds, Council Co-Chair
• Ben Allen, President, University of Northern Iowa, Council Co-Chair
• Jason Glass, Director, Iowa Department of Education
• Debi Durham, Director, Iowa Partnership for Economic Progress
• Teresa Wahlert, Director, Iowa Workforce Development
• Gregory Geoffroy, 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, Vermeer Manufacturing, Newton
• Pat Barnes, John Deere, Bettendorf
• Alissa Jourdan, Kemin, Des Moines
• Rachel Hurley, Iowa Biotechnology Association, Johnston
• Jonathan Wickert, Iowa State University College of Engineering, Ames
• Victoria Sharp, University of Iowa, Iowa City
• Dr. Douglas Dorner, Iowa Health Systems, Des Moines
• Nancy Foerstel, Microsoft, St. Louis, Mo.
• LeAnn Jacobson, Iowa Technology Association, Des Moines
• Carolyn Boss, IBM, Clive
• Jordan Cohen, University of Iowa, Iowa Innovation Council, Iowa City
• Teresa Finken, Iowa Wesleyan College, Mount Pleasant
• Valerie Newhouse, President, Iowa Lakes Community College, Emmetsburg
• Jeff Herzberg, Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency, Manson
• Allison Gilchrist, St. Cecilia Elementary School, Ames
• Gary Scholten, Principal Financial Group, Des Moines
• Cindy Dietz, Rockwell Collins, Cedar Rapids
• Craig Johnson, Iowa Academy of Science, Cedar Falls
• Deb Dunkase, Iowa Children's Museum, Iowa City
• Katherine Swoboda, World Food Prize Foundation, Pleasant Hill
• Kichoon Yang, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Haymarket, Va.
• Isa Kaftal Zimmerman, Massachusetts Governor's STEM Advisory Council, Boston, Mass.
• Jon Ericson, ACT, Iowa City
• Senator Brian Schoenjahn, Arlington
• Senator Mark Chelgren, Ottumwa
• Representative Sharon Steckman, Mason City
• Representative Josh Byrnes, Osage

For more on information, visit

www.govenor.iowa.gov.