Our Staff

Education:  Drake University, Master’s in Public Administration with a specialty in Strategic Planning, 1999 • St. Ambrose University, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, 1980

Expertise: Administrative Management • Strategic Planning • Strategic Visioning •  Business Planning • Budgeting • Creating Partnerships • Grant Writing • Developing Local Food Businesses
Professional Accomplishments: President and CEO – Iowa Choice Harvest, LLC • Founder – Grow Your Small Market Farm™ Business Program, Ames, IA
Professional Leadership: USDA NRCS State Technical Committee 2021-present  • Wheatsfield Co-op Board of Directors 2009-present • Iowa Department of Agriculture Farm to Table Taskforce 2021
Awards:  Grow Your Small Market Farm Network named one of 80 outstanding projects in the nation run by a woman by The Whitehouse Project, New York, NY, 2008 • Named Iowa Women Entrepreneur of the Year by the Iowa Small Business Development Center, 2005

Education:  Kansas State University, Master of Science in Entomology, 2021 • Central College, Bachelor of Science with Honors, Biology Major, Chemistry Minor, 2017, Dean’s List
Expertise:  Iowa Native Ecosystems • Pollinator, Insect, Native Bee Conservation and Identification • Bee Ecology • Native Plants • Tallgrass Prairies • Grassland Management • Fire and Grazing Management • Sustainable Agriculture • Grant Writing • Crop Identification • Pest Identification • Research and Data Collection • ArcGIS, R, and Excel Programming
Professional Accomplishments: Research Assistant, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS • Research Assistant, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS • Private Tutor, Homeschool networks, Manhattan, KS • Research Assistant, Aerotek at DuPont Pioneer •Intern, CenUSA Bioenergy – Iowa State University, Insect Tour Guide, Kansas State University
Professional Leadership: Public Relations Committee, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 2019-2021 • FFA Officer, Popenoe Entomology Student Club, Kansas State University, 2020
Publications: J. Butters, Murrell, E., Spiesman, B. J, and Kim, T. N. In Review. Native Flowering Border Crops Attract High Pollinator Abundance and Diversity, Providing growers Opportunity to Enhance Pollination Services. Environmental Entomology • J. Butters. Providing for Pollinators: Conserving and Integrating Natural Habitats to Support Pollinator Conservation Efforts, 2021. Master’s Thesis, Kansas State University •  J. Butters, Spiesman, B. J, and Kim, T. N. Fire Rotation and Bison Presence Have Indirect Below and Above-Ground Effects on Specific Pollinator Communities • J. Butters. Dec 2021. Do bees like living with bison? Grassland Heritage Foundation Newsletter • J. Butters. Sept 2021. A queen bee’s guide to fall garden prep! Grassland Heritage Newsletter
Awards:  Floyd Holmes Scholarship • Floyd Holmes Scholarship • John C. and Mary Beth Reese Scholarship • Graduate Student Council Travel Award • 1st place, Student Poster Competition 2019 Entomological Society of America Annual Conference, Section P-IE, Ecology 1, St. Louis, MO • 2nd Place, Student Poster Competition 2021, Entomological Society of America Branch Meeting, Section P-IE, Ecology, Virtual

Education: University of Wisconsin, Masters of Science in Water Resources Management • Iowa State University, Bachelor of Science in Botany (with honors, Phi Beta Kappa)
Expertise: Water Quality Data Analysis and Graphs Using R Statistical Programming Language • Mapping with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) • Watershed Planning and Outreach • Writing • Public Speaking • Lesson Planning • Tabling Events • Conservation and Water Quality Materials Design and Website Maintenance
Professional Accomplishments:  PRI Watershed Educator and Water Quality Specialist Since 2017 • Wrote 10-Year Water Monitoring Plan and 2021 Report for Story County • County-Wide Creek and Watershed Sign Project • Mapped Suitable Locations for Conservation Practices in 43 (HUC12) Watersheds Using the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) • Improved High Capacity Well Database and Mapped Wetland Losses at Wisconsin DNR • Monitored and Modeled Surface and Groundwater for a Lake Protection Project at University of Wisconsin • Helped Homeowners Select Native Plants at Landscape Alternatives Nursery in Minnesota

Education:  Currently Completing a Degree in Management Information Systems at Iowa State, Graduating in Spring 2024
Expertise:  Marketing • Information Technology • Python • Data Analytics
Professional Accomplishments: Designed and Implemented Python-Based SQL inventory database for El Azteca
Professional Leadership:  Responsibility for Maintaining Office Information Technology • Led Student-Driven Restaurant Pitch

Education:  Grand View University, Bachelor of Arts in Communications, Journalism and Media Emphasis, Dean’s List and Permanent Member Grand View Honor Society, 1984
Expertise:  Marketing • Media Relations • Photography/Videography • Social Media • Writing/Editing • Adobe Creative Suite • Website Development • WordPress • Publishing
Professional Accomplishments:  Founder/Owner – Foto & Frame, Des Moines/Winterset, IA 1984 – 2006 • Weekly Columnist and Reporter – Winterset Madisonian • Editor – Boonslick Living/Gatehouse Media • Advertising Manager – Boonville Daily News • Advertising Manager – Missouri Life, Advertising Manager – The Iowan • Photography Instructor, West Des Moines Public Schools, Southwestern Community College • Honorably Discharged – United States Marine Corps Serving Throughout the US, Japan, and Korea.
Professional Leadership:  Central Iowa Tourism Region, Member • Old Trails Regional Tourism Partnership, Former Board Member • Boonslick Tourism Council, Former Board Member • Turner Hall River Rats for the Arts, Past President • Winterset Art Center, Past Chairman
Awards:  Grand View Communications Departmental Award • Convalescent Home for Children Outstanding Service Award • Numerous Awards for Excellence in Professional Photography

Education:  Iowa State University, Nonprofit Management Certificate • Nonprofit Management Institute, Iowa State University Extended and Continuing Education, 2000 • Iowa State University, Master of Arts in English, Business and Technical Writing Emphasis,  1985 • Iowa State University, Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication, Magazine Journalism Emphasis, Minor in International Studies, 1984
Expertise:  Writing • Editing • Publishing • Volunteer Management • Nonprofit Management
Professional Accomplishments: Iowa State University. Department of English, Foundational and Advanced Communication Classes • Learning Communities, Lecturer • ISU Extension, Life in Iowa, Program Coordinator/Instructor • College of Education, Dialogues in Diversity, Facilitator • Vision 2020, WK Kellogg Foundation-Funded Program, Writer, Editor, Program Coordinator • Department of History, Agricultural History journal, Assistant Editor • Iowa State University Press, Editing, Marketing, Acquisitions •  WOI Radio, Researcher, Writer, Producer • Volunteer Center of Story County, Executive Director, 2006-14 • Focus Communications, Business Owner, Publishing Services • Renewing the Countryside — Iowa, Book Editor/writer, 2002 • One-Armed Bandit, by George Mills, Book Editor/Publisher, 1998 • Association of American Colleges & Universities Session Presentation, Conference on Pedagogies of Engagement, Chicago, April 2004 • Iowa State University Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE). Panel member, Dialogues on Diversity educational model Ames, March 2002 • Iowa State University Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE). Panel Presenter, Broadening Course Objectives to Incorporate Diversity, Ames, March 2000
Professional Leadership: Raising Readers in Story County, Board of Directors, 2014-21; Vice-president, 2017-18; President, 2018-2020 • Iowa Community Education Association, Board of Directors, 2010-2012 • Volunteer Centers of Iowa, President, 2009 – 2011 • City of Ames Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan, Steering Committee Member, 2008 – 2009 • National Association for Multicultural Education, Iowa Chapter, Secretary, 2007 – 2008 •  Iowa’s Mosaic Diversity Conference 2006, Program Planning Committee, 2006 • Worldly Goods, 223 Main Street, Ames, lA, Board of Directors, 2005 – 2008 and 1999 – 2002; Chair, 2001-2002 • Ames International Partner City Association (AIPCA, Inc.), Ames City Hall Ames, IA. Board of Directors, 2002 – 2005. Delegation to Czech Republic, 2002. Delegation to Japan, 1998 • Editor of The Friendship Connection newsletter, 2000 – 2005, Host for delegation Members Visiting from Japan, 2002, 2001, 1999
Awards:  Unsung Heroes Award, Ames Noon Rotary and Ames Tribune, 2002 • Member of Phi Kappa Phi Academic Honor Society • Recipient of Sigma Delta Chi Regional Mark of Excellence Award for Nonfiction Magazine Writing

Education:  Jefferson High School, Cedar Rapids, IA
Expertise: QuickBooks for Nonprofits • Payroll • Word Processing • Secretarial Responsibilities
Professional Accomplishments:  Have Worked in Most positions at Prairie Rivers Since 2006 Most Recently Serving as the Office Administrator

Education:  Iowa State University, Community and Regional Planning, 2010, Working towards Masters in Landscape Architecture.
Expertise: Community and Economic Development • Transportation Planning, Community Engagement • Demographic Data Analysis • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Professional Accomplishments: American Institute of Certified Planners, AICP, Member