Class Notes

Boston University has promoted Suzanne Markham-Bagnera ('16) to Clinical Assistant Professor in addition to serving as Undergraduate Program Coordinator in the School of Hospitality Administration.

Jake Swanson ('14 global resource systems) has been promoted to Legislative Liaison at the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Stephanie Brennan ('07 family and consumer sci ed & studies), the Iowa Safe Schools 2016 Educator of the Year for her work with LGBTQ youth, was surprised with the prestigious Golden Apple Award Jan. 23, 2018. Brennan has spent a decade as a Des Moines Public Schools educator, currently working at her alma mater, Lincoln High School.

Angie Carter (MS '12 rural sociology & sustainable ag, PhD '15 sociology & sustainable ag) has joined the faculty of Michigan Technical University in Houghton, Mich., as an assistant professor of environmental and energy justice.

Martin Gross (A)('11 biology, MS '13 food sci & tech, PhD '15 ag & biosystems engr/food sci & tech), CEO of Gross-Wen Technologies in Ames, Iowa, won the 2017 John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition.

Heather Hucka ('03 animal ecol), naturalist for Story County (Iowa) Conservation, received the National Association for Interpretation's Master Frontline Interpreter Award.

Angela Shaw (A)('03 an sci, MS '06 meat sci, food sci & tech), associate professor in ISU's Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, received the Advance Degree Graduate Distinction Award from Texas Tech University's Department of Animal and Food Sciences. Shaw received her Ph.D. from Texas Tech in 2010.

April Riley ('94 ag studies), farm manager at Riley Farms in Harrisonville, Mo., received the CropLife Ambassador of the Year Award.

Pamela White (A)(PhD '81 food tech), former dean of the ISU College of Human Sciences, received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities Board on Human Sciences, Inc.

Andrew Barnum (PhD '59 entomology), retired biology professor at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, was recently honored with a life-size bronze statue in front of the university's science building. Barnum, one of the college's longest-serving faculty members, is known for his dedication to animal and plant science and for the creation of a museum of scientific specimens at Dixie State.

Amanda DeJong (A)('02 ag business) has been appointed by President Donald J. Trump to manage the Farm Service Agency for the State of Iowa. She previously worked as senior policy advisor for the Iowa Corn Growers Association.

Clark Chapin (MS '09 interdisciplinary studies) has been appointed by President Donald J. Trump to manage the Farm Service Agency for the State of Connecticut. He previously served 16 years as a Connecticut state legislator and as project director for Working Lands Alliance.

Ryan Haaland ('05 philosophy), attorney in the Ames office of Davis Brown Law Firm, was elected to the 2018 Davis Brown Lawn Firm Board of Directors. He is the current Story County Bar Association president.

As of November, I am the new USDA-NRCS Soil Conservationist in St. Mary's County, Maryland. This was a promotion from being a NRCS Farm Bill Program Assistant in NYS. I am really enjoying the change in work and getting used to living in Southern Maryland. I'm only about an hour from D.C. so that is a bonus.

Jim Dietz (L)('89 history, MA '92 English), the head coach of the Lincoln Land Community College women's volleyball team that recently advanced to its third-straight NJCAA Final Four, is set to publish his second coaching textbook, "Like Heck She Isn't a Volleyball Player: 27 Essays to Make a Coach Think."

J. Mark Meachem (A)('99 mech engr, MS '02) was among 109 St. Louis-area educators honored with the 28th Emerson Excellence in Teaching award in November 2017. The award is designed to recognize educators from kindergarten teachers to college professors for outstanding achievement and dedication in the field of education. Meachem is an assistant professor in the School of Engineering & Applied Science at Washington University, St. Louis.

Katie Hulet (’06 electrical engr), senior engineer at Midcontinent Independent System Operator, received the IEEE Power and Engineering Society Twin Cities 2017 Outstanding Engineering Award during the Minnesota Power Systems Conference in November.

Ann Krogan ('82 speech comm), a behavior strategist for the Des Moines Public Schools, has received the Stephen Tsai Award for Excellence in Autism Education from the Autism Society of Iowa.

Michelle Johnson ('09 early childhood ed) of Rolling Green Elementary School in Urbandale, Iowa, has received the Stephen Tsai Award for Excellence in Autism Education from the Autism Society of Iowa.

Michael Spiritfair Marty ('07 liberal studies) is the founder of "Just Another Holy Book," LLC, which publishes e-books aimed at tackling the broad topic of understanding life's purpose and direction.

Jean Duffy (L)('87 family resource mgmt & consumer sci) has been named one of the National Association of Plan Advisors' 2017 Top Women Advisors, as well as named to the 2017 Financial Times 401 Retirement Plan Advisors list. Duffy is senior vice president and financial advisor with CAPTRUST in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Minnesota Rep. Rick Hansen (A)(MS '87 agronomy) of South St. Paul received the Willard Munger Award for Distinguished Environmental Partnership from the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party he represents in the Minnesota House. The award was presented Dec. 9, 2017 at the DFL Founders' Day Dinner in Minneapolis.

At the annual business meeting of the Iowa Defense Counsel Association (ICDA), the membership elected Kevin M. Reynolds (A)('78 pol sci) as its 2017-2018 president. Reynolds, member attorney at Whitfield & Eddy Law in Des Moines, will serve a one-year term as president. He has served on the IDCA Board of Directors since 2013.

The winter 2017-2018 issue of the Ploughshares literary journal will feature "Transparent" by Jodie Noel Vinson ('05 English) -- a Seattle-based writer and editor.

Kelsey Heino ('11 history) has joined Goosmann Law Firm as a complex litigation lawyer at the firm's Sioux City, Iowa location.