IEC Blog Authors

Nathaniel Baer

Nathaniel was with the Council as Energy Policy Specialist from 2007-2018. During his time with IEC,  he researched and advocated for policies to expand solar, wind, transmission and energy eff...

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Angelisa Belden

Angelisa served as IEC's Communications Director from 2018 to 2024. Previously, she worked in membership and marketing for WTTW, Chicago’s PBS station. Angelisa grew up along the Turk...

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Jordan Bles

Jordan Bles worked with IEC as the Director of Fundraising and Development from 2019 - 2024.  Previously, Jordan was Director of Development for the National Benevolent Association, suppor...

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Guest Blogger

IEC is pleased to welcome guest bloggers on a number of different topics throughout the year. If you are interested in submitting a blog piece to IEC, contact us at iecmail@iaenvironment.org.

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Dr. Brian Campbell

Brian Campbell served as Executive Director of the Iowa Environmental Council from 2020-2022. Prior to his role with IEC, Brian worked for more than six years as the as Director of Su...

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Sarah Green

Executive Director

Sarah Green is the Executive Director of IEC, bringing her experience and expertise to oversee IEC's staff and board.  Most recently, Sarah served as the Vice President of Philanthropy...

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Ingrid Gronstal

Ingrid Gronstal served as Water Program Director with the Iowa Environmental Council from 2018 -  2022. She has many years of experience in water policy, most served as the Compliance Specialis...

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Steve Guyer

Energy Policy Counsel

Steve Guyer joins IEC as the Energy Policy Counsel, bringing years of experience and leadership in the energy field. Since 2008 Steve has owned and lead GWA International, a solar installation compa...

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Sarah Howe

Water and Climate Resiliency Specialist

Sarah Howe joined IEC in 2023. Before starting at IEC, Sarah worked as a Planning Consultant for The Land Conservancy of New Jersey, where she authored municipal open space, recreation, farmland, fl...

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Kitty Jacobson

Finance and Operations Administrator

Kitty joined the Council in October 2016 and oversees the organization’s financial accounting and reporting, including budgets, grants, and payroll. Her position also includes the management o...

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Marshall James

Communications & Advocacy Associate

Marshall James joined the Iowa Environmental Council from 2023 to 2025 after more than a decade spent working in television and film production. Before joining IEC, he organized with several environ...

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Kerri Johannsen

Energy Program Director

Kerri Johannsen is Energy Program Director with the Iowa Environmental Council. She has over a decade of experience in energy policy, most recently serving as the Council’s Manager of Governme...

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Bethany Kohoutek

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Megan McDowell

Megan worked with IEC from 2020-2023 as a Communications Coordinator . Megan is a Navy veteran who, thanks to the Veteran Readiness and Employment program, returned to college to pursue a caree...

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Matt Ohloff

Matt Ohloff served with the Iowa Environmental Council as the Clean Communities Manager from 2021-2022. Matt has over 15 years of nonprofit grassroots organizing, advocacy, coalition building, campa...

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Jordan Oster

Energy Program Associate Director

Jordan Oster is IEC’s Energy Program Director. He joined the Council in 2019 after previously consulting for the organization. Jordan is an experienced issue advocate who grew up in the ...

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Raihan Amir Rashidi

Raihan joined was with the Council as a Clean Energy Field Organizer and Energy Campaign Coordinator from 2019-2022. Raihan worked on 100% Iowa, IEC’s grassroots initiative to expand on the st...

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Michael Schmidt

Staff Attorney

Michael Schmidt joined the Council in 2019 and works across IEC's program areas. He most recently worked as a staff attorney for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, where he focused on clean...

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Cody Smith

Senior Policy Advocate

Cody Smith is a climate policy professional with substantive experience in the energy, agriculture, and water sectors. Earning a Bachelor of Science from Iowa State University in agricultural commun...

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Jennifer Terry

Jennifer served as Executive Director of the Iowa Environmental Council from 2017 - 2020. Jennifer is a native Iowan, raised on a dairy farm in north central Iowa where she developed a passion for p...

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Sonita van der Leeuw

Sonita served as a Clean Energy Field Organizer for 100% Iowa from 2021-2022. She helped to expand on the state’s clean energy movement through community engagement, outreach, and education. S...

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Alicia Vasto

Water Program Associate Director

Alicia was the former Water Program Director at IEC. She served the Council from 2019 to 2024. She previously worked as the director of the Iowa Conservation Education Coalition, where she supp...

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Kristen Weaverling

From 2020 - 2024, Kristen Weaverling worked with the Council as an Energy and Climate Project Manager. Before starting at IEC, she spent several years implementing energy efficiency programs fo...

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