Speakers
Christina Moffatt
It was a battle to the end when Christina Moffatt appeared on The Food Network’s Cupcake Wars but not only was she battling it out on live television she was in her own personal battle behind the scenes.
Christina took all lessons learned in these battles and but it to use helping promote and grow entrepreneurs. In addition to owning her own small business, Crème Cupcake + Dessert, she served as the Regional Director for Mid Iowa SBDC, Director of Small Business Development for the Greater Des Moines Partnership, she has helped launch a new division of a bank, focusing on women and minority businesses. She currently is focusing on customer growth strategy in a Fortune 500 business in the financial industry with a special focus on the small to midsized businesses.
Christina, along with her awesome Crème team, owned her own small business for twelve years prior to selling in 2022. They had the opportunity to serve their product to many celebrities and politicians when visiting Iowa and continued to survive and thrive during Covid. Christina created a sense of belonging with her team where all ideas were welcomed, and profit was shared. The team all came from extremely different backgrounds but were truly a family that we named the Crème Crew.
Christina is a graduate of DMACC, Iowa State University and University of Toledo Certified Business Advisor Program. She also devotes her time and talents to many local boards. Christina has won several awards for her business including DSM Top List for Best Bakery, Cityview’s Best Dessert, Sweet Equality Best Dessert, Runner up for the Iowa Mixology Competition and runner up on The Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. Christina has also been featured in Pastry & Baking North America in the Regional Showcase and Baker in Focus. Christina is also a Business Record’s Forty Under 40, 2012 Deb Dalziel Woman Entrepreneur Achievement Award Winner by the Iowa Small Business Development Center for the State of Iowa, 2013 Woman of the Year by the Metro Women’s Network, 2015 Women Business Owner of the Year by National Association of Women Business Owners Iowa Chapter, 2016 Finalist for Iowa Women Entrepreneurial Innovation and Leadership Award by Technology Association of Iowa, 2017 Outstanding Alumni of the Year by DMACC, 2018 Ivy Women in Business Inspiration Award by Iowa State University, 2018 Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Distinguished Leaders Community Vision Inspiration Award, 2019 40 Women To Watch by the Iowa Restaurant Association and Winner of the Character Award for 2020 Inspiring Women of Iowa by the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa.
Christina’s true joy in life is her family. She is partner to Ryan Moffatt and they have a beautiful 10 year old son, Evan.
Chad Olson
Chad Olson is the Director of Student Financial Aid at Iowa State University. Chad has worked in the financial aid profession for 21 years. He has served both MASFAA and IASFAA as president and has served as faculty for both associations’ Leadership Symposium conferences. Chad earned the NASFAA Certified Financial Aid Administrator credential in 2022. Chad lives in Gilbert, with his wife Emily, and his 13-year-old boy/girl twins. His 23-year-old son (a 2022 ISU graduate) works in Admissions at the University of Iowa.
Lucas Oerter
Lucas Oerter joined the Iowa State University Athletics staff in November 2022, as Associate Director of Compliance. He has worked in college athletics for just over 6 years and within higher education setting for nearly 8 years. He is a U.S. Air Force Veteran, having served 4.5 years primarily stationed at Minot AFB (Minot, ND). He is a Tyler, MN native with a bachelor’s degree in Education and Human Sciences: Sports, Recreation and Park Management from South Dakota State University (2015) and completed a master’s degree in Education: Physical Education and Athletic Administration from University of Mary (2019). He and his spouse, Brandi, have three children – Zayden, Zane, and Michael.
Autumn Cartagena
Autumn Cartagena works in the Ivy College of Business supporting quality learning and teaching. Her academic background is in psychology and her professional work has included teaching psychology, academic advising, and instructional design in higher education. Her professional passions are learner-center wellness, identity exploration, aesthetically robust design, and care-based learning technology. When not in her office, Autumn can be found chauffeuring her three favorite small humans, listening to podcasts or reading, or snuggling the floofiest feline friends. Her favorite places are the kitchen, the gym, and anywhere with coffee.
Jamie Sass
Jamie Sass is the director of the Ivy College of Business Writing and Speaking Center. Her work marries her industry experience to her educational background. She coaches Ivy’s business students to help develop their confidence and competence in professional communication as they become emerging industry leaders and collaborates with faculty and staff to create a communication-intensive learning environment for students. Jamie received her MA in professional communication from Iowa State University. She writes 25-30 letters of recommendation a year for students pursuing advanced degrees and professional opportunities.
Tera Lawson
Tera Lawson is a continuous learner, strives to build win-win relationships and projects, and is passionate about improving herself and others. She Co-Founded and Co-Directs Cardinal Women* (a personal and professional development program for those staff and faculty who identify as women at Iowa State University) in addition to her role as the Training, Development, and Outreach Coordinator for Procurement Services. Tera has served as the President of the Professional and Scientific Council and was named one of the twelve Women Impacting Iowa State in 2023. She holds a B.S. in Journalism and Mass Communications and an M.Ed. in Education, with an emphasis on Leadership and Learning from Iowa State University. She has also served as a search committee member for positions at all levels and has served as a member of several award committees.
Nora Hudson
Nora Hudson is the Assistant Director for Fitness at Iowa State University Recreation Services Department. She has 25 years of experience in fitness and wellness teaching and program development with a focus on mind/body and yoga techniques to enhance wellbeing.
Patrick Wall
Patrick Wall is the current President of the Professional & Scientific Council, serving in his 5th year on Council. He has been an ISU Extension Beef Field Specialist for the last 10 years, covering 17 counties in southeast Iowa. Patrick resides in Pleasantville, Iowa with his family, using the techniques taught in this presentation to both draw people to his Extension programming, as well as help him sell cattle via Facebook marketing opportunities.
Gayle Coon
Gayle Coon has been a Program Specialist in the Professional Development Unit with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach for six years, providing leadership for the Organizational Mentor Program. She is also facilitator and coordinator for the Navigating Difference curriculum, Coming Together workshops, Facilitator Bootcamp, as well as additional educational programming for staff, faculty, and council members. Gayle received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Iowa State University and a master’s degree in education from the University of Missouri St. Louis. Before joining the Professional Development team at Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Gayle was a classroom teacher for 23 years in Iowa schools serving in a variety of roles as elementary teacher, talented and gifted instructor, and a reading specialist. Gayle is a wife, mother of two and has two granddaughters with a grandson on the way.
Robin Ertz
Robin Ertz holds a Masters in Education from Iowa State University and certifications in instructional design, and facilitating Crucial Conversations and Crucial Accountability. In her role with ISU Extension and Outreach, Robin provides leadership in digital accessibility, adult learning strategies, facilitation, Crucial Conversations, and Crucial Accountability. Robin has presented on a variety of topics to local, state, national, and international audiences during her professional career in education. After serving as vice president-elect and vice president for the National Extension Technology Community, this year, she serves as president. On a personal note, a few things she has crossed off her life’s bucket list include flying in a helicopter, experiencing Niagra Falls from below the falls, and running a marathon.
Kira Kistner
Kira Kistner loves wondering and continuous improvement. With those two passions, of course she has spent time wondering how to wonder better. Throughout her career in qc labs, manufacturing plants, and offices, Kira has had many opportunities to use her passions to brainstorm and trouble-shoot. Kira currently works with CIRAS as a project manager where she continues to wonder, learn and make improvements.
Jody Gatewood
Jody Gatewood is a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Specialist for Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. She helps coordinate nutrition programs for families with limited resources by providing training and support for nutrition educators across Iowa. She also shares her knowledge and passion for nutrition and physical activity with others by creating content for the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website, app, and blog.
Kate Cossa
Kate Cossa is a career advisor with Engineering Career Services (ECS). She is an alumni of Iowa State (B.S. ’12 and M.Ed. ’15) and has been working at ISU for 10 years. She coordinates the Engineering Career Fair, advises Cyclone Engineers on all stages of their career development, and led the coordination of the ECS office improvement project over the past 2 years.
Andrew Severin
Andrew Severin manages the Genome Informatics Facility at Iowa State University and concurrently holds the position of Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology. He is skilled at making sense of big data and transforming these massive datasets into comprehensible and usable information. With expertise in bioinformatics, He has carved out a niche for himself by creating online tutorials, guiding readers through bioinformatic analyses. This often involves understanding poorly documented software through a process of trial and error. ChatGPT, another poorly documented software, marks his latest endeavor – delving into its intricacies to not only understand it better but also transform this understanding into an educational resource. When he is not navigating the world of data and software, Andrew explores his passion for writing, specifically in the realms of fantasy and science fiction. He also enjoys hiking and water polo.
Jenni Winter
Jenni Winter is the Finance Manager for Finance Service Delivery. She holds a B.A. in Business Administration and an M.S. in Strategic Leadership. She began her career in higher education as a Business Office Manager for Gillette Community College. Her business and information systems background offered an opportunity to work in higher education and introduced her to a passion focused on providing excellent customer service and working to make a difference and have a direct impact on the lives of students, staff and faculty. Jenni’s Master of Science degree in strategic leadership allowed her to continue to build upon her leadership and collaboration skills. Prior to Iowa State, Jenni served as the athletic director for both Sheridan College and Gillette College, member institutions of the National Junior College Athletic Association. This position allowed her to be actively involved in all aspects of athletics and also provided many opportunities for providing excellent customer service and managing up coaches and student-athletes. Today, her role of Finance Manager in Finance Service Delivery provides an opportunity to lead teams in providing excellent customer service to many different departments across campus.
Rachel Boenigk
Rachel Boenigk (they/she) attended Texas A&M University where they obtained both a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and History as well as a Master of Public Service Administration. Also, while at Texas A&M, Boenigk co-founded Pride Community Center. Boenigk went on to work as a Research Assistant at the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve System. Boenigk also helped found the LGBTQIA+ employee group at the Federal Reserve. In 2013, they were recruited back to the family business. During their tenure, Boenigk helped oversee a division acquisition and a product line relaunch. After their stint as Project and Product Manager respectively, Boenigk served as a Territory Sales Manager, Sales Manager for the Systems division, National Sales Manager, finally ending as the Vice President of Sales when they departed in July 2020. Boenigk left the family business to pursue a career at Iowa State University. They currently serve as the Director of Administrative Services for Student Affairs. In this role, they oversee budgets, provide financial analysis, and consult on strategic initiatives for all of the units within the Division of Student Affairs. Boenigk is currently the Treasurer of Aggie Pride, Texas A&M’s LGBTQIA+ Former Student Constituent Network. They married their wife, Elizabeth, in 2015. They are parents to three awesome kids.
Bonnie Dalager
Bonnie Dalager serves as the Iowa 4-H Educational Design and Development Manager, providing leadership for programmatic teams and statewide program development processes.
Michelle Roling
Michelle Roling is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist- Supervisor. She is the Associate Director of Outreach, Senior Staff member at Iowa State University’s Student Counseling Services where she has worked in a variety of roles for over twenty years. Michelle has been a guest presenter and trainer at both local and national conferences. She is a co-founder of the Eating Disorder Coalition of Iowa. The largest part of her life comes from the time spent with husband, Shawn, her boys Alex & Shade who are cystic fibrosis patients, step- son, Caden and the family fur babies.
Mae McCarty
Mae McCarty has served as a human science specialist for EFNEP and SNAP-ed programming at Iowa State University since 2019. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from Indiana Wesleyan University and bachelor’s degree in biology and Africana Studies from Augustana College. Mae has helped with various trainings and projects for EFNEP and SNAP-ed programming including co-organizing a Gender and Sexuality Diversity training, helping create a sustainable wellness initiative, and helping design a Diversity Toolkit for staff to explore diversity and inclusion practices to improve program reach in the community. Mae is currently working on expanding program reach with social media efforts and surveying participants about their experiences with nutrition programs. Kali Angerman has served as a human science specialist for EFNEP and SNAP-Ed programming at Iowa State University since 2020. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Morningside University. Kali has helped with trainings and programs for EFNEP and SNAP-Ed programming, including an ACE’s training for new hires on the EFNEP and SNAP-Ed team and assisting colleagues with the mentorship program and wellness initiatives. She also co-created a presentation on how to engage traditionally underserved audiences and partners. Paula Wood has served with EFNEP and SNAP-Ed programming at Iowa State University since 2013. She holds a bachelors degree in Latin American Studies from Central College. Paula has helped develop new social media policies and seeks to improve programs to reach diverse audiences in Iowa. She also co-created a presentation on how to engage traditionally underserved audiences and partners. Paula speaks Spanish and currently serves on the advisory committee for Su Salud Primero.
Malisa Rader
Malisa Rader is a human sciences specialist in the area of family wellbeing. She has been with Iowa State University for over 20 years, 11 of those years with Extension and Outreach. Barb Wollan is a human sciences specialist in the area of family wellbeing. She has been with Extension and Outreach for over 30 years.
Lisa Schulte Moore
Dr. Lisa Schulte Moore is a professor in the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management and co-director of the Bioeconomy Institute at Iowa State University. She conducts research and teaches in the areas of agriculture, ecology, forestry and human-landscape interactions. Her research addresses the integration of continuous living cover into agricultural landscapes to support new markets and to meet societal goals for clean water, healthy soils, abundant wildlife and inspiring recreational opportunities. She works to return more of the value from agricultural supply chains to rural communities and the land, and develops relationships and institutional capacity so diverse groups of people can more effectively work together.
Dr. Schulte Moore is co-founder of the Science-based Trials of Rowcrops Integrated with Prairie Strips (STRIPS) project, which developed the prairie strips conservation practice. She is also lead developer of People in Ecosystems/ Watershed Integration (PEWI), a simple web-based educational game designed to help people understand human impacts on the environment and improve the management of natural resources. She directs C-CHANGE, an Iowa State University Presidential Interdisciplinary Research Initiative and USDA-NIFA Sustainable Agricultural Systems project.
Dr. Schulte Moore has published more than 100 scientific and educational articles. Her honors include the Iowa State University Early Career Award in Teaching (2007), Teaching Award of Merit from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (2007), Stanford University Leopold Leadership Fellow (2013), Kavli Frontiers of Science Fellow (2014), University of Minnesota Duluth Academy of Science and Engineering Inductee (2017), Business Record/ISU Ivy College of Business innovationENTREPRENEUR Award (2020), Ecological Society of America Fellow (2021), MacArthur Fellow (2021), and Citation for Leadership and Achievement from the Council of Scientific Society Presidents (2022). Along with her colleagues on the STRIPS team, she received the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Science Team Award in 2018 and the Soil and Water Conservation Society’s Conservation Innovation Award in 2020 for their development of prairie strips. In 2022, the C-CHANGE team was awarded ISU’s Interdisciplinary team research award, and ISU Carbon team received the ISU College of Agriculture and Life Science Dean’s Citation Award for their work on behalf of the state of Iowa. She is on the editorial board for the scientific journal BioScience, a member of Ecological Society of America’s “Rapid Response Team,” on the Science Advisory Board for the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. She formerly served on the boards of directors for Iowa Wildlife Federation and Practical Farmers of Iowa, and on the board of trustees for The Nature Conservancy’s Iowa Chapter. Her work has been covered by the BBC, Corn and Soybean Digest, National Public Radio, the New York Times, Successful Farming, and The Washington Post among other farm and general interest media outlets.
She has been on the faculty at Iowa State University since 2003. She worked as a post-doctoral associate with the U.S. Forest Service from 2002 to 2003. She earned a B.S. in biology at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, an M.S. in biology at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and Ph.D. in forestry in 2002 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Regarding her approach to work, Schulte Moore states: “I am a scientist. I work to find solutions to tough problems at the intersection agriculture and our environment. We all need to eat, but we also need a livable climate, clean water, abundant wildlife, and places of wonder. We all need to do a better job of supporting the people in agriculture to meet these multiple goals. I am employed by a public land-grant university, so I serve all of society, but firstly Iowans. I’m neither “wizard” or “prophet”, per Charles Mann’s description of dueling scientists, but more of a jazz artist who likes to play in big bands that produce rich, vibrant sounds. I don’t fit in neat, tidy boxes.
Schulte Moore lives in Ames, Iowa, with her husband, Peter Moore, and two sons. They also spend time at their family farm near Strum, Wis.