I grew up on a small farm in Lost Nation, Iowa, in a small town of 550 people. My brother and I attended a one-room country schoolhouse until I was in 6th grade and then I moved onto big “city” schools. I attended college at Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids in nursing, and began my nursing career at the University of Iowa. I married my husband, Paul in 1970 and, four years later, moved to Des Moines where we have remained and raised three sons. My nursing career continued for 17 years with a cardiology focus. I obtained my BS degree in Health Care Administration from the College of St. Francis, and in 1987, I switched careers to Human Resources and have since focused on healthcare administration.
My most recent position (and where I have spent the last 16 years) was as Chief Human Resources Officer at the Iowa Heart Center. In that position, I was a key member of the Leadership Team and built the HR/Education departments, and I was integral in the organization's growth—from 170 to 550 employees in 10 office locations. I was heavily involved in strategic planning, management and change development, and I played a key role on the Design Committee for the West Des Moines office which opened in 2005. Also that year, I earned my Senior Professional Human Resources (SPHR) certification which represents the HR community's recognition for my professional HR experience and expertise.
I am now a human resources consultant under JD Signature Solutions. I also enjoy spending time with our grandaughter, as well as biking, walking our dog, decorating our home and gardening.
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Designed by Jeremy Schultz.
