Meet Our
Board
of
Directors
The ISS Board of Directors oversees our international programs and maintains the ethical and fiduciary responsibility of our organization to financial supporters, state government and Iowa's citizenry.
The Board is led by the Executive Committee, which is comprised of the President, President-Elect, Treasurer and Secretary. This committee meets prior to all Board meetings (and other times as necessary) and acts with the authority of the Board between meetings.
Teresa Parmenter
President
Teresa joined the ISS Board in 2014 but has been a citizen diplomat for over three decades. Teresa has played an integral part in the Yamanashi/Iowa Baseball Exchange and has been active in Iowa as the Athletic Director of Holy Trinity School and Governor of the Iowa Amateur Athletic Union for 16 years.
Roger Nowadzky
Vice President / President Elect
Roger has been involved with ISS for over 21 years. Currently, he also sits on the ISS Board of Directors and has since 2014. Roger is an adjunct member of the Grand View University faculty. In the past, he has served as Legal Counsel for the Iowa Legislature, Deputy Executive Director and Counsel for the Iowa League of Cities, and City Attorney of Marshalltown.
Todd Jacobus
Treasurer
Todd has volunteered with ISS for the past few years and recently has stepped up to become the chair of the Kosovo Committee. You can really tell the passion that Todd has for the Iowa- Kosovo relationship that began during his time with the Iowa National Guard. He is always willing to help wherever possible to make the Iowa-Kosovo relationship a success.
Monty Freeman
Secretary
Monty Freeman has been involved with Iowa Sister States since 2001. He previously served as the ISS Board of Directors President, and most recently as Interim Director for Iowa Sister States. For many years, Monty taught Biology at Urbandale High School. He is active in his community as a local 4-H club leader, and as a volunteer at the Annett Nature Center, where he conducts summer camps for youth.
Current Board of Directors
Paolo Bartesaghi
Paolo joined ISS in 1998. His term on our Board of Directors began in 2004 and since then he has been President and Treasurer. He currently serves as Chair of the Iowa-Veneto partnership. Paolo was born in Lecco, Italy, and worked extensively in the fashion industry for many years. He moved to Des Moines in 1997 and was the owner of the retail stores A Touch of Italy and Accenti. He is now a travel consultant for his company Traveling Treasures. Paolo has served on numerous boards and committees including Drake Fine Arts, the Des Moines Metro Opera, and the Italian-American Cultural Center of Iowa.
Luca Berrone
Luca has been involved with ISS since the very beginning! He assisted in its formation in 1983 and has serve in various capacities since then, and has been on the Board of Directors since 2006. Luca was born and raised in Torino, Italy and built his ties to Iowa as a foreign exchange student at Hoover High School and then as an international student at Iowa State University. Luca is the President of SACMI, USA Ltd., a subsidiary of an Italian manufacturing company.
Dr. Rachelle Karstens
Prakash Kopparapu
Dr. Karstens is a compassionate and proven leader with a background in higher education, law and fundraising. She is the 11th President of Briar Cliff University, also serving as Interim President, Chief of Staff and Executive Vice President. She received her Ph.D in Education from Drake University. Her dissertation research explored the experiences of college and university presidents as fundraisers while leading private, nonprofit institutions of higher education..
Prakash practices Citizen Diplomacy by advocating for common causes between Iowa and nations such as India and China. He has worked with leaders and organizations such as the Iowa Asian Alliance. Prakash played a key role in various Presidential campaigns during 2019 in the areas of US Foreign Policy, US Immigration Policy, US Healthcare (Autism & Mental Health) Policy and US Education investment. He was the Marketplace Outreach Chair for Diverse Abilities Team Member Network
Grant Kimberley
Grant joined the ISS Board in 2014. He is the Director of Market Development for the Iowa Soybean Association, and has participated in overseas trade missions all around the world. Grant is a sixth-generation family farmer, and in February 2012, he and his family hosted then-Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping for a highly-publicized farm visit. Grant also met with Xi in Beijing the following month as a part of the Iowa Lt. Governor's trade delegation.
Thomas Rial
Tom Rial has made community service a priority in his personal life. He has served as President of Iowa Sister States, Chairman of the Iowa Lottery Board Authority, and President of the Wallace House Foundation. In 2002 he was selected to participate in the European Union Visitor’s Program and awarded a 2003 Freeman Fellowship for Young American Leaders by the Asia Foundation. He is a proud alumnus of the University of Northern Iowa, and earned two Master’s Degrees in International Affairs from Marquette University and Political Science with a focus on international political economy from The George Washington University.
Kenn Yu
Kenn Yu is a Lead Management Specialist – Operational Risk Management with Transamerica Corporation based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Prior to joining Transamerica, Yu spent seven years with Principal. He played a key role while working for Principal, supporting the 30th anniversary of sister state relationship between Iowa and Hebei. He has volunteered multiple times for the ISS as interpreter for official delegation visits from China. He is originally from Suzhou, China and proudly calls Iowa his second home.
Dr. Will Zhang
Will has been volunteering for ISS since 1998. He has also served as Chair of the Iowa-Hebei partnership since 2000. Will is our immediate past president, and has helped coordinate many exchange projects in Hebei and in its neighboring cities Tianjin and Beijing. Will teaches English and global study courses at Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC).
Past ISS Boards of Directors
2020
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Rob Denson
Monty Freeman
Grant Kimberley
Roger Nowadzky
Teresa Parmenter
Tom Rial
Phyllis Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2019
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Rob Denson
Monty Freeman
Grant Kimberley
Kyle Munson
Roger Nowadzky
Teresa Parmenter
Tom Rial
Phyllis Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2018
Paolo Bartesaghi Luca Berrone
Rob Denson
Monty Freeman Grant Kimberley Albert Liu
Barb Lykins
Kyle Munson
Roger Nowadzky Teresa Parmenter Jane Pate
Tom Rial
Terri Smith
Phyllis Van Gilst
Dr. Will Zhang
2017
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Monty Freeman
EJ Giovannetti
Grant Kimberley
Albert Liu
Kyle Munson
Roger Nowadzky
Teresa Parmenter
Jane Pate
Tom Rial
Terri Smith
Phyllis. Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2016
Paolo Bartesaghi
Adrienne Baughman Luca Berrone
Monty Freeman
EJ Giovannetti
Grant Kimberley
Albert Liu
Kyle Munson
Roger Nowadzky
Teresa Parmenter
Tom Rial
Loretta Sieman
Terri Smith
Phyllis Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2015
Paolo Bartesaghi
Adrienne Baughman
Luca Berrone
Monty Freeman
EJ Giovannetti
Grant Kimberley
Albert Liu
Kyle Munson
Roger Nowadzky
Teresa Parmenter
Tom Rial
Loretta Sieman
Terri Smith
Phyllis Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2014
Paolo Bartesaghi
Adrienne Baughman
Luca Berrone
Monty Freeman
EJ Giovannetti
Grant Kimberley
Albert Liu
Kyle Munson
Roger Nowadzky
Teresa Parmenter
Tom Rial
Loretta Sieman
Terri Smith
Phyllis Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2013
Bill Angrick
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Monty Freeman
Albert Liu
Kyle Munson
Tom Rial
Terri Smith
Will Zhang
2012
Bill Angrick
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Bill Brock
Sorrel Brown
Penny Dickey
Monty Freeman
Ann Geiger
Beverly Iverson
Christopher James
Steve Judge
John Liepa
Tom Rial
Terri Smith
Will Zhang
2011
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Bill Brock
Sorrel Brown
Penny Dickey
Monty Freeman
Ann Geiger
Beverly Iverson
Christopher James
Steve Judge
John Liepa
Tom Rial
Terri Smith
Phyllis Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2010
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Terri Bonar
Bill Brock
Sorrel Brown
Penny Dickey
Monty Freeman
Ann Geiger
Beverly Iverson
Christopher James
Steve Judge
John Liepa
Tom Rial
Phyllis Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2009
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Terri Bonar
Bill Brock
Sorrel Brown
Penny Dickey
Monty Freeman
Ann Geiger
Beverly Iverson
Christopher James
Steve Judge
John Liepa
Thomas Rial
Phyllis Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2008
Luca Berrone
Terri Bonar
Sorrel Brown
Ken Chouquette
Penny Dickey
Ann Geiger
John Liepa
Charles Safris
Sharon Simmons
Beverly Trost
Frank Trumpy
Phyllis Van Gilst
2007
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Terri Bonar
Sorrel Brown
Ken Chouquette
Penny Dickey
Bernard Duis
Monty Freeman
Ann Geiger
Janet Heinecke
John Liepa
Thomas Rial
Chuck Safris
Sharon Simmons
Beverly Trost
Frank Trumpy
Phyllis Van Gilst
Jeffery Wilson
Will Zhang
2006
Bill Aossey
Paolo Bartesaghi
Luca Berrone
Terri Bonar
Jeanette Borich
Sorrel Brown
Cyndi Chen
Ken Chouquette
Pat Civitate
Diana Davies
Lori Day
Penny Dickey
Steven Dickinson
Bernard Duis
Monty Freeman
Ann Geiger
Janet Heinecke
John Liepa
Thomas Rial
Chuck Safris
Janet Schadle
Sharon Simmons
Karen Sol
Beverly Trost
Frank Trumpy
Phyllis Van Gilst
Will Zhang
2005
Bill Aossey
Paolo Bartesaghi
Terri Bonar
Jeanette Borich
Sorrel Brown
Cyndi Chen
Ken Chouquette
Pat Civitate
Diana Davies
Lori Day
Penny Dickey
Steven Dickinson
Bernard Duis
Monty Freeman
Marty Gross
Janet Heinicke
Allan Hoffman
John Liepa
Roger Nowadzky
Chuck Safris
Janet Schadle
Sharon Simmons
David Skidmore
Karen Sol
Beverly Trost
Frank Trumpy
Phyllis Van Gilst
Eleanor Verwers
Bob White
Will Zhang
2003
Bill Aossey
Paolo Bartesaghi
Terri Bonar
Sorrel Brown
Davies Diana
Diana Davies
Lori Day
Penny Dickey
Mary Dotson
Monty Freeman
Jeanine Gazzo
Sandy Haines
Janet Heinicke
Allan Hoffman
John Liepa
Doris Montgomery
Roger Nowadzky
Chuck Safris
Janet Schadle
Sharon Simmons
David Skidmore
Beverly Trost
Robert Utter
2000
Dan Brown
Sorrel Brown
Peggy Gaines
Jeanine Gazzo
John Halder
Janet Heinicke
Elizabeth Hoak
Irv Jensen
Jean Lloyd-Jones
Ron Noah
Ron Prescott
Marvin Shawver
Martha Shepard
Kumsan Song
Franklin Trumpy
Robert Utter
Eleanor Verwers
David Vikturek
Wade Wagner
Bob White
Jeffrey WIlson
Will Zhang
1999
Gary Aitchison
Gordon Canfield
Charles Ertzinger
Beverly Everett
Carol Kenealy
Diane Kutzko
Deborah LaKamp
Richard Landis
Helen Lee
Doug Lewis
Lowell Lines
Mary Linney
Ken Miller
Sue Mullins
Sachiko Murphy
Patricia Rourke
Kumsan Song
Yoshiko Swift
Kathryn Thompson
Jeanne Trachta
Franklin Trumpy
Dhirendra Vajpeyi
Dick Vohns
Jeff Walters
GlennYtzen
EleanorZeff
1997
Nocolas Abou-Asaly
Gary Aitchison
Christine Anders
Linda Becker
Sorrel Brown
Gordon Canfield
Anne Christensen
Dorcas Dorow
Mike Doyle
Sandy Haines
Janet Heinicke
Cinda Holst
Harold Hommes
Kenneth Miller
Ron Noah
Steve Poole
Sarah Richardson
Jim Riordan
Mary Sula Linney
Eric Woolson
Glenn Ytzen
1996
Gary Aitchison
Gordon Canfield
Charles Ertzinger
Beverly Everett
Carol Kenealy
Diane Kutzko
Deborah LaKamp
Richard Landis
Helen Lee
Doug Lewis
Lowell Lines
Mary Linney
Ken Miller
Sue Mullins
Sachiko Murphy
Patricia Rourke
Kumsan Song
Yoshiko Swift
Kathryn Thompson
Jeanne Trachta
Franklin Trumpy
Dhirendra Vajpeyi
Dick Vohns
Jeff Walters
Glenn Ytzen
Eleanor Zeff
1995
Jeff Johnson
Diane Kutzko
Robert Leestamper
Sue Mullins
Julie Murphy
Jean Negley
Brian Tingleff
Richard Vohs
Jo Wetherell
Eleanor Zeff
1994
Gary Aitchison
Eric Busch
Michael Doyle
Beverly Everett
Steve Ferguson
Janet Heinicke
William Jackson
Doris Montgomery
Sue Mullins
Mary Beth Schroeder-
Fracek
Kit Spangler
Mary Sula Linney
Brian Tingleff
Richard Vohs
Jeffrey Walters
John Wetherell
1993
Gary Aitchison
David Archie
Carol Brown
Eric Busch
Dale Cochran
Michael Doyle
Betty Emrich
Beverly Everett
Barbara Gitenstein
Mary Louse Hattery
Ron Hintz
William Jackson
Robert Leestamper
Karen Molgaard
Julie Murphy
Jean Negley
Gary Owens
Mary Beth Schroeder-
Fracek
Mary Sula Linney
Bob Utter
Richard Vohs
Keith Whigham
Amy Worthen
Glenn Ytzen
1991
George Hegarty
John Lewis
Gary Lipshutz
Mary Jean Montgomery
Sue Mullins
David Oman
Farnsley Peters
Brian Tingleff
Bob Utter
Kathleen Wood
1990
William Brown
George Hegarty
Bill Jackson
Douglas Lewis
Gary Lipshutz
Jean Lloyd-Jones
Tom Miller
Farnsley Peters
Jack Rife
Rudolph Schulz
Tom Swatz
Dick Vohs
Keith Wigham
1988
Pat Boddy
William Brown
George Christensen
Peters Farnsley
George Hegarty
Douglas Lewis
Jean Lloyd-Jones
Rudolph Schult
Richard Vohs
1987
Ken Choquette
Baxter Freese
Pat Hayes
Sarah Lande
John Lewis
Doug Lewis
Dave Oman
John Pervich
Bill Roach
Dave Swanson
Kathy Watts
Jim Wise
1986
Bill Brown
Norman Erbe
Jean Gazzo
Charles Johnson
SarahLande
John Lewis
Doug Lewis
Sue Mitschke
Dave Oman
Robert D. Ray
Dave Swanson
Jim Wise