KNOW YOUR WORTH: FEARLESS STORIES AT WORK, BY In 2009, San Wong’s husband Steven died of a sudden heart attack a week before Christmas. Their twin sons were only 11. Not long after, everyone began asking San the same question. Read more…
As told to Emily Blobaum Aime Wichtendahl became the first openly trans elected official in Iowa when she was elected to the Hiawatha City Council in 2015. This interview, which has been formatted to be entirely in her own words, Read more…
Sen. Joni Ernst is the first woman to represent Iowa in federal elective office. She was also the first female combat veteran elected to serve in the U.S. Senate. This interview was conducted by email and the responses have been Read more…
As told to Emily Blobaum Jacquie Easley McGhee became the first Black woman to serve on a school board in Central Iowa when she was elected to the Des Moines public school board in 1990. Four years later, she was Read more…
U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne became one of the first women to represent Iowa in the U.S. House of Representatives when she, alongside former Rep. Abby Finkenauer, was elected in 2018. This interview was conducted by email and the responses have Read more…
As told to Emily Blobaum In 2020, Perla Alarcon-Flory became the first Latina to be elected president of the Sioux City School Board. She was first appointed to the school board in 2013 and was elected the following year, becoming Read more…
By Lori Chesser, Davis Brown Law Firm Immigration Department Chair What can we, who are not elected officials, do to promote unity in governance as called for by President Joe Biden? Governing is — or should be — different than Read more…
As told to Emily Blobaum Bonnie Campbell was the first and remains the only woman to have served as the Iowa attorney general when she was elected in 1990. She was also the first woman to chair the Iowa Democratic Read more…
As told to Emily Blobaum Roxanne Conlin became the first female nominee for governor on a major party ticket in Iowa when she ran against Terry Branstad in 1982. Ten years later, she became the first female president of the Read more…
Aneesa Afroze is the infectious disease consulting physician, president of medical staff and director for antimicrobial stewardship at MercyOne and is responsible for day-to-day medical staff issues and patient treatment planning. Co-workers describe her as the Dr. Anthony Fauci of Read more…