Jamie Christophersen, MD
Pediatrician

Jamie Christophersen, M.D. fondly remembers reading and rereading Little House in the Big Woods during her childhood in Peoria, Illinois. She studied philosophy at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and attended Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Jamie was first introduced to the Reach Out and Read Program by one of her mentors at DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she completed her pediatric residency and served as chief resident. Jamie and her family settled in the Iowa Quad Cities in 2001 where she and her husband are raising two young readers of their own. Her daughter loves Laura Ingalls Wilder books and her son especially enjoys the Harry Potter series. Jamie teaches pediatric and family medicine residents the Reach Out and Read model of early literacy as a Site Trainer for Reach Out and Read. At her neighborhood school, she reads one on one with students in the Literacy Links program and organizes the annual Visiting Author day. She is a member of two monthly book clubs and now one of her favorites to read and reread is My Antonia by Willa Cather.


Stephanie Drey, Esq.
Brick Gentry Law Firm

Stephanie Drey received her undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and her law degree from the University of Iowa. She has been an attorney in private practice since 1992 with Brick Gentry P.C, practicing primarily in the area of probate and estate planning. Outside of the law, Stephanie is also currently involved in the community as a member of the Dowling Catholic High School Foundation Board and an honorary board member of Mentor Iowa. In the past she has served as President of the St. Francis of Assisi Home and School Association, Community Vice-President of the Junior League of Des Moines, Co-President of Mentor Iowa, a member of the Foundation Board of Children and Families of Iowa, and as a district representative for the Young Lawyer's Division of the Iowa State Bar Association. Stephanie developed a love of books and reading at an early age and is grateful for the opportunity to help spread that passion not only to her own children, but to the children of the state of Iowa.

Kay Fenton Smith
Author

Kay Fenton Smith is originally from upstate New York and a graduate of Cornell University. She is now a long-time Iowan and a children's author. Her first book, Zakery’s Bridge: Children’s Journeys From Around the World to Iowa was published in 2011. The book was featured at the 1st Annual Reach Out and Read Iowa 2011 Revel Read Gala where Kay and co-author, Carol Spaulding spoke. Kay’s current writing projects include a children's picture book and a young adult novel. She is a cultural ambassador for CultureALL and teaches workshops on writing and culture for school-age children from kindergarten to high-school. She also enjoys working with students as a visiting artist for the Des Moines After School Arts Program (ASAP). She looks forward to sharing her love of children’s literature with Reach Out and Read Iowa.


Jeni Hanselman
United Healthcare

My professional experiences are focused on relationships and fostering a greater community. In addition to healthcare I have worked in the investment and banking industries. My interest in serving vulnerable populations really began when I developed a homeownership program for Iowa’s largest affordable housing agency. I was part of the initial coalition that launched the Iowa Mortgage Help Hotline and performed foreclosure counseling too. In my current position I enjoy the opportunity to listen and learn from communities across the state about the issues families are experiencing and serve as a resource to help educate families about UnitedHealthcare Community Plan.


Carolyn Jons
Raising Readers, Rotary District 6000

Carolyn Jons is a Sac City native and received degrees from Grinnell College and the University of Iowa. She and her husband Chuck live in Ames. They have three married children and five grandchildren. Carolyn's education and community service reflect her interests in children and education. She is certified as a trainer by Baby TALK in Decatur, IL, and as a coach by the Hudson Institute in Santa Barbara, CA. She served 15 years on the Ames School Board and 22 years with Iowa Association of School Boards. Carolyn helped establish Raising Readers in Story County, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase early language and literacy development in children between birth and 8 years of age and to nurture healthy parent-child relationships. In 2006 Raising Readers and McFarland Clinic Pediatrics established the first Reach Out and Read site in Story County. In October 2009 Story County received the Bookend Community Award from the Reach Out and Read National Center for having 100% of primary providers participating in ROR. Carolyn is a member of Ames Morning Rotary Club. She has chaired the Rotary District 6000 Literacy Committee and the Rotarians for Reach Out and Read campaign.


Deb Kazmerzak
Iowa Primary Care Association

Deb Kazmerzak currently works as a Senior Program Director for the Iowa Primary Care Association (IAPCA) where she is responsible for oversight of clinical initiatives and special projects for this member association serving Federally Qualified Health Centers and other safety net providers in Iowa and Nebraska. In her role as part of the senior management team, Deb contributes to the vision and direction of the organization. Above and beyond that she is a strong advocate for underserved populations and a firm believer that access to health care is a basic human right that should be available to all regardless of income, nationality, and personal circumstance. As a social worker Kazmerzak has over 20 years experience working in health and human services delivery systems in Iowa in a variety of capacities.


Anne Michael Langguth
Medical Student, University of Iowa

From Iowa City, Iowa, Anne Michael Langguth is a second-year medical student at the University of Iowa College of Medicine. In addition to her studies, Anne Michael currently serves as the medical student representative on the Iowa Medical Society Board of Directors, is actively engaged in the American Medical Association Medical Student Section, and volunteers regularly as a nutrition and health educator at local elementary schools. Anne Michael is a 2009 graduate of Harvard University with a degree in Government, and served as Miss Iowa 2009. As Miss Iowa, Anne Michael traveled throughout the state promoting positive decision-making with her community service platform of “Good for You!” Through presentations and performances on the violin, Anne Michael promoted her message of making “good for you” choices at every opportunity—choices to lead a healthy lifestyle, to achieve academic success, and to serve others. In addition to Anne Michael’s personal platform, she served as a state Goodwill Ambassador for the Children’s Miracle Network and as an Ambassador of Environmental and Public Health for the University Hygienic Laboratory. In this capacity, Anne Michael visited schools, attended conferences, and worked with individuals of all ages to encourage engagement in the sciences and an interest in public health.


Angie Martin - Schwarze
Director, Kendall Young Library, Webster City, Iowa

Angie Martin-Schwarze has been a lifelong lover of books and is lucky to share this passion through her library career and as a proud mom whose daughter shares her parents' love of reading. Angie has a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Creighton University and a Master's in Library and Information Science from Wayne State University. She became acquainted with Reach Out and Read when she was working as the Youth Services Coordinator at the Des Moines Public Library. Currently, Angie is the director of the Kendall Young Library in Webster City.




Jody Murph, MD, MS
Immediate Past-President, American Academy of Pediatrics, Iowa Chapter; and The Children's Hospital of Iowa

Dr. Murph trained at the Medical University of South Carolina. She completed pediatric residency, fellowship in Ambulatory and Community Pediatrics, and Masters in Preventive Medicine and Environmental Health at the University of Iowa, where she is currently an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology at the UI Children's Hospital and the UI College of Public Health. She provides care to children in inpatient and outpatient settings & teaches students & resident physicians in the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing & Public Health. Dr. Murph has been actively involved in the area of immunization research, teaching, and advocacy for many years. She is also immediate past-president of the Iowa Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and active in issues of child advocacy and the translation of health research into public health policy for children.


Ronald M. Rice, Ph.D

Dr. Rice served in public education for 39 years in the communities of Mason City, IA, Hudson, WI, Ames and Des Moines, IA, before his retirement in 2009. He was a teacher and coach, a school psychologist, a principal and a superintendent. The major focus of his educational service was the increase of student’ achievement, particularly reading and mathematics, with particular emphasis on those students who traditionally fare poorly in school for whatever reason.

He lives in Des Moines with wife, Sarai. He has two daughters: Lindsey an elementary principal in Des Moines and Cassie, who works in the Pathology Laboratory at University Hospital and Clinic in Iowa City.


Alison Ruan

Alison Ruan is currently a stay-at-home mother of three wonderful children. She is originally from Glenwood, Illinois and moved to Des Moines with her family in 2007. Alison received her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from the University of Iowa and a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction from National-Louis University. She taught Title 1 Reading for eight years in Chicago. Title 1 is a federally funded program for children needing extra support in reading.


Kay K. Runge
KKRunge Associates

Kay K. Runge is a library building and funding consultant and an experienced professional public library administrator. She served as director of the Des Moines Public Library, Davenport Public Library and the Scott County Library System. Her extensive experience in planning library facilities include the $33 million new Central library building in Des Moines, $6 million renovation and additions for 4 branch libraries in Des Moines, and $1 million renovation of a Special Collections/Genealogy Department at the main Library and the design of a Branch Library in Davenport. Kay served as President of the Public Library Association in 2000. Kay has been a guest lecturer at the University of Iowa Library School and serves on the University's Library School Advisory Board. Her community work has included: Wells Fargo Bank Board, Rotary Clubs of Des Moines and Davenport, Des Moines and Davenport Public Library Foundation Boards, Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and Leadership Iowa, Downtown Development Corporation Boards of Des Moines and Davenport. Other involvement includes: Iowa State University Foundation Board of Governors and Alumni Board and Iowa State University College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, Chair of the Iowa Public Radio Board of Directors, Chair of the Kaplan University Board of Trustees, and elected councilor to the American Library Association. Her expertise is in library buildings, management and fundraising. Her email is: kkrunge@libraryconsulting.org.


Rizwan Shah, MD
Blank Children's Hospital

In retrospect, it was fortunate that when Rizwan Shah came to the United States from Pakistan in 1968, she found no openings in her medical specialty at the time--surgery. So she took a hiatus from medicine to stay home and raise a family with her husband. After a few years, she returned to medicine and switched fields to specialize in pediatrics. Nominated by Rep. Leonard L. Boswell (D-IA-3), Shah came to Des Moines in 1974 for a residency in pediatrics at the Blank Children's Hospital. Fortunately for the children of Des Moines, she stayed on, caring for them and becoming Medical Director of Blank's Regional Child Protection Center. While practicing in Iowa in 1981, she became aware of an epidemic sweeping the country at the time that was especially devastating to children but that few would acknowledge-crack cocaine. By 1989, she was devoting herself full-time to caring for abused children victimized by their parents' or caregiver's crack abuse. She has taught widely on the linkage between child abuse and drug abuse and was one of a group of physicians to receive the Award of Merit from the Iowa Medical Society in 1999 for helping to facilitate the establishment of children's health programs in Iowa. Shah teaches child abuse training programs both in Iowa and nationally, as well as clinical teaching in medical schools and hospitals. She has served as President of the Iowa Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Co-Chair of the Iowa Medical Society's Public Health Committee.


Archie Willard
Adult Learner, New Readers of Iowa

Archie Willard of Eagle Grove, Iowa is a dyslexic and has progressed from an adult non-reader to a Literacy Coordinator at Iowa Central Community College. He was part of the literacy exchanges to Eastern Europe in 1993 and 1995. Also, he was a Literacy Leader Fellow with the National Institute for Literacy in 1996. Archie serves on many literacy boards across the country. He currently serves on the Iowa Health System system-wide collaborative on Health Literacy. In 2004, Archie chaired the New Readers Conference in conjunction with the Iowa Health system and numerous organizational partners in the goal of educating other adult learners and health professionals about improving communications in healthcare. He believes this collaboration between learners and health professionals is the first of its kind a pilot project in health literacy interaction. Health professionals agree and are recognizing the need to address health literacy at all levels of the healthcare system. Iowa Health System worked with Archie and the New Readers of Iowa for a year prior to the conference. The goal was to learn from each other in order to improve health communications.