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our people

Board of Directors

Vicki Comegys, Chair
Catch Des Moines

Robert E. Larson, Chair-Elect
John Deere

Susan Patterson Plank, Immediate Past Chair
Iowa Newspaper Association

Lynn Swanson, Secretary

Kimberly Brownell
Nationwide

Bill Burma,
Executive Committee
Grand View University

Lauren Burt
Kemin Industries

Teri Button
Principal

Mary Chapman
Community Activist/Art Lover

Angela Connolly
Polk County Board of Supervisors

Barbara Decker
Catholic Charities Diocese of Des Moines

Jeff Fleming, Ex Officio, Executive Committee
Des Moines Art Center

Rachel Flint
Hubbell Homes

Joe Gatto, Executive Committee
Des Moines City Council

Chaden Halfhill
Silent Rivers Design+Build

Angela Jackson
The Great Frame-Up

Stephen King, CFEE
Executive Director

Kathryn Kunert
MidAmerican Energy Company

Brian Laurenzo
Brick Gentry P.C.

Kent Maahs
Science Center of Iowa,
Event Management Team Representative

Gene Meyer, Ex Officio
Downtown Community Alliance

Scott Sundstrom
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

Natalie Tomaras, Treasurer
D.M. Kelly & Company

staff

KRISTIAN DAY, Interrobang Film Festival Producer

Kristian leads our efforts with the Interrobang Film Festival.

DAPHNE DICKENS, Production & Program Manager

All things logistics and production, programming, entertainment

MATT FISHER, Volunteer Coordinator

All things volunteer related

STEPHEN KING, CFEE, Executive Director

Artist contact, sponsorships, vision

COLLEEN MURPHY, Sponsorship Manager

Looking to support the festival? Colleen is your contact.

LUCAS REIMAN, Marketing Project Coordinator

Marketing, advertising, social media

COURTNEY KIRSCH, Graphic Design Intern

MADELYNN BIRKETT, Program Intern

Past Board Chairs

Pamela Bass-Bookey

Kirk Blunck

E.J. Giovannetti

Robert Josten

Tracy Lewis

Kent Mauck

Pat McFarland

Susan Patterson Plank

Jim Quilty

Natalie Tomaras

Tom Whitney

2020 Event Management Team

Artist Relations Team
Brian Dreesman
Jennifer Johnson
Jaclynne Maranell
Sean Masters
Josh McKenna
Mia Palumbo

Banner Queen
Madeleine King

Beverage Team
Amy Croll
David Dykstra
Betsy Mitchell
Allison Petersen
Molly Vriezelaar
Kurt Weakland
Melissa Winters

Concierge/Stage Team
Sara Fischer
Carrie Goossen
Laurie Miller
Stacey Nay
Vanessa Palmersheim
Kevin Shannon

Food Vendor Relations Team
Sidney Pezley
Melissa Soukup
Kate Steffen

Interrobang Film Festival
Brandon Hart

IT/Technical Support
Ryan Rohlf

Merchandise Sales Team
Renae Irvin
Jeremy Weiss

Office Manager Team
Natalie Gaydar
Micah Jankowski

Production Team
Tony Behnke
Seth Conn
Kristina Huntsman
Michal King
Kristine Pederson
Julia Ratekin

Sponsor Relations Team
Tiffany Espelund
Christina Jarck
Kent Maahs
Allison Sims

Student Art Exhibition Team
Kara Fedje
Aaron Koopal
Alicia Lynch
Judi Mireles

Sustainability Team
Cassie Nemmers

Volunteer Relations
Connie Boukaik
Sally Corcoran
Sally Diehl
Courtney Ward
Zechariah Ward
Nicole Winebrenner