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IRIS could not function without the help of numerous volunteers who generously provide places in their homes for our visitors, internships for program participants, and countless other means of support to make our international guests feel welcome. We wish that we could formally recognize all of you individually here, but there are just too many of
you. Please accept the heartfelt feelings of gratitude from the staff of IRIS and from all of the international visitors you have helped in so many ways. |
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Bob Anderson is president and founder of IRIS, Inc. and a former Lieutenant Governor and state legislator of Iowa. He was a founding board member and first executive director of the Iowa Peace Institute. He has managed several State Department and United States Information Agency programs in
countries which include Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Bulgaria,
Nigeria, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, China and Korea, and for the last 15 years he has directed non-profit organizations devoted to international understanding. Bob is also President of Global Ventures, a private enterprise involved in international education. He holds BA and MA degrees in journalism from the University of
Iowa.
Email: bob@iris-center.org |
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Del Christensen
is the Executive Director of IRIS Inc. Christensen has been
involved with IRIS programs since 2002. He has led groups to
Armenia, Georgia, Tanzania and Nigeria. A graduate of Iowa
State University in Aquatic Ecology, he has also worked as
an environmental consultant with local, state, and
international environmental groups. Prior to working with
IRIS, he had been involved in the development, review,
and/or pilot testing of more than 10 different educational
curricula and programs. In addition to his work with IRIS,
Christensen has also helped to develop several Rotary
International World Service projects in West Africa and
serves on the Iowa-Yamanashi Sister State Committee.
Email: del@iris-center.org |
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Judy Anderson coordinates international training programs for IRIS and Global Ventures. She was Administrative Director of the Iowa Peace Institute for eight years. A former high school teacher and counselor, Judy holds a BA in English from Iowa Wesleyan College and an MA in guidance and counseling from Western Illinois University.
Email: judy@iris-center.org |
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Martha Pope is
the Operations Manager of IRIS, Inc. A graduate of Iowa
State University, she holds bachelors degrees in Political
Science and International Studies. Martha served as a Peace
Corps Volunteer in Kazakhstan for two years working in
non-profit development.
Email:
martha@iris-center.org |
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Kimberly
Hope is a Program Coordinator with IRIS. Kim is
coordinating the Women in Nigeria Leadership program, the
South African Youth Leadership program, and the Georgia
Tolerance Program. She graduated from Iowa State University
in May 2008 with a BA in Political Science. Prior to IRIS,
Kim worked for a Medical house boat on the Amazon River in
Peru, and led a group to Rwanda to build a house for orphans
of the Genocide. Email: kim@iris-center.org |
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Michael
McMahon is the Youth Exchange and Study
Coordinator. He has a Bachelors degree in History with a
minor in Political Science, and is a licensed teacher in the
state of Iowa. Michael has worked for non-profits for the
last three years and is very excited to work with IRIS in
promoting cross-cultural understanding. Eventually Michael
would like to pursue a graduate degree in either higher
education or public administration. During his free time
Michael enjoys political and social discussions, reading,
biking, cooking, and traveling.
Email:
michael@iris-center.org |
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Amy Fokuo is an administrative assistant at IRIS and is a graduate of Upper Iowa University with a degree in Marketing. She is also state coordinator of Digital-Aid, Inc., a non-profit organization that collects and ships used computer equipment to Africa.
Email:
amy@iris-center.org |
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Darlene Goodrich is a part-time accountant with IRIS. She attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines. She also works part-time with Imagine Grinnell and the Grinnell Chamber of Commerce. She is a volunteer accountant at the Iowa Transportation Museum. Darlene was the Business Manager for the Iowa Peace Institute.
Email: darlene@iris-center.org |
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Chantal
Roberts is an IRIS intern. She is a freshman at
Iowa State University with a strong interest in the social
sciences and anthropology focusing on sustainable
development. When she is not in class or studying, she
enjoys reading, biking, and meeting people from all walks of
life. She has been involved with IRIS since the summer of
2007.
Email: chantal@iris-center.org |
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Christelle
Lauen is the Assistant YES Program Coordinator
and is originally from Cameroon, Africa. She graduated from
Iowa State University with a degree in Political Science in
the spring of 2008. Christelle's main goal in life is to
promote peace in Africa by means of cultural understanding
and tolerance and reduce poverty in Africa by promoting
education and political stability. In her free time she
enjoys scrapbooking, gardening, and political conversations.
She speaks French and Spanish. Email: cel@iris-center.org |
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Katherine Thompson is a summer intern and
rising sophomore at Harvard College, where she is majoring
in political science and African studies. Her primary
interests include international development and education,
women's issues, and youth leadership development. When not
writing papers or attending meetings, she enjoys reading
novels and writing letters.
Email:
katherine@iris-center.org |
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Rita
Tisinger graduated in May 2006 from Iowa State
University with a B.A. in German and a B.A. in Russian
Studies. She is interested in sundry topics and enjoys
interacting with people from all over the world-including
those of the great state of Iowa! She has been involved with
IRIS since 2005 and also works with the Underground
Contractors Association of Illinois.
Email: rita@iris-center.org |
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