Advisory Council
The Advisory Board of IAAE is made up of volunteers from arts education organizations from across the state. Biographical information will be added as it is received by the webmaster. Though we attempt to keep this list up to date, the member organizations and advisors will change. (Names in parenthesis are the names of those who will follow as the representative for each organization.) Please send any additions or corrections to the webmaster.
Art Educators of Iowa: Ronda Sternhagen, (Shanise Brockhus, President Elect)
Ronda teaches Visual Art, 6-12, in Grundy Center. Ronda was the Secondary representative to the board of Art Educators of Iowa for several years before taking the position of President. Ronda has presented at AEI state conferences. She has worked mentoring students and new teachers. She is a member of the Grundy Center BASICS Team. In 2006, Ronda was the AEI Secondary Art Educator of the Year.
Ronda has created several instructional videos for visual art students. Ronda is also active in her community as well as being a practicing artist. Her area of expertise is photography and graphic design. Ronda and her husband Ralph have two sons, Andrew and Matthew. Contact Ronda at
Iowa Bandmasters Association: Donna Angell, (Robb Medd)
Iowa Choral Directors Association: Roger Henderson, (Norm Grimm)
Iowa Communications Association: Diana Lelrod-Sarnecki (Judy Vogel)
Iowa Music Educators Association: David Law (Martha Kroese, President-elect)
David Law is a retired band director and music teacher, Marion, Iowa. He is presently serving as President of the Iowa Music Educator’s Association. David holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from William Penn College and a Master’s Degree in Music Education with emphasis in Conducting from Truman State University .
David's Educational Philosophy:
"Know your stuff, know who you're stuffin', Stuff 'Em!"
Iowa String Teachers Association: Jerry Henry jhenry@quartrio.com
Iowa Thespians Association: Gretta Berghammer
Gretta Berghammer teaches coursework in drama education and theatre for youth at the University of Northern Iowa, in Cedar Falls. In addition, she serves as the Artistic Director for the Sturgis Youth Theatre, a community based theatre providing class and production related experiences for students ages 4-16.
The primary focus of Ms. Berghammer’s creative work has been in the development of performance pieces, Theatre in Education programs, and staged productions that focus on critical social issues. Recent work has focused on bullying and cyber-bullying and Holocaust Education, and has included The Rose of Treason, Wrestling Season, and To Kill a Mockingbird. In fall of 2010 she will incorporate MVP training into her Theatre in Education program. In spring of 2011 Gretta will begin a drama project working with students with autism from throughout the Cedar Valley.
Ms. Berghammer is a regular visiting artist for both Teatr Wybrzezak and the University of Gdansk, Poland. She most recently conducted a two week residency at the Culture and Youth Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia, which focused on bullying and issues related to power. Contact Gretta at gretta.berghammer@uni.edu.
BASICS Project: Diane Franken
Diane holds a Master of Arts degree from C.W. Post, Long Island University, New York and administrator’s certification from Jersey City State College, New Jersey. She taught visual art on all levels in both private and public schools and is the former district visual arts coordinator for Rockaway Township, New Jersey.
She was president of the teachers’ association and the Art Educators of New Jersey, served on the State Visual Arts Standards Assessment Committee. She became a facilitator for Discipline Based Art Education from the Getty Foundation, a core instructor for six AENJ’s summer teacher curriculum institutes and a selected participant to the Getty “Arts in the Workplace” and “Leadership” seminars in Los Angeles.
She received five New Jersey Governor’s Award’s for Arts Education during her career as well as the New Jersey School Boards’ Award for Excellence for creating a CD on arts education. Diane is a National Board Certified teacher and also a trainer for their assessors. In a partnership with State Farm Insurance, Ms. Franken mentored teachers seeking NBPTS certification in a variety of disciplines.
After moving back to Davenport, Iowa, Diane became the Arts Resource Coordinator at Lincoln Academy, a charter, arts-integrated school and a member of the Education Committee at the Figge Art Museum before coming to the Alliance as Executive Director. Diane is currently a member of the Awards Committee for the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts’ State Arts Education Alliance Network.
Diane and her husband Joel, an elementary art teacher in Davenport, are the Project Leaders for the IAAE BASICS Project to promote Model Arts Education Programs in the state of Iowa.
Iowa Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance -- Ken
Daley
Iowa Department of Education: Rosanne Malek
Iowa Arts Council: Dawn Oropeza
Dawn Oropeza is the Arts Education and Community Programs Coordinator for the Iowa Arts Council. BFA The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, MFA University of California San Diego
Area Education Agencies: Elaine Fargo
Iowa Association of Music Dealers: Dave Krogan
Iowa High School Music Association: Alan Greiner (Todd Lettow)
Iowa High School Speech Association: Liz Hansen (Craig Ihnen--Ex. D.)
Iowa Association of School Boards: Tom Wieseler
School Administrators of Iowa: Dr. Dan Smith (Ex. D.)
VSA Iowa: Pat Grubb (Stephanie Jessen), retired Visual Arts Teacher, Ankeny.
Pat Grubb has been a presenter for VSA Iowa since 2002.
She is a graduate of Iowa State University in Art Education with a
Master's Degree in Art Education, also from ISU.
K-12 Art Instructor, Sidney, IA 1980-1982
Elementary Art, Ankeny Community School District 1986-2009
Instructor and Professional Development Coordinator, VSA
Iowa, Core Curriculum & 21st Century Skills Professional Development Presenter, and IAAE.
On the Art Educators of Iowa Board, Pat has been Past-President, Retired Representative, YAM Committee (Youth Art Month) Chair, Mentorship Program participant, Fall Conference Coordinator (1994, 1995, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2011) and Cultural Advocacy Day Committee. She was awarded AEI Outstanding Elementary Art Teacher, 1995; Iowa Art Educator of the Year, 2007; and Recipient of the 1st Annual Belin-Blank $1000 Award, 2007.
Pat is currently teaching private art lessons and producing her own art: drawing, colored pencil, pastel, oil pastel, acrylic, watercolor, cut paper collage, origami, hand-built clay, fibers. "My visual art strategies often emphasize a historical & multi-cultural focus, one that employs creative and critical thinking skills development." Contact Pat at patgrubb1190@msn.com.
Belin-Blank Center: Clar Baldus, Administrator
Arts Coordinators: Mirium Alshouse, Art Curriculum Coordinator, DM Public Schools
Mirium has been the art curriculum coordinator for the Des Moines Public Schools for the last five years. Before her current work, she has balanced family, art work, art education, teaching and learning for twenty years. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1978 then returned to her education to receive a Master of Science in education (1998), Specialist Degree in Educational Leadership (2004) and ED. D from Drake University (2008).
Her research in the identification of giftedness in art across cultures has led her to an ongoing interest in school improvement in regard to curriculum, assessment, and instruction to equitably inspire and accelerate joyful learning for all children. She can be reached at 515-242-7645 mirium.alshouse@dmps.k12.ia.us or dmpsmart.org
Music Coordinators: Joanne Tubbs, Performing Arts Coordinator, DM Public Schools.
Joanne Tubbs has been an active music educator, performer, and adjudicator for 17 years and is currently the Performing Arts Coordinator for the Des Moines Public Schools. She graduated from Iowa State University in 1994 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree, followed by a Master's Degree in Music Education from Drake University in 2000. She earned an additional Master's Degree in PK-12 School Administration from Drake University in 2003.
Although Joanne has taught both vocal music and orchestra, her main area of expertise continues to be band with an emphasis on percussion methods. She is the current Government Liaison and past State Manager for the Iowa Music Educators Association and the Past-President of the South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association.
She is currently working to improve the lives of children in poverty through music in Des Moines. In 2009, she was one of 50 music teachers nation-wide to receive the Yale Distinguished Music Educator Award. Joanne is also a percussion advisor for the Iowa Ambassadors of Music, a group that travels to Europe ever other summer. Joanne resides in Des Moines with her husband Peter, daughter Julia (8) and sons Carl (5) and Miles (3). Contact Joanne at joanne.tubbs@dmps.k12.ia.us.
Gallagher-Bluedorn Theater Performing Arts Center: Amy Hunzelman, Director of Education and Special Programs