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Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Recognizes 2014 Community Leadership Program Graduates

June 17, 2014

The Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute (GDMLI) announces the graduation of 50 leaders from the private, public and nonprofit sectors who participated in the Institute’s Community Leadership Program, Central Iowa’s longest standing leadership program. The nine-month course raises awareness of the needs and challenges that affect the region and builds leadership skills to help participants become better community stewards.

Each year, GDMLI Community Leadership Program class members select a civic engagement project which benefits a local non-profit and facilitates meaningful leadership experiences. The Class of 2014 made a lasting impact on the community through their work with Courage League Sports, Iowa’s only adaptive sports gym for children who may face emotional, cognitive or physical challenges. The class raised nearly $150,000 in cash and in-kind donations and contributed their marketing, design, and construction skills to make improvements to Courage League Sports’ Urbandale facility, including an upgraded gymnasium, lobby area, and a new state-of-the-art exergaming system.

The following individuals were recognized at the recent Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Honors luncheon for their successful completion of the 2014 GDMLI Community Leadership Program:

TJ Amos, Marsh 
Marcy Baker, Sammons Financial Group Member Companies 
Kevin Barber, Shiffler Associates Architects 
Robert Barron, Senator Tom Harkin 
Christopher Bauer, Shive-Hattery, Inc. 
Jennifer Beal, Life Care Services 
Bjorn Berg, Odyssey Marketing Group 
Larina Blad, City of Des Moines 
Annie Brandt, Thrivent Financial 
Alexander Broderick, Hubbell Realty Company 
Krystle Campa, Davis Brown Law Firm 
Melanie Campbell, United Way of Central Iowa 
Crissanka Christadoss, Iowa Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association 
Ryan Crane, Primary Health Care 
Amy Croll, Community Youth Concepts 
Ty Doggett, McGladrey LLP 
Clint Dudley, Shade Tree Auto 
Samuel Early, Principal Financial Group 
Sarah Erickson, UnityPoint Health – Des Moines 
Kim Fankhauser, Greater Des Moines Partnership 
Max Farrell, Dwolla 
Glenna Frank, City of Des Moines 
Danielle Haindfield, Ahlers & Cooney, P.C. 
Christine Halbrook, Bradshaw, Fowler, Proctor & Fairgrave, P.C. 
Stacie Hatch, Kum & Go, L.C. 
Caleb Hegna, UnityPoint Health Foundation
Bryan Huggins, Brooks Borg Skiles Architecture and Engineering, LLP 
Stephanie Jutila, Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden 
Adam Kaduce, R&R Realty Group 
Peter Kenne, Iowa Network Services 
Antonio Kioko, Principal Financial Group 
Kylee Krismanic, Meredith Corporation
Michael Lewis, Shive Hattery, Inc. 
Liz Lidgett, Liz Lidgett Fine Art 
Marla Mayberry, Sprint 
Wanda Mejia, Wells Fargo Bank 
Jaimie Miller, Iowa Credit Union League Foundation 
Emily Nichols, Lessing-Flynn Advertising 
Gabriel Olson, West Bank 
Kimberly Pfannebecker, Two Rivers Marketing 
Elizabeth Presutti, Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority 
Jack Reed, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa, Inc. 
Cory Scott, RDG Planning & Design 
Stacey Slifka, ITA Group 
Kelly Sparks, Socialize Event Planning & Management 
Antione Terrell, Cornerstone Solutions Inc./Job Corps 
Emily Toribio, Iowa Finance Authority 
Greg Van Den Berghe, Des Moines Metro Opera 
Eric West, E3 Work Therapy Services/ Millennium Therapy 
Nicholas Wuertz, Lutheran Services in Iowa


About Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute

GDMLI is Central Iowa’s premier community leadership development organization. Through community-wide education and service projects, GDMLI develops, connects, inspires, and challenges community leaders to greater public awareness, commitment, and involvement to improve the overall quality of life in our community. Since 1982, more than 1,800 leaders have graduated from GDMLI programs. Learn about GDMLI by visiting gdmli.com.