NewBoCo Samantha Dahlby is a recovering software engineer with passions for public transportation, kids, and technology. She currently works as the director of K–12 education at the New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative, a nonprofit in Cedar Rapids. Samantha promotes and supports K–12 computer science education in Iowa, oversees NewBoCo’s K–12 programs for students and educators, and […]
Category: Honorees 2023
Dr. Jennifer Doll
Iowa Humane Alliance Veterinary Services Dr. Jennifer Doll has been a veterinarian for 32 years and has dedicated the last 24 to doing all she can to eliminate pet overpopulation in Eastern Iowa, working first with her mobile clinic Animals All About and then as Medical Director and Veterinarian at the Iowa Humane Alliance Veterinary […]
Connie Parrish-Heidemann
Wilson Ave Hy Vee Connie Parrish Heidemann is a lifelong resident of the Cedar Rapids area. As a student at Jefferson High School in 1973 she started working as a checker at the Hy-Vee Drugstore on Wilson Avenue. Over the past 50 years, her career at Hy-Vee led to several management positions and eventually the […]
Erin Langdon
Foundation 2 Crisis Services Erin Langdon is a native of Cedar Rapids who has devoted her career to helping others. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for over 15 years. Langdon has worked with various nonprofits, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma, the Community Health Free Clinic and the Eastern Iowa Health Center. In […]
Alana Willenborg
Top Shape Gym Alana Willenborg was born and raised in Dyersville, Iowa. She and her husband, Marty, have been married for over 51 years and have two children, Jason and Angela, and six grandchildren. Alana has been teaching fitness classes for over 40 years, starting in Dubuque when she was 30 years old. After her […]
Marlen Mendoza
LULAC and Mendoza Consulting Marlén Mendoza is the founder and CEO of Mendoza Consulting, a Community Development organization on a mission to grow and nurture healthy communities across the nation through family-centered policies that strengthen human connection and economic development strategies to create harmony. She has worked with philanthropy, national nonprofits, state and local governments, […]
Lucie M. Mordecai
Abbas International Healing Center Lucie M. Mordecai is a 2023 Early Childhood Innovation winner through the Iowa City Area Business Partnership, a 2022 Women of Achievement Award winner through Waypoint, a 2022 Outstanding Individual Philanthropist Award winner through AFP Eastern Iowa Chapter, a 2021 Volunteer of the year winner through Community Crisis Center in Johnson […]
Dr. Liz Tovar
University of Iowa Dr. Liz Tovar is the Executive Officer and Associate Vice President of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Division and Senior Associate Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Academic Services at the University of Iowa. The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Division comprises the Office of Institutional Equity, the Center for Inclusive Academic Excellence, and the […]
Linda Henecke
Big Brothers Big Sisters Linda Henecke has led Big Brothers Big Sisters since 1995. During that time, she has transformed the agency, building capacity for unprecedented growth in the number of children served and the funding to support those relationships. The program has grown from serving less than 200 children. This has made a lasting […]
Connie Arens
Mercy Medical Center Constance M. Arens is a registered nurse at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids, where she has worked for 26 years, a proud U.S. Army veteran and a dedicated volunteer with the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight and the Cedar Rapids Veteran’s Memorial Commission. Connie served in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps for […]