Mercy Medical Center Dr. Padget Skogman is a born and raised Iowa farm girl, wife, mom to three little women and full-time pediatrician. Skogman graduated from the University of Iowa’s Carver College of Medicine in 2014. Currently, she works at Mercy Medical Center as a Stanford-trained physician wellbeing director and pediatrician. In addition to these […]
Category: Honorees 2025
Sue Sager
City of Cedar Rapids Sue Sager is a lifelong learner and catalyst for growth. She has dedicated her life to fostering personal and professional development in others. With everyone she meets, Sager strives to inspire a legacy of love. Currently serving as the organizational development manager for the City of Cedar Rapids, Sager creates a […]
Naomi Rose
Eastern Iowa Arts Academy Naomi Ruckus Rose is a songwriter, instrumentalist, vocalist and visual artist from Cedar Rapids. Rose divides her talents between Premier Guitar Magazine, where she is a graphic designer and art director, and Eastern Iowa Arts Academy as creative director and Rock Academy director. She has also been the business owner of […]
Mónica Paulina Vallejo
LUCI – Latinos Unidos for Community Inclusion Mónica Vallejo was born in Quito, Ecuador. In 1989, she immigrated to the United States with her husband and two children. As an immigrant, Vallejo felt a deep calling to serve and support her Latino community. Over the past 24 years, she has been committed to this work […]
Megan Merritt
Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C. Megan R. Merritt is an attorney and senior vice president at Shuttleworth & Ingersoll, P.L.C. whose practice focuses on litigation. Trying cases in both state and federal courts, Merritt works in the areas of personal injury, construction law, insurance law and contracts. She has represented a broad range of individuals and […]
Mandy Dodd
Collins Aerospace Mandy Dodd is a senior principal engineer with 17 years of experience working at Collins Aerospace. Dodd grew up in a small town where STEM opportunities were rare and typically reserved for the more gifted students. Taking her passion for STEM alongside her experiences growing up, she champions several STEM programs meant to […]
Dr. Leslee Sandberg
Grant Wood AEA (retired) Dr. Leslee Sandberg has been immersed in education since growing up in Peru, Illinois. She received her bachelor’s from the University of Iowa and master’s from Illinois State University. She taught special education in the suburbs of Chicago and started the first Boy Scout Troop for children with disabilities. Sandberg has […]
Joan Blackmon
Midamerica Housing Partnership (retired) Joan Blackmon is a respected community advocate and leader whose career has been defined by her deep commitment to public service, affordable housing and empowering families. Blackmon began her career in Danville, Illinois as a tenant landlord liaison officer with the local housing authority. She served as executive director of the […]
Dr. Jennifer Bradley
Kirkwood Community College With over 30 years in higher education, Dr. Jennifer Bradley is committed to both access and student success as a means of helping students achieve meaningful, productive and engaged lives in our community. As vice president of academic affairs, Bradley provides leadership to all of Kirkwood Community College’s academic programs, ensuring the […]
Jen Kaiser
Grant Wood AEA Jen Kaiser is a speech language pathologist at Grant Wood Area Education Agency and has served all of her 27 years in the Cedar Rapids area. Currently, she supports Hiawatha Elementary, Share and Care Preschool and Xavier High School. In her role as a speech language pathologist, Kaiser provides coaching, collaboration, evaluations […]