Class Notes

1980s 

‘88 Catherine (Plog) Leipold, BA, MA ‘95, ASC ‘95, Buckingham, was named a finalist for the 2025 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She is a geometry and International Baccalaureate mathematics teacher for grades 9-12 at Waterloo West High School.

‘89 Lori Randall, BA, MA ‘95, Osage, was named a recipient of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She is retired from Lincoln Elementary School in Osage.

1990s 

‘91 Lisa Raine, BA, MA ‘95, ASC ‘97, Vancouver, WA, retired from the Washington Education Association after 30 years of service as the labor union director for educators.

‘91 Rodney Zehr, BA, MA ‘02, Mason City, received the 2024 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Community Colleges for Iowa. He was nominated by North Iowa Area Community College in Mason City, Iowa.

‘99 Mindy (Dugdale) Fisher, BA, MA ‘10, Waterloo, received a 2025 Gold Star Award for outstanding teaching in Black Hawk County. She is a special education teacher at Hansen Elementary School in Cedar Falls.

‘99 Jason Lau, BA, MA ‘02, San Rafael, CA, was appointed as trustee by the San Rafael City Schools Board of Education, effective 2/14/2025.

2000s 

‘00 Blake Hammond, BA, Des Moines, was named the 2025 Heartland Regional Teacher of the Year. He is a science teacher at Merrill Middle School.

‘00 Angela (Kuennen) Schneden, BA, MA ‘06, Ankeny, was named a recipient of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She teaches at Prairie Trail Elementary School in Ankeny.

‘00 Susie Stark, BA, MA ‘07, Marion, was named the 2025 Grant Wood Regional Teacher of the Year. She is a teacher at Viola Gibson Elementary School in Cedar Rapids.

‘03 Quentin Hart, MA, Waterloo, received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Iowa Legislative Black Caucus. He serves as mayor of Waterloo.

‘03 Kelli Snyder, BA, EdD ‘12, Dunkerton, received the Educator of the Year Award from the Iowa Athletic Trainer’s Society 4/11/2025. She is an associate professor and program director of athletic training at UNI.

‘04 Ellen (Staerk) Weishaar, BA, ASC ‘20, Geneseo, IL, was named principal of Williams Middle School in the Davenport Community School District for the 2025-2026 school year.

‘07 Emily Borcherding, BA, MA ‘12, Cedar Falls, received a 2025 Gold Star Award for outstanding teaching in Black Hawk County. She is a 6th-12th grade math and Virtual Academy teacher at Expo High School in Waterloo.

‘08 Rachael (Halse) Holland, BA, Cedar Rapids, was named one of the 40 Under 40 for 2024 by the Corridor Business Journal. She is vice president of growth and sales with AMPERAGE Marketing & Fundraising.

‘08 Lindsey (Leonard) Wilson, BA, Bennington, NE, was named the 2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year. She is a science and social studies teacher at Bennington Middle School.

2010s 

‘13 Rachael (Swisher) Hoffman, BA, Waterloo, was named one of the Cedar Valley’s 20 under 40 by the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier for 2024. She is a private wealth advisor with U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management.

‘14 Amanda (Harris) El Hamdouni, BA, Waterloo, received a 2025 Gold Star Award for outstanding teaching in Black Hawk County. She is a first grade teacher at Orange Elementary School.

‘15 Kevin Gartman, BA, MA ‘20, ASC ‘20, Montezuma, was named the 2025 Central Rivers Regional Teacher of the Year. He is a high school and junior high business teacher with the Montezuma Community School District.

‘16 Amanda Khader, BA, MA ‘17, EdS ‘19, Des Moines, works at Magnolia Connection, a clinic in Norwalk providing psychological testing and therapy services for children.

‘17 Shakari Baker Bruce, BA, BA ‘22, MA ‘25, Waterloo, received a 2025 Gold Star Award for outstanding teaching in Black Hawk County. She is a second grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary.