DES MOINES, IOWA (July 12, 2023) — Six new members were recently appointed to the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council (Iowa DD Council) by Governor Kim Reynolds. The new members, who will serve three-year terms, are dedicated to making Iowa more inclusive for individuals with disabilities.
New Iowa DD Council members:
Emma Bouza | Hawarden, IA — Family Advocate
Nathan Kirstein | Des Moines, IA — Disability Rights Iowa
Josh Lawrence | Mason City, IA — Family Advocate
MeLissa Lawson | Des Moines, IA — Department of Education
Caitlin Owens | Iowa City, IA — University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD)
Diane Zaerr Brenneman | Wellman, IA — Child Health Specialty Clinics
Reappointed Iowa DD Council members:
Paula Motsinger| Des Moines, IA — Medicaid
Mike Vratsinas | West Des Moines, IA — Self-Advocate
Josh Lawrence and his wife, both from Mason City, care for her brother, who has an intellectual disability. “As advocates for him, we are often frustrated,” he says. “I wanted to join the council to help advocate for those without family advocating on their behalf.”
“I want to continue to advocate for disability rights,” says Emma Bouza of Hawarden. “I believe joining the council will help me further my abilities to make connections across the state. I also believe it is important to have representation from our corner of the state.”
Diane Zaerr Brenneman of Wellman has benefitted from prior experiences with the Iowa DD Council and hopes to continue her advocacy. “I have learned so much from the council's programs and resources,” she says. “I would like to work and learn with others to advocate for the things people with disabilities need in our state to have a good life.”
Associate Director of the Iowa University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD) Caitlin Owens of Iowa City is eager to use her professional experience in conjunction with the council. She says, “I am excited to learn more about the DD Council and share information I learn with my coworkers, and I am excited to take what I am learning and doing at the UCEDD and share it with the DD Council.”
In addition to the new appointments, two members were reappointed. Paula Motsinger, who is a designee from Iowa Medicaid, and Mike Vratsinas, a self-advocate, will remain on the council.
Iowa DD Council Executive Director Brooke Lovelace looks forward to working with the latest appointees. “We are excited to work with the new members of our council,” she says. “We are confident that their leadership and advocacy skills will create change for Iowans with disabilities.”
Council members provide input into all the council’s activities and participate on committees and at council-sponsored events. They also meet with legislators and work with other organizations to create positive results for Iowans with disabilities.
The DD Council is a federally-funded state agency that advocates for the development of services and supports so that Iowans with developmental disabilities can make choices and take control of their lives. The Council is made up of volunteers who represent Iowans with disabilities, family members, service providers, state agencies, and organizations concerned with developmental disability issues. For more information about the DD Council, please visit iowaddcouncil.org.
