(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad today announced appointments to fill Iowa's boards and commissions, and executive branch department directors.

The following appointees' term begins on May 1, 2015, unless otherwise noted, and are subject to Senate confirmation.

Director of Department on Aging

Ms. Donna Harvey

Director of Department of Corrections

Jerry Bartruff (effective immediately)

Superintendent of Division of Credit Unions

Ms. JoAnn Johnson

Director of Department of Cultural Affairs

Ms. Mary Cownie

Director of Department of Economic Development Authority

Ms. Debi Durham

Director of Iowa Finance Authority

Mr. David Jamison

Director of Department of Human Services

Mr. Charles Palmer

Director of Department of Inspections and Appeals

Mr. Rod Roberts

Director of Iowa Law Enforcement Academy

Mr. Arlen Ciechanowski

Director of Department of Management

Mr. David Roederer

Director of Department of Revenue

Ms. Courtney Kay-Decker

Director of State-Federal Relations

Mr. Doug Hoelscher

Property Assessment Appeal Board

Mr. Stewart Iverson, Chairperson, Clarion

Ms. Karen Oberman, Clive

Racing and Gaming Commission

Ms. Dolores Mertz, Algona

Ms. Kristine Kramer, New Hampton

Board of Regents

Ms. Mary Andringa, Mitchellville

Ms. Patricia Cownie, Des Moines

Ms. Rachael Johnson (student), Sioux City

Transportation Commission

Mr. David Rose, Clinton

Utilities Board

Ms. Geri Huser, Chairperson, Altoona

Accountancy Examining Board

Ms. Cheryl Critelli, West Des Moines

Mr. Robert Snodgrass, Creston

Mr. Tommy Thompson, Jefferson

Commission on Aging

Ms. Betty Grandquist, Des Moines

Ms. Carole Dunkin, Clinton

Agriculture Development Board

Ms. Annette Townsley, Letts

Alcoholic Beverages Commission

Ms. Rachel Eubank, Des Moines

Architectural Examining Board

Mr. Bruce Bassler, Ames

Ms. Linda Alfson Schemmel, West Des Moines

Board of Athletic Training

Ms. Rita Perea, Des Moines

Mr. Thomas Green, Clive

Iowa Autism Council

Mr. Brandon Arkland, Webster City

Ms. Erica Hertel, Homestead

Ms. Jenny Phan, Ankeny

Mr. Steven Muller, Altoona

Ms. Theresa Croonquist, West Des Moines

Board of Barbering

Ms. Thi Truong, Ankeny

Board of Behavioral Science

Ms. Amy Crow Sunleaf, Dubuque

Ms. Sarah McElhaney, Ankeny

Mr. Wade Leuwerke, Indianola

Commission for the Blind

Ms. Sandra Ryan, Ames

Boiler and Pressure Vessel Board

Ms. Susan Oltrogge, Des Moines

Capital Investment Board

Mr. Thomas Bernau,Des Moines

Child Advocacy Board

Mr. Bruce Johnson, Cedar Rapids

Board of Chiropractic

Dr. Aaron Martin, Ankeny

Dr. Randall Stange, Orange City

Ms. Stephanie Netolicky, Ankeny

City Development Board

Ms. Barbara Brown, Cedar Falls

Mr. Jay Howe, Greenfield

Civil Rights Commission

Ms. Angela Williams, Urbandale

Ms. Patricia Lipski, Washington

Mr. Robert Hosford, West Des Moines

Commission on Community Action Agencies

Ms. Anna Hilpipre, Brooklyn

Ms. Kelly Busch, Creston

Mr. Marc Lindeen, Mt. Pleasant

Iowa Comprehensive Petroleum Underground Storage Tank Fund Board

Ms. Karen Andeweg, Urbandale

Ms. Dawn Carlson, Dallas Center

Board of Corrections

Mr. Michael Coleman, Waterloo

Mr. John Chalstrom, Cherokee

Mr. Lawrence Kudej, Swisher

Ms. Lisa Hill, Johnston

Board of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences

Mr. Don Nguyen, Des Moines

County Finance Committee

Mr. Grant Veeder, Waterloo

Ms. Jane Heun, Jefferson

Mr. Russell Hopp, George

Credit Union Review Board

Ms. Becky Zemlicka, Waukee

Mr. Dave Cale, Johnston

Ms. Lorraine Groves, Sioux City

Mr. Timothy Marcsisak, Atlantic

Cultural Trust Board

Mr. Randy Lewis, Davenport

Ms. Tiffany Tauscheck, Clive

Commission of Deaf Services

Ms. Mary Dyer, Glenwood

Board of Dentistry

Ms. Lori Elmitt, Johnston

Ms. Nancy Slach, West Branch

Dr. William McBride, Dubuque

Board of Dietetics

Mr. Brian Smith, Des Moines

Mr. Steven Kury, West Des Moines

Drug Policy Advisory Council

Ms. Jane Larkin, Ames

Mr. Warren Hunsberger, Clive

Early Childhood Iowa State Board

Ms. Betty Zan, Cedar Falls

Ms. Brook Rosenberg, Des Moines

Ms. Jean Stadtlander, Manning

Ms. Katherin Averill, Fort Dodge

Mr. Michael Bunde, Denison

Mr. Robert Ockerman, Adel

Ms. Shaun Ward Taylor, Waukee

Ms. Sigrid Lane, Waterloo

Mr. Terry Harrmann, Des Moines

Economic Development Authority

Mr. Daniel White, Dubuque

Mr. David Bernstein, Sioux City

Ms. Jennifer Cooper, Des Moines

Ms. Lisa Hull, Clarinda

State Board of Educational Examiners

Ms. Brenda Garcia, Muscatine

Mr. Dan Dutcher, Waukee

Mr. Larry Hill, Thompson

Electrical Examining Board

Mr. Todd Cash, Mason City

Elevator Safety Board

Ms. Amy Infelt, Coralville

Mr. Marvin Schumacher, Denver

Iowa Emergency Response Commission

Ms. Julie Waltz, Winterset

Mr. Bob George, West Des Moines

Engineering and Land Surveying Examining Board

Ms. Laura Sievers, Rock Rapids

Ms. Lisa VanDenBerg, Johnston

Environmental Protection Commission

Mr. Joe Riding, Altoona

Ms. Mary Boote, Des Moines

Ms. Nancy Couser, Nevada

Mr. Ralph Lents, Menlo

Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board

Mr. James Albert, Urbandale

Ms. Saima Zafar, West Des Moines

Finance Authority Board of Directors

Ms. Darlys Baum, Burlington

Ms. Martha Bell, Atlantic

Flood Mitigation Board

Mr. John Torbert, West Des Moines

Ms. Lorraine Glover, Waterloo

Great Places Advisory Board

Mr. Donald Zuck, Ankeny

Ms. Gayle Redman, Gowrie

Ms. Kerri Kuiper, Lehigh

Mr. Trevor Toft, Schaller

HAWK-I

Mr. Eric Kohlsdorf, Des Moines

Ms. Kelly Renfrow, Johnston

Hearing Aid Dispensers Board

Ms. Dorothy Walters, Norwalk

Higher Education Loan Authority

Mr. John Hartung, Indianola

Council on Human Services

Ms. Phyllis Hansell, Des Moines

Mr. Samuel Wallace, Des Moines

Interior Design Examining Board

Mr. Andy Crabb, Ventura

Mr. Jay Reyhons, Ankeny

Ms. Jennifer Brand, Huxley

Ms. Serena Zwanziger, Janesville

Board of Iowa Innovation Corporation

Ms. Georgia Van Gundy, Waukee

Ms. Kathryn Kunert, Des Moines

IPERS

Mr. David Creighton, Des Moines

Landscape Architectural Examining Board

Mr. David Fjare, Council Bluffs

Mr. Samuel Jones, Cedar Rapids

Law Enforcement Academy Council

Mr. David Lorenzen, Waukee

Ms. Nancy Bodnar, Peosta

Lottery Authority Board of Directors

Mr. Connor Flynn, Des Moines

Ms. Mary Rathje, Marion

Board of Medicine

Dr. Kyle Ulveling, Carroll

Ms. Mary Romanco, Pleasantville

Dr. Charles Wadle, West Des Moines

Mental Health and Disability Services Commission

Ms. Jennifer Sheehan, Clarion

Ms. Jody Eaton, Newton

Mr. John Parmeter, Des Moines

Mr. Patrick Schmitz, Kingsley

Ms. Rebecca Schmitz, Fairfield

Mental Health Risk Pool Board

Mr. Andrew Nielsen, Ankeny

Ms. Linda Dunshee, Urbandale

Mr. Patrick Schmitz, Kingsley

Mr. Rick Larkin, Fort Madison

Board of Mortuary Science

Mr. Bradley Hawn, Spencer

Ms. Norene Mostkoff, Waukee

Commission of Native American Affairs

Ms. Crystal Davis, Waterloo

Ms. Kelly Montijo Fink, Hiawatha

Ms. Vicky Apala-Cuevas, Davenport

Natural Resource Commission

Mr. Dennis Schemmel, Grimes

Mr. Richard Francisco, Lucas

Board of Nursing

Ms. Kathryn Dolter, Dubuque

Board of Nursing Home Administrators

Ms. Char Schlepp, Coon Rapids

Mr. David Chensvold, Marion

Ms. Donna Dolan, Olin

Ms. Patrice Herrera, Ankeny

Ms. Patricia Hoffman-Simanek, Cedar Rapids

Board of Optometry

Dr. Mark Mentzer, Ely

Dr. Monique Root, Urbandale

Board of Pharmacy

Mr. Edward McKenna, Storm Lake

Dr. Jason Hansel, Bettendorf

Board of Physical and Occupational Therapy

Ms. Rachel Judisch, Lake View

Mr. Robert Palmer, West Des Moines

Board of Physicians Assistants

Mr. Dennis Janssen, Clive

Ms. Teresa Armstrong, Story City

Plumbing and Mechanical Systems Board

Mr. Jason Hayes, Norwalk

Ms. Susan Pleva, Woodward

Ms. Toni Knight, Ankeny

Board of Podiatry

Mr. Donald Shurr, North Liberty

Mr. Travis Carlson, Hiawatha

Dr. Erin Nelson, Ames

Prevention of Disabilities Policy Council

Ms. Cheryll Jones, Bloomfield

Mr. Christopher Atchison, Iowa City

Ms. Susan Lerdal, Urbandale

Ms. Tracy Keninger, Des Moines

Board of Psychology

Dr. Brandon Davis, Grinnell

Dr. Matthew Cooper, West Des Moines

Real Estate Appraiser Examining Board

Ms. Amanda Luscombe, Holstein

Ms. Joan Scotter, Marion

Real Estate Commission

Mr. Terry Duggan, Dubuque

Ms. Carol Haines, West Burlington

Renewable Fuel Infrastructure Board

Mr. Al Hillgren, Stuart

Ms. Carol Balvanz, Hubbard

Ms. Diane Dennler, Mason City

Mr. John Maynes, Norwalk

Mr. Mark Cobb, Brighton

Respiratory Care Board

Ms. Kathleen Parris, Audubon

Ms. Lisa Kingery, Casey

School Budget Review Committee

Ms. Gretchen Tegeler, West Des Moines

Board of Sign Language Interpreters and Transliterators

Ms. Tailyn Kaster, West Des Moines

Ms. Stephanie Lyons, Ankeny

Board of Social Work

Mr. Mark Hillenbrand, West Des Moines

Mr. Neil Nelsen, Indianola

Soil Conservation Committee

Mr. Kevin Pope, Mason City

Ms. Linda Querry, Red Oak

Mr. Sherman Lundy, Cedar Falls

Board of Speech Pathology and Audiology

Ms. Denise Renaud, Iowa Falls

Mr. John Tysklind, West Des Moines

Board of Tax Review

Mr. David Erickson, Des Moines

Technology Advisory Council

Mr. Tim Peterson, Des Moines

Title Guaranty Division Board

Ms. Judy Hilgenberg, Guthrie Center

Commission on Tobacco Use Prevention and Control

Mr. Chad Jensen, Carroll

Commission of Veterans Affairs

Mr. Gary Wattnem, Mason City

Ms. Kathleen Myers, Graettinger

Mr. Ronald Langel, Ankeny

Mr. Steven Hyde, Marshalltown

Board of Veterinary Medicine

Ms. Christine Bean, Marathon

Mr. Curtis Youngs, Ames

Vision Iowa Board

Ms. Cathy Reece, Chariton

Ms. Charese Yanney, Sioux City

Ms. Emily Schirmer, Des Moines

Mr. Merlin Bartz, Grafton

Ms. Stacie Mitchell-Gweah, Des Moines

Workforce Development Board

Mr. Andrew Roberts, Urbandale

Mr. Joe Greving, Johnston

Dr. Azeemuddin Ahmed of Iowa City, Iowa is the recipient of Pleasant Valley High School's 2015 Wall of Honor Distinguished Alumni Award.  Dr. Ahmed, a 1992 PVHS graduate, will be honored by the Pleasant Valley Community School District at the Academic Awards Ceremony on Wednesday, April 15, 2015.  He will be inducted into the Wall of Honor, which recognizes past students for their academic achievements and contributions to society.

Dr. Ahmed, the son of Dr. Fareeduddin and Sameena Ahmed, received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Augustana College in Rock Island, IL. After his time at Augustana he attended medical school at the University of Iowa, graduating in 2000. He completed post graduate training in emergency medicine from 2000-2003 from Michigan State University. In 2010, he completed his Masters of Business Administration from the University of Iowa.

Dr. Ahmed was appointed to the medical staff at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in 2005. Dr. Ahmed has held numerous positions in his career which include the following: Medical Director and Flight Physician, University of Iowa AirCare, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Iowa, 2005-present; Medical Director, EMS Learning Resources Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals, 2007-present; Medical Director, First Aid Services, Kinnick Stadium, Carver Hawkeye Arena, University of Iowa, 2007-present; Medical Director, Iowa Medical Emergency Services Association, Des Moines, Iowa 2008-2009.

Dr. Ahmed also is a professor at the University of Iowa. He is an important part of the University teaching staff in both Medicine and Business. His teaching appointments include : Clinical Associate Professor, Emergency Medicine, University of Iowa, 2008-present and Adjunct Associate Professor, Management and Organizations, University of Iowa Tippie College of Business, 2012-present. Dr. Ahmed is currently the Executive Vice Chair in the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.

Dr. Ahmed's response to receiving the Wall of Honor recognition: "I've been a lifelong learner whether it's been formal education (college, medical school, residency, graduate business school) or informal education (ready and learning about people, history, politics). It's something that kept me rejuvenated and grounded. There is so much to learn out there and it keeps us growing. I am a big fan of the credo; it's good to know things.

"I serve others. I serve my patients as I meet them and their family often on one of the worst days of their life and I do my best to care for them physically and emotionally. I cannot fix every physical ailment but I try to treat EVERYONE with respect and dignity. No matter how far up the ladder I move and acquire fancy sounding titles, my role is to help people. Rich, poor, young, old, white, black, brown, yellow. It doesn't matter. I do the best I can for every person I care for."

Dr. Ahmed graduated with top honors from PVHS, where he participated in basketball and track & field. He was President of Spartan Assembly, Sports Co-Editor for the Spartan Shield and contributor to the Valenian. He was chosen by his class to give the graduation commencement speech and an honoree in the Quad City Times, Salute to Academics and Achievement.

A reception for Dr. Ahmed will be held in the PVHS library at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15, 2015. Faculty, staff, students and the public are invited to attend. The Academic Awards program will begin at 7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium.

IOWA CITY ? The Iowa City VA Health Care System will soon join six other VA Hospitals in a program that interviews veterans about their life stories and makes the transcribed oral histories part of the patients' medical record.

The program, called My Life, My Story, was started by the VA Hospital in Madison, Wis., in 2013 and is expanding to six other VA hospitals around the country beginning in March. The new sites, in addition to Iowa City, are Asheville, N.C.; Bronx, N.Y.; Reno, Nev.; Topeka, Kan.; and White River Junction, Vt.

Madison VA therapist and My Life, My Story coordinator Thor Ringler has been with the project since it began.
"I think it's about people having a voice," Ringler said. "The story is really a way to connect providers with veterans and have them connect over something that's real and meaningful. I think there's something missing in healthcare and this project is just one way to bring the spark back and remind us why we're here - who we're here for."

Marine Corps veteran Michael Gundlach was recently interviewed at the Madison VA.

"Being able to talk about my experience was a morale builder, first of all, for the acknowledgement of [my] service," Gundlach said. "And second of all?and more long-term?it gave me the chance to review my life. The way the interview was conducted felt very stress-free. I think the program is absolutely something that should be expanded."

After conducting an interview, which typically takes about one hour, project staff and volunteers write up a story about the veteran's life. They then review it with the veteran and, with veteran approval, add the story to the veteran's medical record. They also alert the veteran's primary care and inpatient care providers when the story is added.

Polly Boynton is a nurse practitioner at the Madison VA who consults the stories frequently.

"I have taken the time to read each "My Story" I have encountered in my patients' charts and am grateful to have the additional dimension and background," Boynton said. "It is a true pleasure to read these stories; I feel I gain such valuable insight into the humanity of my patients."

Until recently, the Madison VA was the only facility offering this service to veterans. A grant from the VA Office of Patient Centered Care allowed the project to expand to the six new sites.

Gundlach knows that for many veterans, it is not an easy thing to tell your story, but he encourages their participation.

"I would highly recommend this to any veteran who is at a point in his emotional status where he can talk about it," Gundlach said. "If you think that you don't want to talk to people?say your friends and family?this is another way to release and talk about something that is so important. There's absolutely no downside to participating in this."

The program in Wisconsin has interviewed more than 500 veterans and trained more than 25 community and student volunteers to gather their stories since it began in 2013.

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