Member Bios
After growing up outside of West Des Moines, Robert Cramer moved to Johnston for his high school years. He graduated from Iowa State University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Construction Engineering and went on to become a Licensed Professional Engineer in 1996. Cramer served as Co-President...
Kurt Tjaden, a long-time executive with numerous international corporate positions, brings more than 35 years of business experience to the Board of Regents. Tjaden retired in 2022 from HNI Corporation after nearly 15 years with the company, concluding with a five-year stint as President-International. Tjaden has been active with Iowa...
Former state legislator Peter Cownie brings his extensive experience, including in areas such as workforce development, community engagement and civic leadership, to the Board of Regents. Cownie has served as Executive Director of the Iowa State Fair Blue Ribbon Foundation since 2013. The Blue Ribbon Foundation’s mission is to preserve...
Former state legislator Nancy Dunkel spent a long and distinguished career in banking before retiring. She served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2013-2016. Dunkel has received numerous professional accolades, including receiving the James A. Leach Leadership Award from the Iowa Bankers Association in 2014. That honor recognizes a...
Lucy Gipple, a student at the University of Northern Iowa, was appointed to the Iowa Board of Regents by Governor Kim Reynolds on February 6, 2025. Gipple is majoring in elementary education, with a minor in social and emotional learning. She is involved in numerous activities at UNI, including being...
Former long-time Des Moines City Council member Christine Hensley brings a wealth of experience to the Board of Regents. Hensley previously served as executive director of the YWCA of Greater Des Moines, and as Vice President of Community and Government Affairs for Bank of the West. She also served six...
Steve Lacy brings a wealth of business, managerial and executive experience to the Board of Regents. The former CEO of Des Moines-based Meredith Corporation, Lacy joined Meredith in 1998 as the media company’s chief financial officer. He was named chief executive officer in 2006, and subsequently executive chairman. After retiring...
Greta Rouse has a unique history among current Board of Regents members, having had two separate stints on the Board separated by nearly a decade. She first served on the Board as the student Regent (then known as Greta Johnson) from 2008-12, during her time as an undergraduate and graduate...