Board Members
Homeward's Board of Directors is a diverse, passionate group of individuals united in the work to ensure that one day, everyone in Polk County will have a safe place to call home. Their leadership guides Homeward in creating a coordinated approach to ending homelessness by distributing funding, best practices, data, and training.
Homeward is currently seeking board applications from individuals who are passionate about homeless services and have lived expertise or have experience with workforce preparation, substance use treatment, the faith community, the LGBTQ community, or have a finance/accounting background. Board applications will be accepted until April 30, 2025.
Katie Albrecht-Snell, Secretary- Nationwide
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Rebecca Foster – Des Moines Municipal Housing Agency
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Reverend Frederick Gaddy – St. Paul AME Church
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Lorna Garcia – Des Moines Police Department​
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Rusty Johnson – Community Advocate
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Lori Jensen – Children and Families of Iowa
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Amber Lewis – City of Des Moines
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Luke Lynch - United Way of Central Iowa
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Jennifer Miner – VA Central Iowa
Tony Montgomery, Treasurer – Federal Loan Home Bank of Des Moines
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Dannie Patrick – Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines​
Manisha Paudel – City of Des Moines
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Taylor E. Petersen – EMC Insurance​
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Alyson Simmons – Central Iowa Trauma Recovery Center
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Ehren Stover-Wright – Institute for Community Alliances
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Annie Uetz, Chair – Polk County Behavioral Health and Disability Services
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Amanda Wanke – DART
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Whitni Warnke – UnityPoint Health
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David Weidt – Polk County Conservation
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Margaret Acosta Weirich – Iowa Legal Aid
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Eli Williams - City of Des Moines
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Lyn Wilson – Des Moines Public Schools