COMMON GOOD IOWA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- CGI Executive Director
Anne worked at the Child and Family Policy Center for 10 years before the merger with the Iowa Policy Project, serving as research associate, communication director, and most recently as executive director. She has a particular interest in using data, research and stories to make meaningful change for Iowa families and their communities - and highlight the many interests and values they share in common.
Her prior experience includes neighborhood organizing, local-government reporting for a community newspaper and research on social and tax-base disparities in U.S. metropolitan areas.
She has a bachelor's degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, and a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She lives in Des Moines with her three teenagers and a standard poodle.
CGI Executive Director Anne Discher noted the budget tradeoff with the RAC subsidy. "These payouts sacrifice the things Iowa families and workers need to get ahead - including schools, child care and workplace protections," Discher said.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- President / Des Moines
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Vice President / Grinnell
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Secretary / Iowa City
Governor Kim Reynolds is adding ingredients to the 2022 "recipe for disaster" that she and legislators are following in Iowa tax policy. The result will be even worse than previously expected.
Mike coordinates fiscal policy work with other issue priorities at Common Good Iowa, engaging staff and partners to advance policy ideas that equitably and sustainably address the concerns of all Iowans. He is part of the communications team developing messages and strategies to better reach policy makers, advocates and the public, and assists the executive director in outreach and fund development.
After earning a bachelor's degree in journalism and political science at the University of Iowa, Mike worked for 21 years as a news reporter, sports reporter and editor in Iowa and Pennsylvania before joining the Iowa Policy Project in 2001, becoming director in 2013. He moved to his current position following IPP's merger with the Child and Family Policy Center into the present Common Good Iowa. He served three terms on the West Branch Community School Board.
Nathan provides operational and development support for the organization. He also contributes to the energy and environmental policy work of the organization.
Nathan received a B.S. degree in General Agriculture - Environmental Studies from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale.
He has two amazing adult children that he likes to spend time with and enjoys loading his touring bike with camping gear for road trips now and then.
Sean's work is focused on labor standards and practices in Iowa, with an emphasis on the construction industry, in partnership with the Center for Worker Justice of Eastern Iowa, the University of Iowa Labor Center, and the Economic Policy Institute's EARN in the Midwest program. He is also interested in a wide array of policy areas, especially economic justice, LGBTQ rights, and environmental justice. He enjoys working with data to provide meaningful insights and make evidence-backed recommendations for change.
Sean holds a Master's in Applied Statistics from Loyola University Chicago in December 2020, and received his Bachelor's degrees in Economics and Ethics & Public Policy from the University of Iowa. In his free time, Sean enjoys cooking, science fiction in its many forms, and board games.
Job Titles:
- Senior Policy Advocate / Government Relations Manager
Sheila concentrates her work on early childhood, primarily child care, preschool and home visitation. She also coordinates the advocacy and lobbying work at the state capitol. She has received numerous awards for her advocacy work around early childhood issues from the Iowa Head Start Association, the Association for the Education...
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Treasurer / Cedar Rapids
Tywana has been at the organization since 2008. She answers phones and greets visitors, assists other staff members and provides general office support. She previously worked as an administrative assistant and child care provider. Tywana is a native of Des Moines and lives on the city's east side. She enjoys...