About the State Historical Society

Staff List

Main Lines

Des Moines Location

Line Phone Number
Phone/Information Desk 515.281.5111
Fax 515.282.0502 or 515.242.6498

Iowa City Location

Line Phone Number
Phone/Information Desk 319.335.3916
Fax 319.335.3935

Executive Director's Office

Name Position Phone Email
Cyndi Pederson Director, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs 515.281.7471 cyndi.pederson@iowa.gov

Administration

Name   Phone Email
Jerome Thompson Interim Administrator, State Historical Society of Iowa 515.281.4221 Jerome.Thompson@iowa.gov

State Curator

Name   Phone Email
Jerome Thompson Historic Sites Coordinator 515.281.4221 Jerome.Thompson@iowa.gov

Iowa Historical Foundation

Name Position Phone Email
Cyndi Pederson Director, Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs 515.281.8824 cyndi.pederson@iowa.gov

State Historical Society of Iowa

Name Position Phone Email
Joan Kiernan Membership 515.281.8741 Joan.Kiernan@iowa.gov

Business & Information Technology

Name Position Phone Email
Polly Anderson Human Resources 515.281.3218 Polly.Anderson@iowa.gov
Joan Kiernan Receptionist 515.281.8741 Joan.Kiernan@iowa.gov
Walter Ladd Information Technology 515.281.4895 Walter.Ladd@iowa.gov
Dee Richards Accountant 515.281.6345 Dee.Richards@iowa.gov

State Historical Building Rental

Name Position Phone Email
Molly Gatto Interim Facility Rental Coordinator 515.281.3809 HistoricalBuilding.Rental@iowa.gov

The Museum Store

Name Position Phone Email
Laurie Craig   515.281.7395 Museum.Store@iowa.gov

Public Relations

Name Position Phone Email
Jeff Morgan Public Relations/Marketing 515.281.3858 Jeff.Morgan@iowa.gov
Sarah Oltrogge Public Relations 515.281.4011 Sarah.Oltrogge@iowa.gov
Rick Dressler Web Design/Development 515.281.8352 Richard.Dressler@iowa.gov

State Historical Society of Iowa Staff

Archives and Records

Name Position Phone Email
Jerome Thompson Interim State Archivist 515.281.4221 Jerome.Thompson@iowa.gov
Jeffrey Dawson Archives Supervisor 515.281.7801 Jeffrey.Dawson@iowa.gov
Sharon Avery Archivist 515.281.6863 Sharon.Avery@iowa.gov
Meaghan McCarthy Archivist 515.281.0310 Meaghan.McCarthy@iowa.gov
Bruce Kreuger Archives Technician 515.281.6556 Bruce.Kreuger@iowa.gov

Grants

Name Position Phone Email
Paula Mohr CLG Program Coordinator  515.281.6826  Paula.Mohr@iowa.gov
Kristen Vander Molen HRDP, HSPG, Country Schools Grants 515.281.4228 Kristen.Vandermolen@iowa.gov

Historic Sites

American Gothic House
Name Position Phone Email
Jerome Thompson State Curator 515.281.4221 Jerome.Thompson@iowa.gov
Jessi Strom Visitor Center Manager 641.652.3352 aghc@iowatelecom.net
Blood Run, Rock Rapids
Name Position Phone Email
Craig Van Otterloo Blood Run NHL Manager 712.472.2217 lyonccb@rconnet.com
Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop, Haverhill
Name Position Phone Email
Stephenie Stites Administration, Marshall County Historical Society 641.752.6664 Marshallhistory@marshallnet.com
Plum Grove, Iowa City
Name Position Phone Email
Leigh Ann Jero Plum Grove Manager 319.351.5738 johctyhistscty@yahoo.com
Western Historic Trails Center
Name Position Phone Email
K.C. Collins Hummel Site Manager 712.366.5085  KC.Hummel@iowa.gov
David Maron Maintenance Worker 712.366.4900 David.Maron@iowa.gov
Dick Zion Museum Guide 712.366.4900 Dick.Zion@iowa.gov
Teressa Sward Museum Guide 712.366.4900 Teressa.Sward@iowa.gov
Montauk, Clermont
Name Position Phone Email
Nadine West Museum Guide 319.423.7173  montauk@acegroup.cc
Wade Schott Maintenance Coordinator 319.423.7173  montauk@acegroup.cc
Gardner Cabin, Arnolds Park
Name Position Phone Email
Mike Koppert Site Manager 712.332.7248 gardner@iowaone.net
Toolesboro Mounds, Toolesboro
Name Position Phone Email
Julie Ohde   Toolesboro Mounds NHL Manager 319.523.8381 lccb@lccb.org

Library & Publications

Name Position Phone Email
Carol Kirsch Supervisor, Libraries and Special Collections (Des Moines and Iowa City) 319.335.3936 Carol-Kirsch@uiowa.edu
Deb Pedersen Administrative Assistant 319.335.3912  Deb-Pedersen@uiowa.edu

E-mail Reference Requests

Location Policy Email Address
Des Moines Center Go to Email Reference Policy dm.library@iowa.gov
Iowa City Center library-reference@uiowa.edu

Des Moines Library

Name Position Phone Email
Susan Jellinger Reading Room Coordinator 515.281.6897 Susan.Jellinger@iowa.gov
Rosie Springer Library Associate-Reference 515.281.6200 Rosie.Springer@iowa.gov
Shari Stelling Librarian - Interlibrary loan  515.281.5070 Shari.Stelling@iowa.gov

Iowa City Library

Name Position Phone Email
Jane Meggers Conservator 319.335.3921  Jane-Meggers@uiowa.edu
Paula Smith Librarian-cataloger 319.335.1035  Paula-Smith@uiowa.edu

Special Collections

Name Position Phone Email
Mary Bennett Special Collections Coordinator 319.335.3916 Mary-Bennett@uiowa.edu
Delpha Musgrave Local Gov't Records/Newspapers 515.281.5655 Delpha.Musgrave@iowa.gov
Becki Plunkett Special Collections Archivist 515.281.8976 Becki.Plunkett@iowa.gov
Charles Scott Special Collections Technician 319.335.3916 Charles-Scott@uiowa.edu

Publications

Name Position Phone Email
Marv Bergman Editor, Annals of Iowa 319.335.3931  Marvin-Bergman@uiowa.edu
Ginalie Swaim Editor, Iowa Heritage Illustrated 319.335.3932  Ginalie-Swaim@uiowa.edu

Museum & Museum Education

Name Position Phone Email
Michael Smith Interim Museum Director & Chief Curator 515.281.3859 Michael.Smith@iowa.gov
Jerry Brown Exhibit Designer 515.281.8859  Jerry.Brown@iowa.gov
Jodi Evans Registrar 515.281.3295  Jodi.Evans@iowa.gov
Sheila Hanke Battle Flag Collection 515.281.8302 Sheila.Hanke@iowa.gov
Tom Hardie Technician 515.418.4006  Tom.Hardie@iowa.gov
Jack Lufkin Curator 515.281.8295  Jack.Lufkin@iowa.gov
Pete Sixbey Conservator 515.281.4648  Pete.Sixbey@iowa.gov
Vern Tyler Technician 515.418.4010  Vern.Tyler@iowa.gov

Museum Education Programs

Name Position Phone Email
Sarah Macht Museum Education Coordinator 515.242.5193  Sarah.Macht@iowa.gov
Millie Frese History Day Coordinator 515.281.6860  History.Day@iowa.gov
Maureen Korte Museum Theater 515.281.4132 Maureen.Korte@iowa.gov

State Historic Preservation Office

Name Position Phone Email
Jerome Thompson Interim State Historic Preservation Officer 515.281.4221 Jerome.Thompson@iowa.gov
Barbara Mitchell Deputy SHPO
Architectural Historian
515.281.4013 Barbara.Mitchell@iowa.gov
Lowell Soike Research Specialist 515.281.3306  Lowell.Soike@iowa.gov
Berry Bennett Historic Sites Inventory Manager 515.281.8742 Berry.Bennett@iowa.gov
Ralph Christian Historian 515.281.8697  Ralph.Christian@iowa.gov
Beth Foster Hill National Register Coordinator,
Federal/State Tax Credit Coordinator
515.281.4137  Beth.Foster@iowa.gov
Doug Jones Archaeologist 515.281.4358  Doug.Jones@iowa.gov
Dan Higginbottom Archaeologist 515.281.8744  Daniel.Higginbottom@iowa.gov
Don Hirt GIS Specialist 515.281.7803  Don.Hirt@iowa.gov
Kathy Gourley Cultural District Manager
Preservation Education Outreach
515.281.3989 Kathy.Gourley@iowa.gov
Paula Mohr CLG Program Coordinator 515.281.6826  Paula.Mohr@iowa.gov
Jack Porter Preservation Architect 515.242.6152 Jack.Porter@iowa.gov
June Strand Review and Compliance coordinator 515.281.8743 June.Strand@iowa.gov
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