Jeff Lucas, a native of Fort Madison, Iowa, is a proud alumnus of Iowa State University, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree. Jeff has a heart for service and a talent for collaboration. Throughout his career, Jeff has embraced diverse experiences across the United States, from the high desert landscapes of Idaho to the vibrant music scene of Nashville, Tennessee. His professional journey includes managing a non-profit organization dedicated to raising beef cattle for food banks and pantries and serving as the Marketing Director at YSS, a substance abuse treatment center. Most recently, he excelled as the Chief Operations Officer for a leading livestock trailer manufacturer. Jeff's passions include bass fishing, travel, family time, and rodeo. Alongside his wife, Brooke, Jeff enjoys life with their one-year-old daughter, Emmy Lu, and their Australian Shepherd, Khloe. Now, he is excited to embark on a new chapter with IAWA.
Rebekah drives the communication of water quality needs and strategies. As a journalist, Rebekah previously told stories around the country - talking to farmers in Iowa about the cost of land, growers in California about fruit production, and hearing from small business owners in Alabama about the importance of coastal conservation. In Colorado Springs, Rebekah anchored the weekday morning newscast for the CBS affiliate for four years and won a Regional Edward R Murrow award for her documentary. IAWA brings Rebekah back to her roots. She was raised on a farm in Northeast Iowa and will always remember when her dad took her out to the fields, put "dirt" in her hands, and explained what kind of topsoil is the backbone of their farm. She and her husband, Ryan, bought a farm with their family in 2022. Together they’re planning conservation strategies to protect the soil and water for years to come.
Tom focuses on farmer and partner communication initiatives that involve collaboration and innovative storytelling. Before coming to IAWA, Tom graduated from Iowa State University with a BA in Advertising and a minor in Entrepreneurship. Currently, he lives in Ankeny and runs a natural soap making business outside of work. Tom's experiences as an Eagle Scout and sustainable business owner make him excited to contribute to the future of Iowa water quality. And like farmers, he's passionate about seeing small businesses and their communities thrive!
Jen connects people, projects, and funding opportunities that support IAWA’s mission to increase the pace and scale of farmer-led efforts to improve water quality. Throughout her 25-year career, she has had the privilege of supporting row crop farmers and livestock producers in nearly every state as they tirelessly feed, fuel, and clothe the world. She is excited to partner across the agriculture industry to accelerate the adoption of conservation practices to protect our most valuable resources - soil and water. As a resident of northern Missouri, she has hands-on experience implementing conservation practices on her family’s farm. In her spare time, Jen enjoys gardening, making unique jams from home-grown produce, and all outdoor activities (especially those that involve water!). Jen’s educational background includes degrees in animal science, agricultural economics, and business.
As IAWA’s Conservation Program Coordinator, Ben specializes in the delivery of project funding, deliverable tracking, and partner engagement across numerous federal, state, and private projects. Before coming to IAWA, Ben served Iowa's farmers in the field as a conservation agronomist for the Iowa Soybean Association. Ben's knowledge and experience from the field, provide real-world insight for managing and delivering complex programs to Iowa's producers and consumers. In his free time, Ben enjoys cheering on his favorite sports teams, spending time with friends and family, and fishing the clean waters Iowa's farmers work hard to provide. Ben graduated with a BS in Agronomy from Iowa State University.
Kailah thrives on collaboration and infusing ingenuity into all that she does. In her role as managing director, she excels in situations that provide new opportunities and forward-thinking to support the mission of the clients she serves. Hailing from the very center of rural Iowa, Kailah is an alum of Iowa State University and holds the credential of Certified Association Executive. She also serves her local community as president of the Roland Area Development Corporation. When Kailah isn’t at the office, she is spending as much time enjoying the outdoors as possible with her husband Jeff chasing their littlest sources of inspiration, Torran, Wade and Chase.
Libby Fries is from southern Illinois, right across the river from St. Louis. She attended the University of Iowa where she met her fiancé. Libby moved to Des Moines in 2022 and loves it. She lives with her cat named Kylo. In her free time, Libby loves reading, shopping, and spending time with friends.