Iowa Women in Natural Resources
IWINR Board
Board members all hold two year terms, with the exception of the Treasurer position. Elections are now held on even years at the annual conference.
Nichoel Church, PresidentMe.
Nichoel Church is originally from the Quad Cities and was an intern with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Rock Island District before graduating from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science in 2009. Nichoel worked in south Florida and Omaha before leaving federal service in 2012 to become an Environmental Scientist at Snyder & Associates, Inc. in Ankeny. The best part of her job is restoring wetlands and streams throughout Iowa. Nichoel began participating in IWINR and volunteering as a mentor/chaperone for Outdoor Journey for Girls in 2022. Helping the girls learn life skills is priceless! Outside of the office, Nichoel enjoys spending time with her family and two dogs, crafting in her art room while listening to audiobooks, and traveling around the world.
Kayla Clausen, Vice President
Kayla Clausen is originally from Greenfield, Iowa and is a graduate from Iowa State University with a bachelor's degree in forestry and an option in Interpretation. In the fall of 2022 Kayla became the Director of Decatur County Conservation Board. Prior to she was a full time Naturalist since she graduated from ISU in 2016. Kayla became active with IWNR after she attended her first conference in 2020. Since then, she has been a Member-at-Large and was recently elected as Secretary in 2022. Kayla attended Outdoor Journey for Girls as a 12 year old and now participates as a mentor/chaperone. In her free time, she enjoys anything outdoors, crafting, reading, seeing friends and family, and spending time with her miniature dachshund, Evie.
Lori Eberhard, Treasurer
Lori Eberhard is originally from northeast Iowa and is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in natural history interpretation. She is currently the Park Manager at George Wyth State Park in Waterloo and has held that position for over 20 years. Lori started with Iowa DNR in State Parks at Lacey Keosaqua State Park in southeast Iowa. She has been involved with IWINR for over 20 years and most of those years as the life appointed treasurer (and has not been booted from the position yet). Lori helped bring Outdoor Journey for Girls to the eastern half of the state at Hickory Hills Park, which is managed by Black Hawk County Conservation. She is currently the Outdoor Journey for Girls Coordinator. In her spare time she enjoys traveling anywhere, hanging out with friends and family, campfires, and trying new recipes on her pellet grill.
Allyson Oser, Secretary
Allyson has been active with IWINR since 2023 and instructs the trapping seminar for Outdoor Journey for Girls. She is a board member of the Iowa Trappers Association and is passionate about environmental education. She previously served as an AmeriCorps Seasonal Naturalist with the Madison County Conservation Board. Allyson is currently a student at Upper Iowa University studying conservation alongside operating her taxidermy business. In pursuit of a career in wildland firefighting, she is currently a federal firefighter with the newly enacted Wildland Fire Service and a volunteer firefighter with the Fayette Fire Department.
Olivia Flannery, Member-at-Large
Olivia is originally from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and is a graduate from Iowa State University with a degree in environmental science and biology in 2015. Currently, Olivia is a employed with the Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN) as the Women Caring for the Land Program Assistant. Prior to she worked in a handful of different non-profits, private sector and government positions all in the natural resources realm. In her free time, Olivia enjoys traveling, live music, kayaking, hiking with her family, and spending time in the tree stand with her bow.
Clarah Buhman, Member-at-Large
Clarah is a graduate from Kirkwood Community College and University of Wisconsin Stevens Point with a bachelors in Environmental Education and Interpretation. She has worked in zoos, county conservation, and as a wilderness guide. Being back in eastern Iowa now working at Kirkwood as the Lab Technician managing over 700 acres of natural areas on and off campus with students. In her free time she enjoys being on the water or in the forest going on adventures like camping, bird watching, and foraging! She has been on the board for the National Association of Interpretation as a student member and this is her first time being on a board post graduation and cannot wait to see where this journey takes her!
Jessie Lowry, Member-at-Large
Jessie Lowry is the Outreach Coordinator for Madison County Conservation Board. She has worked in the conservation field for more than 20 years. She is the founder of the award-winning project Plant.Grow.Fly. during her previous career as Director of Conservation and Research at Blank Park Zoo. Now with Madison County Conservation, she works to conserve the unique natural resources of Madison County, including remnant tallgrass prairie, ancient oak woodlands, and diverse wildlife like timber rattlesnakes and pileated woodpeckers. She and her team have just created a new project, Cultivating Connections, to build and protect ecosystems, by cultivating connections to nature and community.