Board of Directors

(MA Linguistics). Although now retired, her career included a wide range of positions. She taught ESL in Slovakia, Finland, and colleges in the U.S., and managed a global network for a local translation services group. Most recently, she directed a large-scale exchange program for non-elite students to attend U.S. community colleges.

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Global Ties Iowa has provided Liz a wonderful opportunity to continue her passion for sharing Iowa culture and learning more about the world from our visitors.

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president@globaltiesiowa.org

Acterra Group.​ He brings a passion for international business, demonstrated through his global travels and collaboration on international teams. Beyond work, he's devoted to his growing family, community volunteering, and endurance sports. Daniel is also an enthusiast of fermentation, including home brewing ales and lagers and perfecting sourdough bread.

and immigrated to the United States 35 years ago. He received his BS and MS from South Dakota State University. Newman is also a board member of the UICHR and board chair for PEACE Iowa. He is one of the founders and Parish Council President at St. Raphael Orthodox Church. He is the International Affairs Subcommittee of the IDP Platform Committee. Newman appears regularly via Skype on BBC Arabic radio and TV out of Cairo and London.

businesses navigate 525 metropolitan markets around the world. 

Chris has served on the Board of the San Antonio Council of International Visitors as the secretary, and honored to serve on the Board of Global Ties Iowa as an Honorary Member. He is a huge advocate of citizen-diplomacy. Chris has served his nation from the White House to the Texas State Capitol, from foreign lands to the United States. He even publishes books, and helps authors to break into their dreams with his company River Walk Publishing LLC.   

biological sciences, she moved overseas after graduate studies and working at Texas A&M University. This move prompted a professional pivot to public diplomacy work at the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou. Through teaching, student advising, and managing cultural and exchange programs, she connected people to resources, opportunities, and each other. Her passion for intercultural communication, education, and people-to-people diplomacy align perfectly with her role at Global Ties Iowa. A proud graduate of Iowa City West High and the University of Iowa, Lynn is thrilled to help link Eastern Iowa to the world. After all, what the world needs now is a little more “Iowa nice.”

senior executive roles, specializing in audit and risk management. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President and Director in Corporate Audit covering Enterprise Risk and Climate Risk at US Bankcorp: He excels in developing risk-based audit and governance functions, leveraging data analytics for control enhancement. His career has spanned renowned financial institutions in the US, UK, and India. Bala actively engages with board-level committees, and collaborates with banking regulators. He holds an MBA and a Masters in Finance from the University of Iowa.​

Instruction in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Iowa. She has served on the board of Mid-America Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (MIDTESOL) as well as on the Sustainability Presidential Charter Committee at the University of Iowa, and she volunteers at her local library. She values being a part of Global Ties Iowa since it provides opportunities to connect with others locally and around the world.  

wholesale of food and beverage commodities in the U.S. and internationally. With a marketing management degree from the Université de Lomé in Togo, West Africa, Mr. Djagou has also completed the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program, holds certifications in project management and international trade, and is a licensed tax preparer with the Internal Revenue Service. ​

her career to teaching second grade and serving as a reading specialist for students in kindergarten through fifth grade.

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Now happily retired, Mary enjoys the freedom to travel more, volunteer more, and stay active—including playing pickleball! She sees Global Ties Iowa as the perfect opportunity to blend her love of global experiences with her commitment to personal growth, all while meeting individuals from around the world.