Tamara Bane, President-Elect

I started teaching at the turn of the century and have had experiences teaching a variety of elementary students in Waukee and Winterset before moving into an instructional coaching role in 2014. I started that role at the high school level before moving into a specific math instructional coach role where I currently serve preschool-12th grade for Winterset Community Schools. I have also had the opportunity to serve as an adjunct professor at Simpson College for the educational department in the area of math.

My BA was obtained from Simpson College in 1999 followed by my Master's Degree from Viterbo University in 2008. I was recognized as a PAEMST finalist for the state of Iowa in 2014. My passion for mathematics came through my deep learning of how people think about math while becoming a trainer in Cognitively Guided Instruction. Since that time, I have devoted my educational career to spreading awareness that people think differently about math and giving them the ability to express themselves through their own strategies. I have been a long-time member of NCTM, ICTM, NCSM and have acted as an executive at-large board member for ICTM and the state representative for IA-NCSM. I am also an active member of our local education association.

In my free time, you’ll often find me with my family—my childhood sweetheart, Justin, our son Tage and his wife Emily, our first grandson Warren, and our two other sons, Jensen and Ty. We share a love for the outdoors, exploring new places, and trying new experiences together. I am excited to serve our state in my new role.

At-Large Representatives

Mollie Appelgate

Currently, I am an Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Education at Iowa State University in the School of Education. In these roles, I work with students, faculty, and leadership to keep the undergraduate program running smoothly and I teach primarily mathematics education courses to future teachers. Before joining the faculty at ISU, I worked as a mathematics education researcher at Vanderbilt University and as a teacher of mathematics and science in elementary, middle, and high schools (all within Los Angeles Unified School District). My passion is figuring out how to improve mathematics learning experiences for K-12 students and mathematics education experiences for pre-service teachers.

Marty Beck

While I started my teaching career as an 8th-grade language arts teacher, I found my passion when I shifted to teaching mathematics in 2003. After two decades as a nomad military family, my husband, dog and I have found our home in Bettendorf, Iowa where I currently teach Algebra 1 for part of the day and work with teachers as the MTSS Math Facilitator the other part. This PK-12 position has allowed me to dig into how students learn the foundational fluencies of mathematics, which has been very eye opening to me with my 5-12 certification. Working with teachers to explore how to develop young mathematicians with a positive math identity continues to be incredibly rewarding.

In the math ed community, I serve on the State Math Leadership Team and am a past president of the Iowa NCSM affiliate.

Outside of work, my hobbies include running a week long Girl Scout day camp in June, camping, biking, reading, doing puzzles, and traveling, especially to visit our three children who have left the nest.

Kate Degner

I began my mathematics teaching career in the Lone Tree Community School District in the Fall of 2003. Currently, I am a 6th - 12th grade mathematics teacher in the Iowa City Community School District. I earned my BA and master's degree from UNI and my PhD in curriculum and supervision from the University of Iowa. Additionally, I serve as one of the Problems to Ponder section editors for NCTM's periodical Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching.

Amanda Freiberg

I currently teach 4th grade at Fisher Elementary in Marshalltown, the same grade and place where I started my career 18 years ago! I love learning new things that make me a better teacher and implementing them in my classroom. I feel blessed to have (had) some phenomenal mentors that encourage me and guide me along in my journey. 

I am an alum of the University of Iowa where I received my undergraduate degree in 2005. Go Hawkeyes! I received my master's degree in 2019 from Augustana University. I am a newer member of ICTM and look forward to learning from and working with other great math minds from across the state of Iowa! 

I have two teenagers, Gavin and Annika, that keep me busy as a sports and dance mom. Raising them is what I do in my free time, and I love every minute of it! :)

Joel Franzen

After this current year, I will be an educator for 25 years! Currently I serve as an 8th grade Math Teacher at Gilbert Middle School where I love seeing my students grow and show how they can be a mathematician. I am currently the Middle School math department leader where we are focusing on our MTSS work using the Numeracy Project. In the past, I have taught many levels of middle school and high school math and some computer/technology classes. I have always been a part of ICTM during my teaching career. I got started in ICTM back in college when I was the Student Director. I graduated from Upper Iowa University way back in 1999. Coaching also keeps me busy. I am an 8th grade football coach, MS wrestling coach and the head boy's track and field coach. Plus I work with my mathletes to be prepared in MathCounts.

Outside of my teaching and coaching, I enjoy spending time with my wife Denise. We have a daughter Kylie who is in her second year at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, MN. She is majoring in psychology and playing golf. I enjoy spending time with family, going to sporting events, golfing and collecting sports memorabilia.

Catherine Leipold

I have been praised as an educator who embraces innovative classroom approaches and who strives to immerse students in the learning process, challenging them to use higher level thinking skills each day. With a passion for supporting and guiding new teachers, I encourage the forward thinking and flexibility needed to meet changes in education. I have served as a teacher mentor for over 15 years. My current assignment is teaching Geometry, ELL foundations and International Baccalaureate Mathematics at Waterloo West High School. I also serve on West High’s Technology Cadre, Partners in Education and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Team, as well as the district level mathematics team and mentor cadre. I earned a B.A. in mathematics and an M.A. in administration from the University of Northern Iowa. I have been a member of ICTM for many years, am a past presenter, and appreciate this opportunity to serve as a member of the ICTM Board.

Nate Pardun

I have been an educator at the elementary level for 7 years now! Currently I serve as a 5th grade dual language teacher in the Denison Community School District. In the past, I have also taught kindergarten, third grade, and newcomer language learners. Although I am a fairly new member of ICTM, due to great mentors and role models in the early stages of my career I have become a strong believer in effective, equitable, and accessible math instruction for all students across our state. Working with students at the elementary level has truly opened my eyes to how young and vulnerable learners intake and perceive mathematical instruction. I am a firm believer, and advocate, that the way we approach the finer details of our instruction in the classroom can, and will, have a lasting impact on the development of our students. 

Outside of my professional life, my wife, Haley, and I have two Siberian huskies that keep us on our toes (Niya and Peach). We also enjoy traveling, hiking, biking, cooking, and record hunting for music of all genres.

Anna Scholl

I currently work as a K-5 senior curriculum developer for Amplify. Prior to working at Amplify, I taught high school for 8 years in the Cedar Rapids area and earned my Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction (Educational Technology) from Iowa State. I also became a Desmos Fellow in 2016 and love sharing ideas about how to incorporate technology in mathematics classrooms to support students discovering and discussing mathematical ideas. I am passionate about improving math education so that all students see themselves as doers of mathematics. Outside of math education, I love to immerse myself in stories through book, television, music, or movie and play games, especially with my two kids Grace (15) and Tim (13) and husband Josh.

Valerie Sitzmann

Hello! I have been an Iowa educator for 27 years (24 years in a middle school classroom and 3 years as a Math Consultant for NWAEA). In the classroom, I enjoyed the challenge of making all students feel like they were mathematicians as well as assisting all students to be successful with math. As an educational consultant, I now get to share my love of math with other educators and get the privilege to work with students of all ages.

I am a relatively new member of the ICTM Board, only serving 3 years, but I have been a longtime ICTM and NCTM member; I am also an Iowa Core Advocate and a member of the State Math Leadership Team. Getting to meet and work with other math educators from across the state and meet leaders in mathematics education has been the highlight of my time on the ICTM Board.

I live with my husband in an empty nest in Kingsley. We enjoy golfing, home improvement projects, spending time at the lake, and traveling to national parks.

Stephanie Steines

I started my career in 1998 teaching science at a small high school in southern Minnesota. Three short years later I started the job I have held since then teaching mathematics, my real passion, at Decorah High School. Over the years I have taught a variety of courses including Algebra, Algebra 2, FST (Functions, Statistics and Trigonometry), Precalculus, and AP Statistics. My goal in the classroom is to create an active learning environment in which my students are engaged in discourse with one another to develop mathematical understanding. I encourage a growth mindset and learning from mistakes to build a stronger understanding of the concepts involved. I have been a member of ICTM and NCTM for many years and have participated in the AP Statistics Reading every summer since 2014. Away from school I enjoy reading, singing, watching movies with my husband, and following my four children in their many and varied activities.

Appointed Positions

Deidra Baker, Marilyn Zweng Memorial Fund & Grants Committee Chair

I currently teach Statistics and Geometry at Mid-Prairie High School. This is my 30th year teaching in Iowa. I am married and live on an acreage in Southeast Iowa with my husband, our horses and dog. I have 2 children - my daughter is in Medical School and my son just graduated from UNI and is planning to teach industrial technology.

I enjoy teaching all levels of math and working with students. I have been the Great Prairie AEA rep for ICTM, as well as The Journal editor and previous ICTM president. I have presented at state and national math conferences. I love learning and strive to be a better teacher every day.

Christi Donald, Iowa Department of Education Representative

Currently, I serve as a mathematics consultant at the Iowa Department of Education. I started my teaching career as a high school mathematics teacher in West Des Moines. After 12 years in the classroom, I joined Des Moines Public Schools where I served as a school improvement leader in a K-8 building, high school improvement leader, and secondary mathematics coordinator. I love working with Iowa educators to improve mathematics instruction for all students! I know the Iowa mathematics community will work together to keep as many doors open for Iowa students as possible.

I am a proud mom of a chemical engineer and a software engineer student. In my free time, I enjoy solving logic problems, going to the theater, and finding new shows to watch on various streaming platforms.

Veronica Herrera, Student Representative

April Pforts, Social Media Coordinator

I have been a member of NCTM for about 20 years, and a member of ICTM for about 10 years. I have taught middle and high school mathematics in Iowa for 10 years before becoming the mathematics consultant at the DE. I love leading mathematics educators because I am able to impact students through their teachers, coaches, and administrators. I want students in Iowa to be the best problem solvers in the world. I want mathematics to never be the barrier for a student to go after their dreams.

I love to binge watch Net-flicks, travel, and hang with my family. Representing and serving the state of Iowa at the national level is both rewarding and humbling.

Angie Shindelar, Sponsorship Coordinator

My passion is supporting teachers and students in teaching and learning math in meaningful ways that build understanding and provide equitable opportunities for all students to be successful and enjoy their learning. As an NCTM and ICTM member for over 20 years, I find great value in the learning and sharing of ideas and support from both organizations. The digital age has provided even more opportunities to build the Math Community. I love learning from the many classroom teacher leaders around the country that share their work with the world. My teaching experience includes many years as a 7/8 math teacher with Nodaway Valley CSD and recently as a 6th math teacher with Des Moines Public Schools, an elementary/middle school instructional coach with the Des Moines Public Schools, and a K-8 math consultant with Green Hills AEA. I am also a certified facilitator for Illustrative Mathematics and enjoy working with math educators all over the country in my recent retirement from full-time employment. IM, ICTM and three small grandchildren keep me very busy!!

Deb Tvrdik, Treasurer

I have been a member of ICTM for over 40 years and have served on the board in various positions. I began as a regional director in AEA 3. In addition to my present position, I have served as President, NCTM representative, and Journal Editor. Serving on the board has allowed me to meet many dedicated math educators from across the state. The interaction with others has always been a source of inspiration and has challenged me to keep current with the best practices in mathematics education.

I received my BA from the University of Northern Iowa and my MSM from Iowa State University. I began my teaching career in Algona at the middle school and then taught high school math at Paton Churdan. The majority of my career was as a high school math teacher at Fort Dodge Senior High. Presently, I am an online Statistics instructor for University of Upper Iowa and Iowa Central Community College. I still love seeing students have those “aha” moments.

My husband and I were both career educators and have 2 adult children who are both married. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my 3 grandchildren! Being semi-retired has allowed me to travel and play duplicate bridge at the tournament level.

Wendy Weber, Secretary

My BA, MA, PhD are all  in mathematics, and I have been teaching mathematics at Central College in Pella for 26 years. All courses I teach are my favorites which include Calculus I and Geometry. Recently, I began teaching our Intro to Information Management course which uses Excel to analyzes and manipulates data to inform decision-making.  I especially enjoy teaching reading, writing, and speaking mathematics. I also enjoy attending the Grading Conference (online) each June and exploring alternative grading systems (mostly for post-secondary teachers). I keep learning new methods, refining them, and striving to Keep it Simple!

To satisfy my artistic side, I do counted cross-stitch.  I’m working on a geometric design that I can't wait to hang in my office at Central College.  Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my son, Jonathan (17), and husband, Tom.