at the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens
Jeff Mozena is retired President/CEO, and current Chairman of the Board of Premier Bank, Dubuque, Iowa.
JEFF MOZENA
The controller at Home + Floor Show in Dubuque, Dawn Bandy is a recent graduate of the University of Dubuque’s Life program, earning a Master of Business Administration degree in April 2022, in addition to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting in 1999.
DAWN BANDY
The Founder and Collaborative Strategist for Focus Forward, LLC, Wendy brings a depth and breadth of business and nonprofit expertise and experience in campaign management, organizational leadership, fundraising, strategic thinking, and best practices. With more than 37 years of experience in healthcare, higher education, and banking, she takes sound business principles and applies them to help move organizations toward greater effectiveness and efficiency in achieving outcomes.
WENDY KNIGHT
Marsha Abbott is a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments in Dubuque, Iowa. Prior to working at the firm, she graduated summa cum laude and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in both Finance and Real Estate at the University of Northern Iowa.
Residing in Dubuque with her husband, Brad, and their three children, Lexy, Gavin and Claire, they enjoy skiing, watching movies, and just spending time together as a family.
MARSHA ABBOTT
Debi Butler is the imagination behind The Wanderwood Gardens, an immersive woodland playground for day-dreamers of all ages, where people of all ages can come to connect with nature and each other. Its inspiration stems from Debi and Andy Butlers' granddaughters and their love for flowers and nature. The Butlers dreamt of a place where their family could explore, play, and enjoy the beauty of nature. The result is The Wanderwood Gardens. Currently, in the early stages of construction, The Wanderwood Gardens will be connected to the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens and promises to be a place full of joy and imagination for visitors for many years to come. Debi holds multiple degrees in Psychology: an M.A. from Loras College and a B.A. from Augustana College. Throughout the years, she has been active in community organizations focusing on mental health and brain health. The benefits of being outdoors have been integral to Debi's personal and professional growth.
DEBI BUTLER
Merlin Green grew up on a farm in southwest Minnesota, learning to drive a tractor at the age of 5!
After completing a degree in Agricultural Engineering at the University of Minnesota, he and his wife Jo moved to Dubuque where Merlin began his employment at the John Deere Dubuque Works in the product engineering department. Most of his career involved developing software for the rapid analysis of field test data.
MERLIN GREEN
Lynne Hager is Vice President of Marketing at MidWestOne Bank.
LYNNE HAGER
Raised in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin, Tim Loeffelholz earned a bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems from Clarke University and also holds a master's degree in Organizational Leadership from Fort Hays State University. Since 2005, he has been the Regional Service Manager at UnityPoint Health - Dubuque. Married to Kim in 2005, he has two daughters and four granddaughters. In 2016 he became a Master Gardener.
TIM LOEFFELHOLZ
Anna Roling is a seasoned professional with a rich background in Human Resources, Operations Management, and Economic Development. Anna currently serves as the Executive Assistant at the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation.
A proud graduate of Loras College, Anna holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Business Administration. She recently served on the Tri-State Human Resources Association (SHRM affiliate) board for five years in Treasurer and President roles. She resides in Dubuque with her husband, son, and two French bulldogs. Outside of work and family, she enjoys reading, travel, outdoor adventures, home design projects, and volunteering with impactful organizations in the community.
ANNA ROLING
Steve Ulstad, AIA (Ulstad Architects), has provided professional services (Architecture, Landscape Design, Interior Design) to the Dubuque area since 1982.
Married to Jane for 45 years, they have four grown children and seven active grandchildren.
STEVE ULSTAD
The founder of the nonprofit organization, Two by Two Character Development, Kristin Woodward-Vaassen's passion to help people, animals, and the environment began in the mid-80s while teaching elementary students. After 20 years in the classroom, Kristin was motivated to inspire good character in all children, thus the Kindhearted Kids Program evolved and is now impacting children throughout thirty-one states.
KRISTIN WOODWARD-VAASSEN
Jenna Hirtz started as the second director for the Dubuque Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in the fall of 2021. Her previous work experience:
Her schooling began at Northeast Iowa Community College, where she earned an associate’s degree in Accounting. She then transferred to the University of Dubuque where she completed a bachelor’s in Accounting, Business, and Human Resource Management as well as a Master of Business Administration.
JENNA HIRTZ
Laura, a graduate of Loras College with a B.A. in Communication, was hired as the DABG’s first Office Coordinator in February 2023. In her new role as Events & Marketing Coordinator,
LAURA PAULY
Marisa began her studies at Northeastern Iowa Community College, where she earned her associate's degree, then went on to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where she graduated with a bachelor's degree in Biology focusing on Zoology.
In addition to teaching in the Dubuque and Western Dubuque Community School Districts, she also served as an Aquarist and Volunteer Coordinator (Living Collections) at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium.
In her leisure time, she enjoys creating lasting memories with her husband and two children through shared adventures.
MARISA FOSTER
Ann Merizon's plant and landscape journey began with a job in a small family-owned nursery. She then achieved a Level 2 Master Gardener certification while living in Kalispell, Montana. After returning to the Midwest, Ann earned an A.A. in Landscape Horticulture with an emphasis in Landscape Maintenance. This led to various roles in the industry and ultimately her own landscape maintenance business.
Previous work experience includes:
Ann also holds a B.S. in Elementary Education.
ANN MERIZON
Recently retired from East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA), Lisa served as Director of Finance and Administration for 21 years. Prior to her time at ECIA, she was Finance Director for the Dubuque Community Y. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and is a licensed CPA. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Lisa and her husband Bob currently live in Epworth.
LISA WEINHOLD