Speakers

Ann Rehbein became Executive Director of the Quilts of Valor Foundation September 1, 2015. She began her association with QOVF when she coordinated a sew day for the American Legion Auxiliary of Iowa. It was a day when all members could come together, whether they knew anything about quilting or not. It was an “Under Our Wings” day when Marianne Fons joined them for the day and took two “rookies” under her wings and made a Quilt of Valor. From that day on, Ann has been heavily involved with QOV.

She is a graduate of Iowa State University with a B.S. degree in home economics and has extensive leadership and managerial strengths. Her business career includes owning a successful chocolate manufacturing and retail business, an executive secretary for a non-profit organization and a buyer for a large manufacturing facility. She has served in many local, state and national positions for the American Legion Auxiliary.

Petrina Jackson began her duties as head of special collections and university archives on April 18. Jackson, who earned a master's degree in English from Iowa State in 1994, returns to her alma mater after serving as head of instruction and outreach at the University of Virginia's special collections library since 2008.

Jackson oversees the acquisition, preservation and availability of items in the university library's special collections and archives -- including printed materials, digital files and artifacts. Her office is located in 403 Parks Library. She can be reached by phone (294-8270) and email (pjackson@iastate.edu).

Billi Hunt has been named the Executive Director of the Cultivation Corridor. Hunt brings 20 years of experience working for one of the leading agriculture companies in the state.

Hunt joins the Cultivation Corridor after working as the Government Affairs Manager — U.S. Central Region for DuPont. The U.S. Central Region includes Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. In this role, she supported DuPont’s global business through state-level advocacy, public policy initiatives and government-related business collaborations. She represented DuPont’s business in a number of community and industry-related organizations, including the Iowa Business Council, the United Way of Central Iowa, the Iowa Biotech Association, the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the College of Human Sciences at Iowa State University and the Iowa Association of Business and Industry.