Speakers

Mikayla Sullivan is CEO and co-founder of KinoSol SBC, where she leads a growing team of passionate individuals who are all focused on playing their part in creating a positive global impact. Mikayla holds degrees from Iowa State University in Global Resource Systems and Public Service and Administration in Agriculture. Aside from KinoSol, Mikayla serves as an Entrepreneur in Residence with the Startup Factory, a 52-week super accelerator program based in the Iowa State University Research Park. She is also a Laureate Global Fellow through the International Youth Foundation, an Entrepreneur Organization of Iowa Fellow, and an avid obstacle course racer.

A Rotarian since 1989, Chris was a charter member of the Rotary Club of Iowa City A.M., its treasurer for 8 years and club president 2000-01.  Chris’s Rotary focus has been international in both scope and action. At the club level Chris has been the club’s Youth Exchange Officer and Youth Exchange Counselor and the club’s counselor to four Ambassadorial Scholars and the club’s inbound GSE team liaison.  Both he and Vernette participated in the IowaMOST (Iowa Miles of Smiles – cleft-lip and cleft-palate surgeries Team) to Guatemala.  Vernette, has been a Rotarian since 2013 has been actively engaged in all of these activities since 1990.  To date, these two Rotarians have hosted 8 exchange students. Chris and Vernette are Paul Harris Fellows, Paul Harris Society and Bequest Society members and Rotary Foundation Major Donors.

In 1991, Chris became a “member for life” of the district’s Youth Exchange Committee.  He has served as District 6000 Treasurer and is currently on the district’s RYLA committee and Iowa RYLA, a District 5970-6000 joint one-week RYLA experience. From 2006 to 2014 he led the district’s Youth Exchange Committee.  He also served a year as an Assistant Governor.  Chris was the 2016-2017 District Governor for District 6000.  He has now accepted a three-year appointment as the chair of the District 6000 Foundation Committee.

Outside of District 6000 he will become president of South Central Rotary Youth Exchange (SCRYE) 2020-2021.  Chris just recently joined the North Central PETS executive committee.  Chris is a member of the board of directors of Rag4Clubfoot. 

They attended the 2013 Rotary Peace Conference in Honolulu. Additionally, they have attended Rotary International pre-conventions and conventions in Buenos Aries, Chicago, Salt Lake City, New Orleans, and Sao Paulo, Seoul and Atlanta.    They look forward to attending the 2018 Toronto convention.

He and Vernette are looking forward to serving Rotary for many years.

Kristin Pates, campaign director at United Way of Story County, is committed to inspiring people to join the fight for health, education, and financial stability of Story County. In her work with United Way, she is able connect caring people with meaningful ways to fund essential services for the betterment of the community.  She enjoys communicating the vision of United Way in large or small settings to share her enthusiasm for giving, advocating and volunteering.

Since joining the United Way team in February 2009, Kristin has trained hundreds of volunteers on how to convey the mission and vision of the organization and explain the strength of the United Way network. Kristin’s leadership, and that of dedicated volunteers, have helped grow United Way of Story County’s annual campaign by over 40% in eight years. During her term United Way of Story County rebranded to align with national standards, began a young donor affinity group, and expanded its Tocqueville Society by 600%. The successes in the annual drive mean increased fund allocation to help with several priority projects, including grade level reading, summer enrichment and education, homelessness prevention, and access to essential health services.

Prior to United Way Kristin was the executive director of a non-profit arboretum. Her educational background is in communication arts with an emphasis in public relations. Kristin’s volunteering includes serving eight years on the advisory board of Story County Community Foundation to strengthen endowment building in Iowa, as well as multiple terms on both Young Professionals of Ames and Friends of Roosevelt Park boards.