As April showers give way to May flowers, I’m also celebrating a personal milestone—my one-year anniversary at IowaBio! It’s hard to believe it’s already been 12 months since I stepped into this role and became part of Iowa’s dynamic biotech community. Reflecting on the prior year, I’m filled with gratitude for the experiences and the people I’ve met along the way.

Over the past 12 months, I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with so many of our incredible members, touring facilities, and continuously being inspired by the innovative work happening across our state. I’ve also had the opportunity to attend a number of exciting industry events, including Bio Innovations Midwest, Ag Startup Engine’s Unconference, and the Council of State Bioscience Associations Summit in December. I’m especially looking forward to my first BIO International Convention in Boston this June—please let us know if you’ll be attending!

One of the highlights of my year has been working with the STEM Committee to strengthen Iowa’s STEM pipeline. From the State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa, to the American Heart Association’s STEM Goes Red event, and most recently, the FFA State Leadership Convention and Ag Biotech Competition, it’s been a joy to support initiatives that spark student interest in science and innovation. Right now, we’re in the process of pairing our five Future Biotech Leaders Scholarship recipients with IowaBio member companies for our inaugural Biotech Workplace Experience program this summer. You can stay in the loop on our STEM efforts by subscribing to our new quarterly STEM newsletter. I’m excited for what’s ahead and for the opportunity to explore even more partnerships and fresh ideas with the committee!

Over the past year, I also had the chance to utilize my background in event coordination to plan everything from board and committee meetings to our annual golf tournament. It was especially rewarding working with the IBSC Committee to bring the annual Iowa Biotech Showcase and Conference to life.

Thank you to everyone who has shared their time, insights, and expertise with me over the past year. I’m grateful to be part of this community and look forward to what the future holds. If we haven’t met yet—I hope we will soon!