|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Good morning, Fearless readers:
If you need a break from some of the more intense news stories happening right now, you'll enjoy this newsletter sharing the work of some incredible women and gender-diverse folks.
In this week’s Fearless e-newsletter, you will find:
- A story about Pleasant Hill Fire Chief Jamie Lee.
- An introduction to some of our 2025 Forty Under 40 class.
- In the headlines: Nicole Crain was appointed to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100.
- Register for our first Fearless Focus event of 2025 at noon on April 17.
- Lots more!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leading through practice: How a local female fire chief grew as a leader
|
|
|
| BY MACEY SHOFROTH, FEARLESS EDITOR
|
|
|
|
|
| Chief Jamie Lee. Contributed photo.
|
|
|
Early in her career as a firefighter, Pleasant Hill Fire Chief Jamie Lee hadn’t envisioned herself leading the department. But the former chief of the Pleasant Hill Fire Department told her she was going to be a fire chief someday.
"I laughed at him. I’m like, ‘Nope, not me. You’re talking to the wrong person,’" Lee said.
He was right. In 2018, Lee became the interim chief of the Pleasant Hill department. She became the official chief in 2019.
This resistance to recognizing oneself as a leader is common in women. Former CEO of Business Publications Corp. Suzanna de Baca recently wrote about the phenomenon, called the Leader-Identity/Competence Paradox, for Fearless. Even when they’ve proven their aptitude, women are still less likely than men to self-identify as leaders.
It took time for Lee to believe in her own capabilities. But after completing three degrees and beginning her Ph.D. in seven years and proving herself a leader for her department, she no longer doubts where she belongs.
"Once they gave me that interim job and put me in that leadership role, and I sat here behind this desk and did everything that I thought I could not do, that’s what triggered in my mind that I can do this," Lee said.
Servant leadership
As a kid, Lee always wanted to be
an ambulance driver when she grew up.
She received her EMT certification in 1997 and her paramedic certification in 2001 and got set to work on a career of helping others. She dispatched the medical helicopter at Iowa Methodist Medical Center before becoming a 911 dispatcher for the sheriff’s office.
It was during this job that she met Ryan Hill, a trainer at the sheriff's office and a captain with the Pleasant Hill Fire Department.
"I didn’t really have fire as a goal of mine," Lee said. "My husband at the time and I were going to build a house, and [Hill] talked me into looking in Pleasant Hill over by him. So in 2006, we moved out to Pleasant Hill and I got on the department."
She continued to work full time as a 911 dispatcher while focusing on the emergency medical services aspect of the fire department part time. She gained her Fire I and Fire II certifications and started moving up the chain of command.
When the department chief decided to retire in 2018, she offered to serve as the interim chief while the city worked on hiring someone new.
"I just told him, ‘I’m here. I just want this department to continue to move forward. I’m here to do anything I can do to help you,’" Lee said. She continued working full time as a dispatcher as she stepped into the full-time interim chief role.
From the beginning, Lee wanted to be a servant leader. She saw the growth her department was making, hiring more full-time firefighters and working toward building a new substation, and she wanted to do her part in keeping that momentum.
That leadership shone brightly early on in her stint as interim chief when severe flash flooding threatened her town. She was on vacation with her son in St. Louis when she received a call at 11 p.m. requesting the use of her department’s boats.
She packed up her son and drove through the night to help protect Pleasant Hill from the water.
"That day is what changed my mind. That’s the day I’m like, ‘I can do this. I want to do this,’" she said.
Lee kept the interim chief position for longer than she had originally anticipated. It served as a sort of on-the-job interview where she was able to show she had the ability to take the job full time.
She did just that in 2019. Today, she’s one of four female fire chiefs in Iowa, three of which are in the Des Moines metro area. She serves as vice president of the Polk County Fire Chiefs Association alongside Jenn Porter, the association’s president and chief of the Norwalk fire department.
"Back when I first got into the EMT and fire service, at a majority of the agencies there were never women. The number of females has increased tremendously in the last 25 to 30 years, and I think you’re going to see that a lot more," Lee said.
Striving for more
When she decided to put her name in for the full-time chief job, Lee knew she needed to expand her education. Even if the Pleasant Hill department didn’t hire her for the job, she wanted to become a fire chief somewhere, and that required at least an associate’s degree.
Her
educational journey expanded much further. She completed her associate’s in fire science while working full time as both a dispatcher and the interim fire chief as a single mom. Next she earned her bachelor’s degree in fire science and then decided to achieve a master’s degree in organizational leadership and public administration.
Today, she’s pursuing her Ph.D. in organizational leadership. Her dissertation explores women leaders in the fire service.
"What I’m focusing a lot on is why women
struggle getting into the fire service and why are they struggling climbing the ladder to that leadership role," Lee said.
Lee often encounters assumptions about who should be in that leadership role. People often will request to speak to the chief, more specifically asking to speak to "him." When she arrives on the scene of an incident, people will frequently defer to her male assistant chief.
However, she says people are normally more comfortable talking with her once they understand she’s in
charge. She’s earned the respect of her crews by showing her dedication through action and reliability.
"I take blame for anything that happens here, because I’m the leader," she said. "I’m just as responsible for them as they are for themselves."
Lee plans to continue in a leadership position once she’s able to retire from the department. She has some interest in going back to 911 dispatching and leading there.
No matter where she ends up, she remains dedicated to a people-first leadership approach.
"It doesn’t matter if I’m a female or a male. It’s about doing the job and knowing your people and being there for your people," Lee said. "I want to make sure that each one of those members are taken care of."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Meet some of the women and gender-diverse people from our 2025 Forty Under 40 class
|
|
|
Krystal Mikkilineni
Shareholder, Dentons Davis Brown
Tell us about an issue you think more people should know about.
There are many people living with medical conditions that are considered invisible diseases — diseases that aren’t recognizable just by looking at someone. There needs to be more consideration for these types of diseases and increased understanding for those suffering from them. I served on the Lupus Foundation of America in which I raised funds and awareness of lupus, one of these invisible diseases.
|
|
|
Erin Moran
Senior director of communications, Young Women's Resource Center
What's one piece of advice you'd give to a young professional?
My advice for a young person is to move intentionally, but not rigidly. Determining where you would like your career to go and setting specific goals is important, but it’s also imperative to leave room for unexpected opportunities and allow yourself to change your path.
|
|
|
Max Mowitz
Executive director, One Iowa and One Iowa Action
Pronouns: he/they
What is one thing you would like to see Central Iowa leaders address, and why?
I would love to see leaders focus and meaningfully address houselessness in our community. Whether it’s advocating for better pay and benefits for workers, putting pressure on state governments to increase access to affordable housing or getting involved in an organization that meets the needs of houseless folks, this is an issue that affects us all. Houseless folks deserve respect, autonomy and support.
|
|
|
Kaity Patchett
Executive director, Capital Crossroads
What's an experience or memory that influenced how you saw the world or what you wanted to do in life?
Working in a congressional office deepened my understanding of shared values, not division. Meeting with Iowans from all walks of life revealed common aspirations: supporting their families and creating opportunities for their children. It reinforced that we can have differing perspectives and still have more in common than we think.
|
|
|
Jessie Phillips
Chief development officer, Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa
What are your aspirations for the future?
I’m excited for 100+ Women Who Care to surpass $1 million in donations to local charities! Our board is focused on expanding membership and growing our impact, ensuring more Central Iowa nonprofits receive the critical funding they need to serve our community.
|
|
|
Danielle Propst
Planner, ISG
What's one regular habit that's made you successful?
Traveling and immersing myself in different environments. Seeing how things are done elsewhere inspires me to think differently and create better experiences for people. This has been incredibly informative in my work guiding communities to envision and plan for their future.
|
|
|
Becky Reif
Attorney, Ahlers & Cooney PC
What's your biggest passion, and why?
My biggest passion is quite honestly "slow food" and sustainability. In the last five or six years in particular, I have worked on building skills and practices to improve my and my family’s lives, and to make a positive impact on the food chain and environment. I grow and make much of my own food (veggies, fruit, eggs, chicken, honey, sourdough, etc.), and my husband and I are always looking for ways to be self-sufficient and benefit our environment. I am very invested in the "slow food" and sustainability movement for all the good it can bring to my family and the plants, animals and world around me.
|
|
|
Alyssa Saunders
Vice president of operations, Anthologic
What's one piece of advice you'd give to a young professional?
My advice to a young professional would be to focus more on moving forward and taking chances than on always being "right." It can feel like everyone else has the answers, but being brave enough to try, learn from mistakes and adapt is what truly drives growth and success.
|
|
|
Anna Squier
Associate principal and architect, MA Architecture
What's an experience or memory that influenced how you saw the world or what you wanted to do in life?
In my mid-20s, I changed career paths from traditional practice, started a jewelry business, then a design studio and editorial writing. Those formative three years taught me about business, design and the importance of community. They directly affected my decision to join the firm I am at today.
|
|
|
Jillian Williams
Associate general counsel, Hubbell Realty Co.
What is one thing you would like to see Central Iowa leaders address, and why?
Leaders from all sectors need to refocus and address the development and management of affordable housing. This ensures a stable, steady and strong workforce that has access to a way of life that makes sense for their families and their needs and can help our communities thrive.
|
|
|
Jami Yoder
Business development associate, Sammons Financial Group
Tell us about an issue you think more people should know about.
Many minority communities lack access to proper insurance and retirement resources, which limits long-term financial security. Educating and providing tailored resources for these groups is crucial to closing the wealth gap and ensuring everyone has a chance to plan for their future, regardless of their background.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"WHAT YOU DO MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND YOU HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF DIFFERENCE YOU WANT TO MAKE."
JANE GOODALL
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Crain appointed to U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100. Iowa Association of Business and Industry president Nicole Crain has been appointed to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Committee of 100. The Committee of 100 is a distinguished group of chamber executives and business leaders from across the country who advise the U.S. Chamber's board of directors. "It is an honor to represent Iowa on the U.S. Chamber’s Committee of 100. I look forward to collaborating with other chamber leaders to shape policies and initiatives that strengthen businesses both in our state and across the nation. This opportunity allows me to bring Iowa’s business voice to the national stage and contribute to meaningful discussions that
impact our economy," Crain said in a prepared statement.
Iowa gave $1 million to 7 anti-abortion pregnancy centers. How they're spending the money. The Des Moines Register reviewed how seven anti-abortion pregnancy centers have used the nearly $1 million they received from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. The funding comes from the
More Options for Maternal Support, or the MOMs program. Lawmakers allocated $2 million to establish the program and fund centers that offer resources and alternatives to abortion. These centers provide counseling and pregnancy support services including parenting classes, referrals for adoption and counseling.
First Community Trust promotes Jenna Walleser to chief investment officer. Dubuque-based First Community Trust promoted Jenna Walleser to chief investment officer, effective April 1. Walleser currently serves as the senior investment officer and will
replace former CIO John Gonner, whom she has worked beside for the last three years. FCT services include investment management, retirement planning, and trust and estate administration, according to a press release. Meet the woman hired to lure workers to Cedar Rapids area. Jodi Schafer began working in January as the talent attraction director for the Collaborative Growth Initiative, a partnership between Cedar Rapids, Hiawatha, Marion and the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance. The organization aims to expand the local labor force. Schafer has nearly 20 years of experience in career counseling and development, worker
recruitment and retention, strategic planning, and leadership training. Schafer aims to attract "boomerang" residents, or people who moved away from Iowa but have interest in returning, back to the area, according to a story by the Gazette.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
‘It’s all been scrapped’: Women in wildland firefighting bootcamps canceled after DEI cuts (The 19th). The hidden costs of caregiving: meet the kids taking care of wounded veterans (The War Horse). Gender pay gap progress flatlines as support for pay equity falters, report finds (HR Dive). Couples most likely to divorce share a common economic trait, research shows (Fortune). Track and field to be first Olympic sport requiring DNA sex tests for women (New York Times). Ricki Fairley on her fight to get more Black women into cancer drug trials (CBS News).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Join us Thursday, April 17, from 12 to 1 p.m. for our first Fearless Focus Virtual Event of the year!
Business ownership: Women share their entrepreneurship journeys
The 2024 Wells Fargo Impact of Women-Owned Businesses Report showed that women-owned businesses employ almost 12.2 million people and that the number of women-owned businesses between 2019 and 2023 increased at nearly double the rate of those
owned by men. But several obstacles still disproportionately affect women business owners, including lack of access to capital, child care challenges and mentoring opportunities. In this discussion, women business owners from across the state will share how they started their businesses, the struggles they’ve faced and what we can do to support entrepreneurs.
Panelists:
Alyx Coble-Frakes, CEO, the Agenda Period
Alicia Jaime, co-owner and president, International Veterinary Supplies
Gabriella Torres, Clinton, Iowa-based artist and consultant
LaDrina Wilson, founder and CEO, Iman Consulting
Register for the event today!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At its core, Fearless exists to help empower Iowa women to succeed in work and life. We believe that everyone has a story to share and that we cannot progress as a society unless we know about one another. We share stories through featuring women in our reporting, featuring guest contributions and speakers at our events.
We are always looking for new stories to share and people to feature. Get in touch with us!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Like this newsletter? Please forward to a friend!
Did someone share this newsletter with you? Sign up here.
|
|
|
|
|
