Fearless 4.28.25

Good morning, Fearless readers:

Last weekend, I ran my first ever half marathon during the Drake Road Races alongside one of my childhood best friends.

It was difficult. I briefly considered quitting around mile eight, right before I was surprised by a seemingly never ending hill at mile 10 that I was not prepared for. But we finished, slowly but surely, and it felt great to run across that finish line.

My friend and I both have Type 1 diabetes, so it made running the long race a bit more difficult. This half marathon was our promise to be fearless in the face of our chronic illness and more miles than either of us had ever ran.

How are you going to be fearless this year?

In this week’s Fearless e-newsletter, you will find:

Coverage of our 2025 survey on the status of gender equity in Iowa.
A story about Nicole Crain, Iowa Association of Business and Industry president.
In the headlines: The Rollins Mansion will host author/speaker Liz Nead on May 15.
In case you missed it: How Swan, a DSM organization, is empowering Black and brown youths.
Lots more!

— Macey Shofroth, Fearless editor

Editor's note: This is the second part of coverage from our 2025 survey on the status of gender equity in Iowa. We will feature parts of the survey throughout the year.

In our 2025 survey on the status of gender equity in Iowa, women often cited balance as an issue they face at work. Balancing their work and personal lives, others' perceptions and their own goals, or their self expression with institutional customs and expectations.

Respondents made it clear that they believe flexibility and transparency may be key in alleviating the pressures women face to be everything, for everyone.

Learn more about what respondents told us below and check out full coverage of the survey online.

What are the biggest challenges, obstacles or barriers that you and other women face at work?
This question includes only answers from women and nonbinary respondents.

"I believe one of the biggest challenges women face at work continues to be balancing company and personal demands. Employers and our society have great strides to make in supporting women who often play the role of primary caregiver. These come at the macro level with nationwide paid and sufficient maternity leave, at the meso level with companywide policies around maternity leave and flexible work hours, and at the micro level with understanding, flexibility and adjusted expectations from managers."

"The never-ending balancing of work and family life. Specifically for women who may have responsibilities for taking care of young children while also taking care of aging parents."

"The likeability factor that men don’t have to deal with. The idea that my emotions actually hinder my ability to do a job. Getting mansplained over. Facing ‘the good old boys club.’ Male managers can grab a drink with male employees after work, but women aren’t invited. Double standard for recognition, pay, etc. Respect given just because it’s a man versus someone with more competency. Having to qualify a decision I’ve made instead of it just being taken at face value."

"Salary. No matter how successful a woman is in her position it is hard to make a similar salary as a man in her position. It seems women have to work much harder to get the salary they deserve."

"Being credited for ideas and contribution is an ongoing issue. I think that oftentimes this is the result of some deep bias and it’s hard for a woman to challenge it without coming off as confrontational."

What changes to workplace policies and practices would help women succeed in the workforce?

"Design policies and practices with equity, flexibility and long-term career growth in mind. Provide flexible work arrangements, parental/family leave support, leadership/advancement opportunities, health care and wellness support, foster an inclusive culture, pay transparency and equity. Basically, create an environment where women are valued, supported and provided advancement/leadership opportunities."

"Encouragement of all employees to engage in family activities, care for children, pets and aging parents. Family commitments are not only a female issue."

"Child care benefits. We should establish and incentivize – but not mandate – flexible work hour arrangements for child care challenges."

"Transparency and equality in pay grades and job positions."

"Be flexible. Offer the ability to work remotely sometimes, as needed, or always. Offer autonomy and trust your employees. Women – like men – need to stay home with a sick kid sometimes. Don’t let that be the reason you lose a great employee. Don’t make them use PTO to take care of health-related appointments or family emergencies. Build in policies and procedures that support work-life balance, flexibility. Make sure you have a wellness room for breastfeeding moms, and do not punish or require them to pump on a set schedule."

Nicole Crain found a good fit in her work at the Iowa Association of Business and Industry as the organization focuses on two of her top career passions: businesses and the state of Iowa.

She grew up in Blockton, a town of 125 people in southwest Iowa, where she developed a love for the state, and when she was a kid, she helped out with the family-owned restaurant, igniting an understanding and love for small businesses.

"The passion that I have for this organization, the members; I truly believe in what they do and the people they employ, and how they’re so integral and critical to Iowa being a sustainable, better state," Crain said. "We need these businesses, and we need organizations like ABI to represent them."

ABI, founded in 1903, is a statewide business association that supports a variety of industries and connects businesses through lobbying efforts, continued education and networking opportunities. ABI hosts events throughout the year, from legislative updates to educational webinars and its annual Taking Care of Business Conference, which this year is June 10-12 in Council Bluffs.

Crain’s history at ABI has made her knowledgeable not only of ABI’s mission and priorities, but of its member companies as well.

She joined ABI as director of government relations in 2007, serving until 2011. After a year as president of the Iowa Taxpayers Association, she returned to ABI in 2012 as senior vice president of public policy and vice president of government relations. She was promoted to executive vice president in 2019. Crain began her term as president on Jan. 1, filling the role held for nearly two decades by Mike Ralston.

Crain has dedicated much of her career to public policy and governmental relations. She studied political science and management at Simpson College, graduating magna cum laude, and was recognized as an outstanding alum in 2011. After college, she spent almost two years in Washington, D.C., working on federal issues for global agribusiness companies at the lobbying firm Lesher & Russell. She also worked in government affairs at Associated Builders and Contractors of Iowa.

Throughout the years, Crain has actively volunteered, mentoring young people and serving on boards. She serves as a board member for the Iowa Women’s Foundation, Business Industry Political Action Committee and Simpson College. She was recently appointed to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Committee of 100, a group of chamber executives and business leaders from across the country who advise the U.S. Chamber’s board of directors on lobbying, programming and outreach. The Business Record sat down with Crain to discuss her career and new role.

This Q&A has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

What do you bring to this role?

I think passion for ABI and passion for Iowa, passion for ABI members. I grew up in rural Iowa and went to school in Bedford, Simpson for college. I went away for a very short amount of time, but I love the state. I appreciate how much members, how much companies – especially those small to midsized family-owned businesses – the decision they make every day to employ people, to invest in their companies to grow, to invest in their communities, to keep those communities sustainable and help them.

What does ABI do for businesses?

We were founded in 1903 as the Manufacturers Association; we were founded as an advocacy organization for manufacturers. As we look at state policies that are proposed or initiatives that are being discussed, we look at it from the lens of how is this going to affect the business climate in the state? How is this going to affect the people who employ individuals each and every day?

We have a grassroots process of 300 members who participate in our policy development process. When our policy experts are up at the Capitol representing ABI, they’re not representing their positions, they’re not representing the ABI staff position, they’re representing the positions of members, and so advocacy is a big thing that we do.

And also, connecting. Connecting people through our conferences, but connecting businesses to one another through introductions, through our communications, to help them learn from one another about challenges and opportunities they see in their businesses, but also how to grow their business; best-practice sharing. That’s a big part of what we do. That happens at our annual conference, it happens at our manufacturing conference, but we’ll get a call from a member like, 'Oh, I’m having a shortage of warehouse space. Do you know anyone that does this?' Or, 'Do you know anyone that does co-manufacturing?' We have this statewide network in all 99 counties that we’re able to help businesses connect with suppliers, to connect with other vendors and just do business with one another.

There’s the foundation, too. ABI created the foundation in the 1980s with our Leadership Iowa program, and it’s really an issues awareness program. Again, I talk about how we’re statewide, but some people from Sioux City, let’s say, may have never been to Burlington or understand what’s happening there. We’ve followed the same format for 40 years that we go around the state, we take 40 diverse professionals and talk about the issues that are facing Iowa, and hear different perspectives and have a conversation about how we can all work together to provide solutions.

And then we have a high school, critical skills, entrepreneurial camp,at Drake, and a college program. I really see the foundation as the association’s legacy. These business leaders created this foundation as part of their legacy, but also the legacy and the future of Iowa. And so how do we maximize our foundation? It is a 501(c)(3), so how do we maximize it to really focus on those workforce initiatives and solutions? That’s where we created Elevate Iowa, that’s our newest initiative. And we just launched a new initiative last week at our Business Day in Des Moines about an RV tour that we’re doing this fall. But that’s really coming up with solutions and being a thought leader, and that’s really where the foundation has a lot of opportunity that we’re excited about.

How does ABI’s mission change or alter with you at the helm?

My predecessor was a great leader and brought this organization to where it is today, and his leadership and the leadership of the ABI board of directors and chairs has positioned us well. And as I’ve been traveling around the state, meeting board members and our members, one thing that I love about this organization, and that I think is unique to ABI being around for 122 years, is our legacy, and our notoriety in the public policy advocacy work that we do.

I think as we’re looking at, not necessarily change, but what’s going to stay the same, there’s a nod and commitment to the legacy of this organization and our founding roots in manufacturing. Because of where we are in the organization, because we’re in a very strong position, I have the opportunity with the board of directors and the staff to take us into our next 125 years. We’ll be 125 years old in 2028. As we’re talking about change, we on the association side are doing some things really well. There’s the opportunity, with different tools that we have in technology, to be more visible, to share our members’ stories statewide, to share ABI’s story and what we can provide to businesses throughout the state that maybe haven’t heard of us before.

Then on the foundation side, it’s really ensuring that our programs continue to be transformational. People who have been through the program say that time and time again. But also, as I mentioned, just focusing on that opportunity to be a thought leader and look ahead at some of those priorities and initiatives. ABI has had a very successful legislative agenda for several years, and we are in a great situation as a state. So where do we go from here? Those are conversations that I’m looking forward to having with the board and with our members.

Why did you choose to stay with ABI throughout most of your career?

It’s a lot of things; the culture of the organization. Again, it goes back to the leaders and the board of directors and the members, and the way they treat the ABI team, the way they treat their employees. The policy positions that this organization stands for, I personally believe in, and it’s an honor to represent this organization and to represent these businesses.

The Iowa Taxpayers Association is a great organization. I missed some of those other issues, whether it be environmental compliance or employment issues or the annual conference, and I missed the diversity of the membership.

I also think, as you’re looking to develop your career, sometimes people see, "I don’t have any room to grow here. I’m not learning new things. I’m not being challenged." And that’s what I think is great about ABI and our culture, and I hope that’s a culture that I’m empowering our team members with as well; that there’s always been opportunities for me to grow here and to learn something new every single day.

So whether it was when I was on the policy side and I was reading line by line, hundreds of bills, or going to the DNR and learning about environmental technical issues, or when I was in the executive vice president role and learning how we could utilize better software, it was always challenging me. And I always felt like I had the opportunity and was able to play a role in making the organization and the state a better place. We’re hiring right now, and people have been asking questions, and I’ve been saying it just feels like no matter the person’s role in this organization, that everyone, their contributions are needed, they’re welcomed and they’re appreciated, and so I think that’s what’s kept me here so long. And the opportunity to be able to continue that culture is exciting.

The Rollins Mansion hosts author/speaker Liz Nead on May 15. Liz Nead, Emmy Award-winning speaker, author and executive coach, will present her keynote "The Six Voices: The Essential Influences That Drive Your Decisions (and Those Around You)" on May 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Rollins Mansion in Des Moines. The event will include a luncheon, time for networking, the 60 minute presentation and an interactive exercise with takeaway tools. Nead, an Iowan and acclaimed "adventure speaker," has summited Mount Kilimanjaro, authored multiple Amazon bestsellers (including "The 1440 Principle") and served as a consultant for PayPal, the National Guard, YWCA and News Corp. Learn more about the event here.

Young Women's Resource Center and Iowa's Biggest Book Sale team up for YWRC Book Sale fundraiser. YWRC and Iowa's Biggest Book Sale announced a new partnership to revive a 60-year community book sale fundraiser. Planned Parenthood used to run the book sale before it was taken over by Altoona's Caring Hands Outreach in December 2023. IBBS eventually became its own nonprofit in May 2024. The sale will return this fall at the Elwell Family Food Center at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, with a ticketed open night event on Thursday, Nov. 6 and free admission Nov. 7 through Nov. 9. The group estimates 125,000 books will be for sale alongside other media such as CDs, DVDs and board games. They also expect 400 volunteer shifts to be filled during the sale. Books can be dropped off at 1901 Bell Ave., Des Moines, on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.

Mind & Spirit Counseling Center announces 2025 Women Helping Women event. Mind & Spirit Counseling Center announced the 27th Annual Women Helping Women luncheon, scheduled for May 2 at the Meadows Events Center at Prairie Meadows. The event aims to bring together community leaders, mental health advocates and supporters to explore social media's impact on mental health. Part of the luncheon will be a panel discussion, including Heidi Bowden, clinical social worker and training director at Mind & Spirit Counseling Center; Gabby Guerra, executive director at Al Éxito; Hannah Koch, student at Urbandale High School; and Rob Randazzo, associate principal at Hoover High School. Mary Gottschalk will be recognized at the event for her contributions to the community and her dedication to service, philanthropy and building a sustainable future for the center, a news release said. Additionally, all new or increased donations will be matched by an anonymous donor up to $20,000. Networking begins at 11 and the program will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. To learn more or register for the event, click here.

New Ms. Wheelchair Iowa wants to make amusement parks more accessible. Lisa Campbell of Tama was recently named Ms. Wheelchair Iowa and will spend the next year traveling the state to advocate for people with disabilities. The winner of the Ms. Wheelchair Iowa program focuses on a key issue as they make appearances at parades, county fairs and sporting events. Campbell's platform will focus on making amusement parks more wheelchair accessible. "I absolutely love roller coasters. I love amusement parks and it’s really hard for a wheelchair user to get around in them because a lot of the rides are not equipped for wheelchair users, " Campbell told RadioIowa.

Female soldiers will have to pass 'sex-neutral' physical test, U.S. Army says (New York Times). Trump calls $5,000 'baby bonus' for new mothers 'a good idea'—what we know about incentive proposal (Forbes). Funding cut for landmark study of women's health (NPR). Exclusive: Tampon brand Sequel signs sponsorship deal with D.C. United’s Audi Field (Fortune). Simone Biles is undecided on Los Angeles Olympics (NBC News). House passes bill that could make it harder for married women to vote (The 19th).

"I am beautiful. I am strong. And that’s because I am a Swan."

Those are the guiding words for the students of Swan, a Des Moines-based program that offers dance lessons for Black and brown youths.

Through both adult and youth programming, the organization melds together ballet, modern, jazz and other styles of dance, all while centering accessibility, belonging and empowerment.

Historically, Black and brown people have been underrepresented in the world of ballet – a reality that makes Swan artistic director Sarah Jae feel hyperaware.

"Ballet is very expensive. And a lot of our underrepresented youth don’t have access to a lot of extracurricular activities. So I think providing a space specifically to create that access is so important," Jae said.

Swan parent LeMar Yeager agrees.

"We’re selling our young people short if we don’t provide them with opportunities like this."

Learn more about Swan on "Iowa Life."

"Iowa Life" is an Iowa PBS production that seeks to uncover the diverse tapestry of Iowa's people, cultures and stories. Through compelling interviews, scenic visuals and authentic storytelling, each episode explores the extraordinary lives of individuals who call Iowa home. Watch episodes Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. or anytime on the Iowa PBS website or PBS app.

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