The 2025 Ready to Run® Iowa workshop series opened on Feb. 21 with two virtual workshops attended by 36 participants.
The morning workshop opened with a session on overcoming doubts and anxiety about becoming more involved in political life, with encouragement and insights from state senator Sarah Trone Garriott and Ames City Council member Rachel Junck. Next, Kimberly Baxter, an executive officer with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, led a discussion on the ways that people could be civically engaged by serving on a board or commission, whether at the local or state level or with a non-profit organization. The final session of the morning was a panel discussion with Heather Sievers, a 2024 candidate for the Iowa House of Representatives and newly elected member of the Heartland Area Education Agency board of directors, and Sabrina Shields-Cook, vice president of the Ames School Board, about finding a race that fits your background and values and the issues that are important to you.
In first session of the afternoon, participants heard from former U.S. representatives Vicky Hartzler and David Skaggs about some of their experiences in their state legislatures and in Congress and the importance of bipartisanship to the legislative process. Hartzler and Skaggs, who were visiting Iowa State University as part of the Congress to Campus program, also participated in a dialogue about bipartisanship and public service moderated by Catt Center director Karen M. Kedrowski on Wednesday, Feb. 19 for the 2025 Mary Louise Smith Chair in Women and Politics and visited Iowa State classrooms on Thursday and on Friday morning. In the final session of the day, Ames City Council member Gloria Betcher; Adams County Auditor Becky Bissell, and state Senator Kara Warme shared what led to their decision to run for office and their experiences from the campaign trail.
The March 28 workshops, also held virtually, will cover launching a campaign and campaign fundraising. The agendas for the workshops are:
Launching Your Campaign — 9-11:30 a.m.
– Creating a Campaign Plan
– Building a Team
– Iowa Election Laws (rescheduled from the February workshop)
Campaign Fundraising — 1-3:30 p.m.
– Fundraising: Donors, PACs and Parties
– Hosting Campaign Events
– Iowa Campaign Fundraising Rules and Regulations
Along with anyone planning a run for office, campaign managers are encouraged to attend the morning workshop and campaign treasurers are encouraged to attend the afternoon workshop.
The April 25 workshops, which will cover campaign messaging and talking with constituents, will be held in person at Iowa State University’s Reiman Gardens and will include a networking lunch. The agendas for the workshops are posted on the Catt Center website, with more information being added as it becomes available.
Registration for the March 28 workshops is open through March 25 and is free. Registration for the April 25 in-person workshops at Reiman Gardens opens on March 25. The $25 registration fee for each of the April workshops covers lunch and refreshments and is waived for Iowa State students.