2026 Women Impacting ISU Calendar Honorees
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Molly Benson – Dedicated
Molly Benson, a 1997 graduate in business, goes above and beyond in giving back to Iowa State. She shares her expertise and experience with students across campus, mentoring them on both personal and professional growth. Benson spoke to her sorority, Chi Omega, about building a strong personal brand and navigating career development. She also serves as a board member on Iowa State’s Healthcare Program Executive Advisory Council, where she provides guidance for both the undergraduate healthcare management program and the master’s program in healthcare analytics and operations within the Ivy College of Business. In addition, through the Healthcare Management Club, Benson engages with undergraduate students on biotechnology, inspiring them to think about future opportunities in the field. Her involvement demonstrates a clear commitment to mentoring, amplifying student voices, and shaping the future of healthcare education at Iowa State.
Corinne Brown – Committed
Corinne Brown, a 1960 graduate in home economics education, dedicated 24 years of service to Iowa State University as a staff member. Starting in the Memorial Union bakery, Brown then moved to Friley Hall as a morning cook before becoming head of the salad department. Seeking new challenges, Brown transitioned to Parks Library, where she spent 19 years until her retirement. Brown led the stacks department, overseeing up to 100 student employees. She also managed the annual collection measurement to track the growth of the library’s book collection and coordinated logistics for moving books to off-site storage. After retiring, Brown returned to campus to celebrate the retirement of a past supervisor, along with staff members she had hired. They reminisced about their experiences and the changes over the years, including the technological advancements in the library. When Brown began, there were just one or two computers in the department; by the time she retired, each employee had their own. Brown’s impact extended to her family, inspiring her daughter Kathy, who worked at Iowa State from 2004-2022, and her granddaughter Kaylee, who has worked at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication since 2020. Brown’s legacy of dedication and leadership has left an enduring mark on Iowa State University and continues to inspire her family and colleagues.
Stephanie Law – Mentor
Stephanie Law, a 2006 graduate in physics, was an honors student who did research with Dr. Paul Canfield’s group, published several papers as an undergraduate, and in her senior year was one of only a few undergraduate students nationwide to give a presentation to the American Physical Society. Law was also active as a musician on campus, playing the mellophone in the Cyclone Marching Band and the French horn in the Wind Ensemble. Today, Law is a professor of material science at Pennsylvania State University. She has mentored dozens of students, inspired hundreds more, and continues to play a role in Iowa State life, having previously served on the Department of Physics external advisory committee and currently serving on the Ames National Laboratory external advisory committee.
Vera Martinovich – Innovative
When she left Iowa State University in 1988 with a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering, Vera Martinovich was only the 25th woman to graduate the program in its then 45-year legacy. Throughout her 36-year career, she left a legacy of engineering, innovation, and leadership that influenced the Boeing Company, the aerospace industry, Iowa State University, and countless future STEM major candidates to whom she dedicated her time and talents. In April 2025, Martinovich was posthumously inducted into the Department of Aerospace Engineering’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni for her significant achievements during her career. These included multiple stability and control innovations culminating in leading the team that pioneered the first fully digital flight deck control system on the 787 (p-Beta). Martinovich believed in learning by doing. She was an accomplished pilot and flight instructor with multiple flight ratings. She was one of a select few rated to fly the vintage B-25 and proved her flying capabilities when she had to land it safely during an unanticipated engine out situation. Martinovich was a dedicated member of the aerospace engineering department’s Industrial Advisory Council for years. As part of her advocacy for STEM, she was a mentor and role model to young girls, going so far as to taking an entire Girl Scout troop flying with her while piloting a DC-3. Martinovich was an innovator and influencer in the aerospace industry and at Iowa State, and an inspiration to all.
Trudy Huskamp Peterson – Influential
Across five decades, Trudy Huskamp Peterson, a 1967 graduate in English, history and speech communication, has advanced an uplifting, democratic message: “Access to archives empowers people.” Building from her Iowa State undergraduate studies and graduate study at the University of Iowa, Peterson works with scholars and archives around the world to preserve the stories of ordinary people’s lives and open the records of governmental actions to public view. Peterson served two decades at the US National Archives, rising to become acting archivist of the United States from 1993 to 1995—the first woman to lead America’s premier repository. Retirement only propelled her to a broader impact on the world stage. Peterson has served as director of archives and records management for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and executive director of Budapest’s globally focused, multilingual Open Society Archives. She has been a powerful voice for justice, promoting truth and reconciliation commissions in South Africa and Honduras, the Marshall Islands’ Nuclear Claims Tribunal, and Sierra Leone’s Special Court. An advocate for open dialogue and human rights, she has trained staff in Guatemalan police archives and served as consultant to entities in dozens of other countries. Peterson brings her expertise and generosity back to Iowa State with regular talks, service on the LAS Dean’s Advisory Council, and (with her husband Gary) sponsorship of an annual scholarship for students studying abroad.
Laura Phillips – Empowering
Laura Phillips, a 2005 graduate in chemical and biological engineering, is a passionate advocate, mentor, and leader in STEM who exemplifies the spirit of Women Impacting ISU. As a student, Phillips was a standout in the WiSE and chemical engineering learning communities. As an alumna, her commitment to Iowa State University is exceptional. Now vice president of engineering and procurement at Pella Corporation, Phillips champions women in STEM through outreach, mentorship, and strategic leadership. She has served on the WiSE Advisory Board for more than 10 years, helping shape program priorities and advocating for resources and industry engagement that led to expanded student support and high retention rates. She connects with students, presents at WiSE and engineering events and classes, and fosters partnerships such as a collaboration between Girl Scouts and WiSE role models. Her mentorship has uplifted countless students and professionals, including WiSE alumna Hannah Bennett, who stated “I first met Laura when I was an engineering student at Iowa State, and her mentorship has continued to shape my journey ever since. Her passion to support women in STEM, combined with her leadership at Pella and her growth-oriented mindset, has inspired me to envision a fulfilling career as both an engineer and a mother.” Colleagues praise her integrity, innovation, and deep investment in people and culture. Phillips’ leadership, mentorship, and enduring commitment to Iowa State University, the College of Engineering, and WiSE makes her a truly deserving calendar honoree.
Lola Placeway – Pioneering
Lola Placeway (December 18, 1868-January 5, 1930) was a pivotal figure in the growth of Iowa State University. Placeway began her college studies in 1892 at the Iowa State College of Agriculture. She excelled in all of her subjects and was hired as an assistant in the chemistry at the end of the 1895 academic year, also earning a Bachelor of Science degree with honors that year. The first female faculty member of the chemistry department, she became an instructor in 1898, an assistant professor in 1904, and an associate professor in May 1905. According to the 1930 class notes in The Iowa State Alumnus, a journal from the Iowa State Alumni Association, Placeway “had unusual ability in presenting her material in the classroom and many teachers of chemistry and of other subjects have felt that the inspiration of her methods have helped to make their success… No day was so long but that she was ready to add more of her time in office, classroom or home in help to those in difficulty.” In 1898, she began work with Alfred Bennett, the department’s chair, on the textbook “General Chemistry and Elementary Qualitative Analysis,” which was published in 1910 and was the first text published by active members of the chemistry department. Placeway set an example for a long line of distinguished women who have helped the chemistry department and Iowa State University flourish.
Shannan Potts – Resilient
Shannan Potts, a 2004 graduate in mechanical engineering, was one of only a few women in her major to graduate in her class. A hard worker and a trendsetter, Potts has motivated other women to also work hard and dream big. Since graduating, her hard work has led to success in her professional career and in her athletic career. A grant writer who works primarily with small towns for community improvements, Potts has also been a farmer since graduating from Iowa State, and has enjoyed returning to campus for agriculture-related classes and events over the years. She started her triathlon journey in 2021 when her seven children joined a local tri-club. She loves racing with her children and rarely races without at least one of them also racing. In 2025, Potts qualified for the USA Triathlon at both the national and international level.
Laura Talbot Seidensticker – Visionary
After graduating from Iowa State in 1989 with a degree in aerospace engineering, Laura Talbot Seidensticker worked at NASA Johnson Space Center on the Space Shuttle program under the Mission Operations Directorate. She worked on launch window and orbital design and re-entry orbital design. Seidensticker is a co-founder and chief technology officer of the health and wellness company Vital Proteins, and feels that her engineering degree and background helped in all aspects of starting and running a business. She created the Laura Talbot Seidensticker Aerospace Engineering Scholarship to support female aerospace students at Iowa State, and 16 students have benefitted from this gift since 2022. Seidensticker also donated funds to improve Iowa State’s Spaceflight Simulation Lab, where a neutral buoyancy tank is the central feature. The funds have been used for a state-of-the-art camera system to study motion under water, simulating motion in space, allowing students to study and test projects designed for space travel. Other improvements planned for the lab include a gantry system for putting projects into the tank that will impact every aerospace student using the tank for class projects or research.
Evonne Johnson Smith – Impactful
Evonne Johnson Smith, a 1968 graduate in textiles and clothing from a farm near Washta, Iowa, has generously given to the College of Health and Human Sciences for a significant role in advancing its strategic goals and propelling the college to future greatness. Her philanthropy has not only transformed physical spaces and academic programs but touched individual lives—providing opportunities, removing barriers, and creating a legacy of excellence that will endure for generations. Smith made a significant gift toward the fashion design and construction studios in the new LeBaron Hall that was transformational for the project’s fundraising success. These studios will be a hub of activity for the nationally ranked fashion design and merchandising program, and will inspire creativity, innovation, and collaboration in Iowa State University’s students and faculty. Smith and her husband, Tom, created the FDM Evonne Smith Endowed Fund for Excellence to provide flexible support for undergraduate students. Through this fund, students and faculty have traveled to national conferences with industry professionals, learned from merchandising leaders who visited campus, and partnered with technology companies in Iowa. The Smiths also endowed the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with gifts adding to Iowa State excellence. The Smiths received national and international recognition for the first Windows-based geoscience software for interpretation, and Evonne received an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Rowena Edson Stevens – Courageous
Rowena Edson Stevens (April 25, 1852-October 18, 1918) was born near Columbus, Wisconsin. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the Department of Agriculture at Iowa State College of Agriculture (now Iowa State University) in 1873, a member of Iowa’s State second graduating class. She taught school in Iowa and Nebraska from 1873 to 1876, then married John Stevens, a 1872 graduate of Iowa State. The Stevens family lived in Ames from 1876 to 1893, then moved to Boone, Iowa. Stevens was a strong supporter of women’s suffrage. She served as president of the Political Equality Club in Ames and Boone and organized chapters in other cities. She held several offices in the Iowa Equal Suffrage Association, including president. In 1894, as president of the IESA, she addressed the Iowa legislature on behalf of the women’s suffrage movement. As president of the Boone Equality Club, Stevens organized one of the first woman suffrage parades in the United States in Boone in 1908. She was honored by the League of Women Voters in 1931 as one of the 24 “women in Iowa whose courageous work opened the opportunities of complete citizenship to all women in the state.”
Kate Terrell – Advocate
Kate (Nelson) Terrell, a 2002 graduate in horticulture with an emphasis in communications and public education, was an actively involved undergraduate student at Iowa State University, from SALC and Freshman Council to Greek life and the Blood Drive. She recently took over sole ownership of a family business, one of the largest women-owned garden centers in Iowa, Wallace’s Garden Center. Terrell loves Iowa State and continues to donate and support the Alumni Center, student scholarships, and the horticulture program, including her company helping build the research greenhouses where a plaque bears the Wallace’s Garden Center name. Terrell has led Wallace’s with both business acumen and horticultural expertise. After a recent fire destroyed storage, production and growing space, she guided her team and community through a remarkable rebuilding effort, turning adversity into an inspiring story of resilience and collaboration. She shares her horticultural knowledge widely through media appearances and free educational videos empowering independent women and cultivating an inclusive environment for employees and customers alike—continuing the spirit of community she experienced at Iowa State. She shares her business and horticulture experience by volunteering with Junior Achievement, in an advisory role for horticulture programs at a local community college, and by offering internships for college students. Her inclusive community of mostly female and LGBTQIA+ employees fosters an environment that welcomes all to come enjoy plants, just as she did at Iowa State University.