Leadership Team

Jessica’s dyslexia story started when her son was in preschool and struggled with letter identification and rhyming. Despite efforts to navigate the special education system in public school, his needs were not met, and Jessie and her husband made the decision to utilize outside tutoring and speech therapy while homeschooling their son. Jessie’s advocacy is rooted in the belief all children should have access to the services they need to learn best, especially if they learn differently. She is deeply passionate about the mental health of kids with dyslexia and other learning differences. Jessie works as a dual-certified family and psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner.  She lives with her husband, daughter and son on a hobby farm in southeast Iowa.

Stacy Bentley is an educator with over 15 years of experience. For the past four years, she has been teaching first grade and has found her passion working with young readers. Stacy has an MA in Elementary Education, a K-8 reading endorsement and is currently pursuing her Dyslexia Specialist endorsement through Grand View University. Stacy is passionate about equipping students, teachers, families, and the community with knowledge about dyslexia in honor of several family friends. Outside of work, Stacy enjoys spending quality time with her husband, cats, friends and family.  

Bambi Boggs is an educator who has spent most of her career as a special education teacher.  She was a member of the first cohort of educators who obtained the Dyslexia Specialist endorsement at the University of Iowa and works as the Dyslexia Specialist for the Ottumwa School District.  Bambi works tirelessly to educate other teachers about dyslexia and the science of reading.  She helps lead the Southeast Iowa Dyslexia Teacher/Preservice Group, and she leads a dyslexia/science of reading team in her district.  When she is not advocating or educating, you can find Bambi hiking, gardening or educating herself through reading, webinars and podcasts.

Sue Brandt is an elementary reading specialist and has been teaching for over 25 years.  Her personal adventure with learning disabilities began when her son was diagnosed with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dysnomia in 2014.  She is involved in the Eldora Dyslexia Parent Support group, gives presentations about dyslexia, and advocates for students.  Sue lives in Ackley with her husband and has a busy life with three children.  She enjoys gardening, collecting antiques, and visiting national parks.

Randy Califf is a co-founder of Decoding Dyslexia Iowa and has served on the board since its inception. His primary involvement has been with legislation and communication. Randy has spent most of his career in product management and marketing for technology/software and currently leads a team in the Technology Division of Wellmark.  Randy earned an Executive MBA from the University of Iowa and a Journalism/Advertising degree from South Dakota State.  He learned about dyslexia when his youngest son struggled in pre-school.  Randy believes that reading is a foundational skill and that every child has a right to learn to read.  He enjoys cooking, photography, craft beer and being a soccer dad.

Lydia Collison is a private reading tutor who has been helping students with dyslexia since 2014. She started her dyslexia journey in college, and in learning about tutoring and dyslexia, Lydia realized that many members of her immediate family are also dyslexic. Lydia has a passion to raise awareness about dyslexia and to help her students succeed. In her free time, she enjoys volunteering at church, kayaking with her husband, and running with her dog.  

Casey Condon-Yu is a certified dyslexia tutor and advocate. She became involved in dyslexia education and advocacy in 2014, when two of her children were diagnosed. Casey has a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education with a Reading Endorsement and has instructed students using the Barton and Wilson systems. Her passion includes supporting twice exceptional students and helping families prepare for transitions, from building level transitions to going to college. Casey lives in Urbandale with her husband and three children. She enjoys family road trips and keeps busy with her children's activities and events.

Katie Greving is the Executive Director of Decoding Dyslexia Iowa and manages the group’s daily operations.  She is a co-founder of the organization and served as the board President from 2015 to 2020.  Katie works with legislators and policymakers for statewide change, gives educational presentations about dyslexia, and manages the group’s online presence. Katie has a master's degree in Counseling/Educational Psychology and works as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor providing services to college students.  Her dyslexia journey began over a decade ago when she learned one of her children and several family members have dyslexia.   She is passionate about helping parents understand their rights and advocate for their children.  Some of her favorite things are coffee, cats, and walking/hiking.

Megan Hunemuller is a stay-at-home mom of four who took a deep dive into dyslexia after recognizing multiple signs in her daughter but being told, “We’ve never had a student with dyslexia before.”  In 2017, Megan and her husband entered the world of special education with little knowledge of laws and procedures.  As intimidating as this was, advocacy quickly became Megan’s passion.  Megan is a Certified  Dyslexia Advocate through the Dyslexia Training Institute, and she is a co-founder of the Waverly Area Dyslexic and Learning Support Group.  In her rare free time, Megan enjoys scrapbooking, playing games with her family, and curling up with a good book.

Carrie Johnsen is an educator who taught at the elementary level for 13 years before becoming a stay-at-home mom.  She is currently a substitute teacher.  She has two children with dyslexia, and her journey began when her oldest child struggled with reading in kindergarten. From there, she began learning all she could about dyslexia by taking classes, reading books, and seeking outside help for both kids.  Carrie strives to teach others about dyslexia and to advocate for a better future for all kids.

Brooke Lantz is an advocate for her daughter with dyslexia, who was officially diagnosed in 2022 but had been struggling in school since preschool. Brooke has a passion to advocate not only for the best education for her daughter, but for all children who learn differently.  She stays busy with her three children and working full time as a Physical Therapist Assistant. In her free time, she enjoys being with her family, hiking, and working in the yard.

Nina Lorimor-Easley is the Lead Content Creator for Keys to Literacy and is an Adjunct Instructor for the University of Iowa. She has master’s degrees in educational psychology and curriculum development with emphasis on language-based learning disabilities. Nina also completed graduate level certification in dyslexia from the Landmark School. Nina has personal connections to dyslexia and began her professional path in dyslexia advocacy by helping her two sons through school. Nina is a co-founder of Decoding Dyslexia Iowa, served on the Iowa Dyslexia Task Force, is the former co-owner of a private dyslexia intervention center, and authored several of Iowa’s virtual dyslexia training modules with the Iowa Reading Research Center. Nina also currently has a seat on the Iowa Dyslexia Board.

Laura Olson is a certified dyslexia tutor and parent advocate. She began her special education journey with her oldest son, who has multiple special needs. She continued this journey when her middle child was diagnosed with dyslexia after struggling with reading and spelling for several years. The process was challenging but typical of the experience of most parents, which is what makes Laura so passionate about helping others. She works closely with parents, children, teachers, and school administration to provide the optimal educational experience for children with dyslexia. Laura is a graduate of Iowa State University and lives in Des Moines with her husband and three children.

Nicole Pizzini is a Professor at St. Ambrose University and received her PhD in Rehabilitation Counseling Education from the University of Iowa.  Her background assisting people with various disabilities and navigating accommodations has been instrumental in her professional and personal life.  Nicole’s personal connection to dyslexia began when one of her three daughters showed difficulties with reading in kindergarten.  Eventually her daughter was diagnosed with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.  Nicole is a strong advocate for dyslexia awareness in her local community.  She has presented dyslexia information to her school board, city council, and legislators, and she has successfully requested her city to recognize Dyslexia Awareness Month. 

Renee Saarloos became aware of the need for dyslexia advocacy when her son was diagnosed in 2019. She began learning all she could about dyslexia and earned her master's degree in Reading Science from Mount St. Joseph University.  Renee currently works as an elementary reading interventionist at a private school and is one of the leaders of the Northwest Iowa Dyslexia Support Group. She is passionate about partnering with parents and educators to raise awareness about how to identify and support struggling readers. Renee lives in Sioux Center with her husband and four children.

Mindy VanZuiden is a homeschool parent, a private dyslexia tutor, and a Project Teacher with the Mid-Prairie Homeschool Assistance Program, providing support to parents of struggling readers. Mindy taught in public school for over 15 years. She holds an undergraduate degree in K-12 Physical Education, a master's degree in Education Leadership, and is a Certified Dyslexia Specialist through the University of Florida. Mindy’s discovery that her youngest son has dyslexia led to the eye-opening realization that she and many of her family members are also dyslexic. Mindy’s mission is to raise dyslexia awareness not only in her community but for everyone, everywhere. She is married with three children and two large dogs.