Email addresses and bios for Golden Hills' staff are listed below. Most of our staff work from home at least some of the time, so email is generally the best way to reach us. You can also call the office at 712-482-3029 during regular business hours to connect with us.
Michelle Wodtke Franks
Executive Director michelle@goldenhillsrcd.org Michelle has been Executive Director since 2014 and has worked in the nonprofit world for more than 25 years. She lives with her husband, Peter Franks and children Eleanor and Wyatt on an acreage south of Hastings, Iowa She is a graduate of the University of Iowa, and completed her MA at the University of Cincinnati. Michelle is a fifth generation Loess Hills native and after living for several years in Pittsburgh, PA and Cincinnati, OH, she convinced her Pittsburgh-born husband to return to Iowa to raise their children in wide open spaces under a big blue sky. In her spare time, she enjoys all things crafty, gardening, scrounging through flea markets and thrift stores, traveling and spending time with her extended family in the Sioux City area. |
Mary Lou Goettsch
Fiscal Manager marylou@goldenhillsrcd.org Mary Lou Goettsch has served as bookkeeper for Golden Hills since 1992, first as part-time staff, then in 2000 became full-time as Fiscal Manager. She received a Jr. Accounting degree in 1972 from Commercial Extension School of Business in Omaha, NE and was trained under a CPA for 4 years before marrying a local farmer and moving to the Oakland area. She and her husband Fred farm and have two grown children. She enjoys quilting, gardening, motorcycling, camping and spending time with her granddaughters on weekends. |
John Thomas
Hungry Canyons Alliance Program Director john@goldenhillsrcd.org John has led the Hungry Canyons Alliance since 2000. His work revolves around stream channel instability, gully erosion, and grade control. He has a B.S. in geology and environmental sciences from Cornell College, a master’s degree in geology and water resources from Iowa State University, and a master’s degree in civil engineering (hydraulics) from the University of Iowa. In his spare time, John coaches soccer for Riverside High School in Oakland, Iowa and enjoys time with his wife Angie and their four children. |
Rebecca Castle
Project Coordinator rebecca.castle@goldenhillsrcd.org Rebecca joined Golden Hills in 2017, working primarily on scenic byways. A Southwest Iowa native, she graduated from Farragut High School and went on to receive a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Iowa. Since returning ‘home’ to Shenandoah in 2007 she has been heavily involved with the Wabash Trace Nature Trail and the community of Imogene, as well as other business and non-profit endeavors in the area. She enjoys discovering all the treasures that rural Iowa has to offer with her son, Solon, and helping out on the family farm with her fiancé Jerry and sons Owen and Ethan. |
Cara Marker-Morgan
Project Coordinator cmorgan@goldenhillsrcd.org Cara Marker-Morgan joined Golden Hills RC&D in 2017 and is working on watershed management projects. Cara grew up in southwest Iowa attending both Hamburg and Sidney High schools graduating from Hamburg High. She went on to college at Peru State Majoring in Wildlife Ecology/Biology. Cara found herself in retail from 1997 until 2005 where she managed both single and multi-unit for mainly Farm Store companies in Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa. Cara returned to Peru State where she received a BS in Management and Marketing. In 2005 she married her husband Brandon and they have 3 children, Mavryc, Czandrya, and Cytara. In 2008 Cara was elected County Supervisor in Fremont County where she was afforded the opportunity to be a part of many boards and organizations such as Chair of the Iowa State Assn. of County Supervisors, the Iowa State Assn. of Counties, the Loess Hills Alliance, Hungry Canyons, 4th Judicial, and many others. Cara enjoys being the Leader of the Clover Catchers 4-H club and being involved in her children’s many activities. Cara and her family love activities such as gardening and beekeeping, or showing their animals at county fair. She enjoys the outdoors and living in the Loess Hills taking advantage of everything the hills have to offer. |
Lance Brisbois
Project Coordinator lance@goldenhillsrcd.org Lance grew up in Harrison County and started with Golden Hills in 2014. He has a bachelor's degree in Urban Studies from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Nebraska-Omaha . Lance leads a variety of projects focusing on wildlife habitat and low-impact outdoor recreation. He also does much of the website and social media work for Golden Hills. He is on the board of directors for the Iowa chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, Iowa Prairie Network, Pottawattamie County Trails Association, and chair of the Loess Hills Alliance Stewardship Committee. Lance currently lives in the Loess Hills and enjoys spending as much time outdoors as possible. |
Becky Von Weihe
Office Assistant becky@goldenhillsrcd.org Becky has been working at Golden Hills since 2010. She is the part-time office assistant. Her duties range from ordering supplies to answering the phone to helping with projects when needed. Becky has a BA in Elementary Education from Central College in Pella, Iowa. She came to Oakland to teach and married a local farmer. They raised 2 sons one of which grows organic produce on the farm. The farm building site has shrank—Becky is surrounded by vegetables! In her spare time she enjoys quilting and always has a small quilt hanging by her desk. |
Dawn Harder
Office Assistant dawn@goldenhillsrcd.org Dawn started with Golden Hills in 2006 working on the SIRE (Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy) project and has since been involved with various projects. Dawn and husband Paul farm near Hancock and are owner/operators of the carwash in Oakland. They have three children. She enjoys volunteering at church and 4-H activities and sewing days with Becky. |
Loessy the SasquatchTourism & Marketing Assistant
no contact info provided Sasquatch joined Golden Hills in 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. He is occasionally spotted at parks and wildlife areas in western Iowa but nearly impossible to track down. If you see him, please contact us. We have some questions.
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