Hannah VanDerHart
Chair
Hannah holds the position of Assistant Director - Engineering at Principal Financial Group. She earned a BA in Mathematics and Computer Science from Simpson College and a MBA from the University of Iowa. Hannah joined Tech Journey to give back to the community with hope of inspiring the next generation to get creative, learn something new and strive for their dreams. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her family and volunteering to help students get excited about STEM.
Martina Schubert
Vice Chair
Martina is the Chief Technology Officer at LenderClose, a recent FinTech startup with a solution that streamlines and shortens the lending process to enable a better borrower experience. With an Executive MBA from the University of Iowa, a bachelor‘s degree from Iowa State University, and an Associate of Applied Science degree in Computer Programming from DMACC, she desires to give back to the tech community by elevating others and is constantly considering how to get more people in tech. When Martina isn’t leading everything tech at LenderClose, you’ll likely find her on a local trail or road as she enjoys everything cycling!
Joe Ollendick
Treasurer
Joe is the Chief Technology Officer for the International Association of Better Business Bureaus. At IABBB, Joe drives the innovation and operations model of the BBB Brand across Mexico, US and Canada. He holds a degree in Finance and has over 25 years experience leading multidisciplinary teams to reach their goals and objectives using technology as an enabler. Joe became involved in Tech Journey by volunteering as a Tech Camp instructor and has a passion for growing youth talent and promoting Des Moines as a recognizable technology innovation hub.
Mackenzie Ostrem
Secretary
Mackenzie is the VP of Client Services at Shift Interactive. As a veteran of the tech industry she has a strong passion for creating a diverse technology workforce and increasing youth awareness around what opportunities could be possible. As a woman in technology it‘s important to her to get more girls involved and ensure that the tech industry isn’t seen as intimidating or unreachable to any student. Mackenzie has been enamored with Tech Journey’s mission of increasing youth interest in technology, especially the way they’ve been able to open doors for students who might otherwise not have access to these tools or learnings. In her free time she enjoys watching the latest Disney flick with her daughter, traveling, and reading.
Danielle Brommer
Director
Danielle is the Chief Growth Officer for Lean TECHniques. With more than a decade in the tech industry helping organizations attract, develop and retain top tech talent, she has a passion for diversity in the workplace. She has served on committees focused on educating and advancing women and other underrepresented workforce as well as local youth in the DSM tech community. She believes it is critical to broaden and diversify the tech talent pipeline to ensure a more inclusive and robust workforce for generations to come.
David Kessler
Director
David was one of the original founders of Tech Journey. He desires to unlock possibilities within the next generation of problem solvers and creatives, stating "There’s something magical that happens when you connect passionate tech professionals with young people. This combination changes the world." He is an Executive Consultant with Accenture. In his spare time, David enjoys time with family, church, audiobooks and education.
Philip Matthews
Director
Philip is a Senior Attorney in Deere & Company’s Intelligent Solutions Group with responsibility for technology agreements. Holding a JD from Gonzaga University School of Law and a BA from the University of Utah, his interest and involvement with Tech Journey allows him to help provide Des Moines area youth with technology learning opportunities while working with a passionate and diverse team of individuals. In his spare time, Philip enjoys spending time with his family and pets as well as 3D printing, biking, hiking, camping and traveling.
Matt McDonald
Director
Matt is the Director of Talent Acquisition at Athene. Through several years of being a recruiter in the information technology industry, he understands first-hand the shortage of tech talent in Iowa and more specifically, the shortage of diverse talent in tech. Matt has been an active volunteer for youth STEM opportunities through Hyperstream, iJAG, Tech Journey, Governor’s STEM Advisory working groups and others. He is a graduate of Central College and has attained certifications from Cornell University in Strategic HR Leadership and from HRCI as a Senior Professional in HR (SPHR). In his spare time, Matt enjoys golfing, attending live sporting events and time with family.
Kelly Steinkamp
Director
Kelly has been in technology for 20+ years and is currently a Director of Application Engineering at Farm Bureau Financial Services. She has served as a volunteer mentor with Tech Journey since 2015 and has enjoyed watching the students grow as they troubleshoot errors and develop creative solutions. Kelly is passionate about sharing the many different career paths possible in tech. She has been the recipient of mentoring in her own career and, as an active coach to early-career professionals, believes in paying it forward. Kelly spends most of her spare time following her son’s activities and also enjoys being outside with family and friends.
Smita Volz
Director
Smita is an Analytics Manager at Wells Fargo. She has Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, and Business Administration from Graceland University; and a Masters of Business Administration from Drake University. With her Indian and Nepalese heritage, Smita is actively engaged in the Asian American community, sharing her passion for culturally rich diversity in Iowa. She is an ardent supporter of several non-profit organizations and is sharing her talents, ranging from choreographing Bollywood dances, coaching FIRST LEGO League teams, organizing events, and volunteering at local schools.
Carter Winton
Director
Carter has over 15 years in the tech industry and has worked the past nine years for Source Allies Inc. in Teammate Services. Skilled in technology talent recruitment with a Bachelors of Arts from the University of California Santa Barbara, Carter has been a catalyst for the central Iowa tech scene, desiring to positively affect the next generation of tech enthusiasts and finding fulfillment that comes with seeing young people find inspiration in technology. When not networking and serving the local tech community, Carter can be found with his family, exercising, golfing, hiking, streaming the latest flick or reading a good book.
Tim Sieber
Executive Director
Tim’s passion is developing and implementing programs that inspire youth to engage in computer science, coding, robotics, digital making and creativity. With almost 25 years of corporate, non-profit and higher education experience in information technology, computer programming and technology infrastructure, Sieber understands the issues and challenges with preparing our future technology workforce. Tim lives in Johnston and enjoys spending time with his family, serving the local church and traveling.