OUR BOARD

Rob Hogg

Pronouns: He, Him, His

Board President

Rob Hogg is a retired state legislator and lawyer living in Cedar Rapids. A native of Iowa City, he graduated from City High School in Iowa City, the University of Iowa (B.A. in history), and the University of Minnesota (M.A. in public affairs and J.D. in law). He and his wife, Kate, are active members of Christ Episcopal Church in Cedar Rapids.

Rob has worked on faith-based climate advocacy for nearly 25 years, starting as global warming project coordinator for Ecumenical Ministries of Iowa in 1999-2000. He previously served on the board of Iowa Faith & CLimate Network (formally known as Iowa Interfaith Power & Light) from 2007 to 2010. He is currently co-chair of the national Citizens Climate Lobby Episcopal Action Team and served in 2021 as a member of the delegation to the world climate negotiations (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, on behalf of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Michael Curry.

In 2013, Rob published a book, “America’s Climate Century: What Climate Change Means for America in the 21st Century and What Americans Can Do About It.”

John Stender-Custer

Pronouns: He, Him, His

Board Vice President

John is a 7th generation Iowan who lives with his husband and twins in Des Moines. He grew up on his family farm in Western Iowa and often returns to Cass County where they maintain a second home. He attended St. Ambrose University in Davenport where he received a B. A. in Theology and History. After college he spent an Americorps volunteer year with the Marist Brothers in Lawrence, Massachusetts before studying Law at Western Michigan University in Lansing.

He spent his professional career in higher education where he served in various capacities. From Director of Service Learning at St. Ambrose University to Associate Professor and Chair of the Social and Criminal Justice program at Ashford University in Clinton. John has maintained his commitment to teaching his students the value of civic engagement and social justice. He is now a stay-at-home father and hopes to instill those same values in his own children.

The Stender-Custers are members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral in Des Moines.

Rod Stevens

Pronouns: He, Him, His

Treasurer

Rod is a retired architect, certified facility manager, and LEED AP (accredited professional). He formed Knowledge Consulting, a sustainability, architecture, and facility management consulting firm in 2014 after retiring from a 40-year career at DuPont Pioneer where Rod provided design, code compliance, accessibility, facility information and technology, sustainability, and project management consulting for the company.

Rod is a long time involved member of Immanuel United Methodist Church in Des Moines. His participation at a Cool Congregations workshop (formally an Iowa Faith & Climate Network program) in 2008 helped trigger the formation of Immanuel’s Green Team, which he has been an active participant in ever since. Rod has led a number of seminars and classes on sustainability-related topics both at the church and elsewhere and continues to be an advocate for sustainable design and care of creation.

Elizabeth Pudenz

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

Board Secretary

Elizabeth (Beth) Pudenz was raised in Des Moines, IA. She obtained a BA in International Studies from DePaul University, a JD from John Marshall University and an LLM in Health Law from Loyola University. She began her career in 2007 as an attorney in Chicago, Illinois where she represented injured victims in medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, premises liability, construction liability and trucking/automobile accident cases. After starting a family, Ms. Pudenz returned to her hometown of Des Moines, Iowa to join the Spellman Law Firm, LLP where she continues to practice law as a litigation attorney in personal injury and worker’s compensation cases on behalf of her clients. She is a current board member for the Iowa Association for Justice which is an organization devoted to safeguard justice and individual rights for the public good. She is also passionate about social justice, including climate change awareness, climate change solutions and advocacy.

Beth was raised Catholic and is a parishioner at St. Augustin Catholic Church in Des Moines. She enjoys traveling, cooking, running and spending time with her husband Jay and three children.

Rev. Dr. Belinda Creighton-Smith

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

At-Large

Belinda Creighton-Smith is the pastor of Faith Temple Baptist Church in Waterloo and an adjunct instructor in the social work department at the University of Northern Iowa. She attended Central Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City where she received her Master of Divinity. In 2019 she earned her Doctorate of Education from the University of Northern Iowa and wrote her dissertation on Examining Linkages between Institutional Racism, Internalized Racial Oppression and Self-Efficacy in African American Youth.

C.J. Petersen

Pronouns: He, Him, His

At-Large

Following his candidacy for the Iowa state senate in 2020, C.J. worked to build civic engagement among rural Iowans, including taking part in a rural queer working group to improve political engagement for queer people who live in rural spaces. He has worked in the Iowa legislature for Rep. Sami Scheetz and continues to work as a public servant in the office of Iowa’s State Auditor.

Born and raised in southwest Iowa, C.J. grew up using American Sign Language at home and is hard of hearing. Living at the intersection of the LGBTQ+ and disability communities, C.J. strives for inclusion and acceptance for all who want to participate in the political process.

A current student at the University of Iowa majoring in political science, C.J. believes there’s nothing wrong with constant growth and education. He and his husband live on a small farm in rural Audubon County, home of Albert the Bull, where they are active in their community. They are members of the Iowa Farmers’ Union and attend St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Harlan. C.J. is passionate about working toward climate solutions as part of a robust rural economic development agenda.

C.J. believes the best way to achieve results when working with others is to remember that nobody’s always right and that a broken clock is right twice a day.

Claira Miller

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

At-Large

Claira Miller has been active in Iowa Faith & Climate Network since becoming a Called To Climate Action student in 2021. Originally from Colo, she is a student at Iowa State University in her final year majoring in animal science and minoring in general business. What brought her to the program was her passion for agriculture with the drive to create a more sustainable future. The next summer, Iowa Faith & Climate Network brought Claira Miller to become our first Faith Farms & Climate fellow assisting in the implementation of summer programming and traveling with the staff.

Lori Freudenberg

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

At-Large

Lori Freudenberg is the Program Coordinator for Our Lady of The Prairie Retreat, a ministry of The Congregation of the Humility of Mary. Prior to that, she was the Community Outreach Director for The Clinton Franciscans. Lori’s work has been, through these two positions, to enlighten and embolden people to care for creation. She believes that we each have a responsibility to do what we can do, even acts that seem so small, for it will all make a difference.

Lori is the mother of two and grandmother to Olivia. It is because of them that she works for social and climate justice – wanting to leave this world a better place for future generations. Lori lives in Le Claire with her husband, Gerry.

Rev. Heather Wachendorf

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

At-Large

For Rev. Heather Wachendorf the call to ministry began early, but she resisted the call until later in life. It was at that point in time that she became a commissioned minister. A few years later, Heather entered seminary, completed her Master of Divinity at Lexington Theological Seminary, and became an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). In college, Heather was an art major and went on to earn a Master of Fine Art in sculpture. She creates art for her own enjoyment and incorporates it into her ministry when possible.

Heather believes justice work helps us ensure that resources are distributed equitably, people can thrive and use their gifts, and communities can dedicate themselves to projects and processes that affirm and celebrate the importance of all people. She believes that people have a responsibility to care for all of God’s creation by living sustainably and working for the equitable treatment of all people.

Heather is proud to be an Iowa native who grew up in Adel and currently lives in the Lower Beaver Neighborhood of Des Moines. She is married to Mark, and they have two adult children who also live in Des Moines.

Dr. Jasmina Salcinovic-Spahic

Pronouns: She, Her, Hers

At-Large

Dr. Jasmina Salcinovic-Spahic, DMSc, MMSc, MHA, PA-C, DFAAPA, Physician Associates – Certified has been practicing as a PA-C for over 15 years at hospitals and clinics in Iowa. Since 2013, she has been working at VA Central Iowa Health Care. In addition to being a Physician Assistant (Master’s in Medical Science – Emory University School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program – Class of 2008), she also completed her Master’s in Health Care Administration (Des Moines University – Class 2018) on full VA Employee Scholarship, as well as her Doctorate in Medical Science (University of Lynchburg – Class 2020).

Jasmina was selected for the Emory University Alumni Association’s 40 under Forty awards Program – Class of 2021. The program spotlights alumni, chosen from hundreds of nominations each year across a variety of vocations for having made a significant impact in business, research, leadership, public service and/or philanthropic endeavors. In addition, The American Association of Physician Assistants awarded her the highest credentials that a physician assistant can achieve, Diplomate Fellow, in April 2020.

Jasmina is currently completing a part-time Master’s in Social Work at University of Iowa School of Social Work with a concentration in Clinical/Mental Health Therapy. She is married and a mother of two children. In her free time, Jasmina enjoys spending time with her family, exercising, reading books, and traveling.