Staff

Director

Rich Patterson
Rich Patterson grew up rambling in the wooded hills near his New Jersey home.  After serving as a fishery biologist in Alaska he made a career change and was Director of the Dillon Nature Center in Kansas before moving to Cedar Rapids in 1978 to assume the position of Director of the Indian Creek Nature Center. He enjoys camping, travel, reading, fishing, paddle sports and gardening.

Education Facilitator

Jan Aiels
Jan Aiels is an Iowa native who grew up in rural Dubuque county. She has been a zoology instructor at Mt. Mercy College, a Girl Scout professional and joined the Nature Center staff in 1993. Jan enjoys backpacking, gardening, quilting, hiking (she recently “survived” a hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon – and back to the top), canoeing and helping others enjoy and appreciate nature.

Land & Facility Steward

Jean Wiedenheft
Jean Wiedenheft started as a volunteer at the Nature Center, helping with scout workshops and spreading wood chips on the trails. She’s been a full-time employee since 2001, sharing her enthusiasm for nature with volunteers and visitors. She enjoys horseback riding, beekeeping and walking in the woods.

Office Manager

Dana Wood
Dana Wood grew up in Center Point, Iowa. After college, she spent several years at Weddings, Etc. working as a seamstress.  A career change made her Administrative Assistant at Global Crossing where she stayed until becoming Office Manager at Indian Creek Nature Center in 2002.  Dana enjoys volunteering and coaching at her children’s school, sewing, swimming and camping.

Development Assistant

Nancy Lackner
A native of southern New Jersey, Nancy moved with her family to Cedar Rapids in 1970. She has two bachelor’s degrees, received 14 years apart, in vastly different fields: business administration with an English minor; and biology and general science. Nancy joined the Nature Center staff in 2000 and her responsibilities include all aspects of fund raising, editing the quarterly newsletter and overseeing memberships. Nancy enjoys exploring nature on foot with her husband and their enthusiastic dog.

Marketing & Merchandising Manager

Susan Glaza Gordon
Susan is a Cedar Rapids native with a BA in Business Administration from Mt. Mercy University.  She has worn many hats through the years including congressional staffer, radio personality, caterer/pastry chef/restaurant owner, personal coach, cooking instructor and marketing and promotions director.  Susan started part-time at the Nature Center in March of 2010 and “graduated” to full time in July, 2011.  Susan is a major foodie, loves music, baseball and dinner with friends. Admittedly not an extremely “outdoorsy” person, Susan is committed to luring other “insiders” outside to the Nature Center.

Program Naturalist

David Brenzel

David Brenzel is a teacher-naturalist at the Indian Creek Nature Center and the co-principle investigator on the Tarkio Valley Sloth Project.  He has a teaching certificate from Mount Mercy College, an MBA-Finance from Indiana University and BS-Zoology from the University of Wisconsin. David previously served 14 years serving as Curator and Education & Outreach Coordinator at the University of Iowa Museum of Natural History. He lives on a small acreage with his wife (and accomplished sloth-digger) Lynette where they are growing a garden, a tall-grass prairie, a sloth park/arboretum of almost 300 different kinds of trees and shrubs and too many deer.

Registrar

Sheri Gilds

Custodian

Marvin Tapken

Maintenance Assistant

Richard Riehl