Annual Meeting

Mary Ann Brown | Burlington

Mary Ann Brown retired as a district court judge in the 8th Judicial District of Iowa after 20 years on the bench. She continues to work on a part time basis as a senior judge. Prior to her retirement she also served as the Chief Judge of the 8th Judicial District for 9 years . Before taking the bench she served as a prosecutor in the Des Moines County Attorney’s office and was in private practice with the firm of Bauer, Schulte, Hahn, Swanson and Brown, in Burlington, Iowa.

Over the years she has volunteered for several local community organizations such as the Burlington Library Board of Trustees, Burlington/West Burlington United Way, and Burlington/West Burlington Chamber of Commerce. She has also served on several Iowa Bar Association and Iowa Supreme Court committees.

Mary Ann is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts. She was a girl scout as a child. As an adult she has served in many volunteer positions over the years including Cadette troop leader, long time member of the board of directors for Shining Trail Council and president of the board for six years. She most recently has served on the by-laws and finance committees for GSEIWI.

Sarah Beckman


Sarah is a certified public accountant and shareholder of CPA Associates PC in Burlington, Iowa.  She accredits her cookie sales experience as a former Brownie for fueling her passion for numbers.  Sarah performs financial statement audits and prepares individual, business and not-for-profit tax returns.  She has a Bachelor of Business Administration - Accounting from the University of Northern Iowa.  Prior to working at CPA Associates PC, Sarah was a manager with Ernst & Young LLP in Des Moines Iowa. Besides numbers, Sarah enjoys spending time with family, participating in farming operations with her husband and reading a great book.

Danica Hass


Danica has been employed at the Allen Child Protection Center since 2016 as a Forensic Interviewer. In her role, she interviews children and dependent adults for allegations of abuse and to date, has conducted roughly 1,300 interviews. During her employment, Danica has mentored other Allen Hospital employees, provided training to community members and professionals, and currently leads a Community Engagement Committee. Danica participates in multiple councils and organizations both inside and outside of work. Danica serves on the Executive Committee for the Iowa American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children and currently serves as the President of the Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls.

Rachel Reed


Rachel Reed is the Manager of Customer Service at Muscatine Power and Water. She holds a Bachelor's Degreen in Business Administraiton with a focus on Continuous Improvement and Change Management, and has contributed to several major organizational initiatives. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Rachel is deeply committed to empowering women and supporting the Muscatine community. She serves as a key committee member of the Muscatine Women's Leadership Network, helping to empower, connect, and inspire female leaders throughout the area. She is also a lead member of the MPW Women in Utilities team working to elevate, encourage, and support women in the utility industry. Rachel actively volunteers throughout the community and is committed to fostering leadership, confidence, and opportunity for young people. 

Breann Payton


Breann Payton is a Sales Manager at Hyatt Regency Coralville with over four years of experience—and a lifelong love for teamwork thanks to her background in collegiate volleyball at UNI and coaching at the University of Iowa. When she is not working, she is all about family time, cheering on her niece and nephew, rooting for the Hawkeyes, and enjoying anything from boating and fishing to hiking, game nights, movies, and getting lost in a good book.

Sky’la Dixon


Sky’la Dixon is a Junior at Pleasant Valley High School. She has been a Girl Scout for a decade and is currently a Senior Girl Scout Juliette as part of SU 83600 in Muscatine, Iowa. An accomplished leader, she has earned both the Girl Scout Bronze and Silver Awards and was featured on CNN's "Salute to Kids" for her community literacy project.  She has represented Girl Scouts internationally, attending a leadership camp in Japan and participating in troops in New York, Texas, and South Korea. Recognized as the Youth Volunteer of the Year at Fort Drum, she has dedicated hundreds of hours to service with organizations like the American Red Cross and the U.S. Army Warrant Officers Association in military communities around the world.  She enjoys talking to younger youth about her experiences while living in different military communities.

Tristen Lester


Tristen Lester enjoys traveling, sports, volunteering, and trying new things. She has had the oppotunity to travel to 4 different countries through Girl Scouts. She is also a member of the volleyball, color guard, and basketball teams at her school. Tristen's volunteer work includes volunteering through clubs like the Black Student Union, Student Ambassadors, and Linn Mar Television. Tristen has earned Academic Awards with Honors, the Mississippi Valley Conference Academic Award, and the Girl Scout Silver Award. She is looking forward to is completeing the Girl Scout Gold Award and going to a university. 

Madison Herring


Madison Herring is an 11th grader at Maquoketa High school, dual-enrolled at Eastern Iowa, and a two-year Girl Scout Girl Board Representative. She has been involved with Girls Scouts since she was in Kindergarten and has been involved as both an active troop member and a  Juliette. Outside of Girl Scouts, Madison is involved with 4H, FFA, Golf, Trap, and will be on the bowling team this year. Madison has completed the Silver Award and is working on earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. She loves using her leadership skills and service to turn ideas into real community impact.