Iowa Safe Schools
Iowa Safe Schools
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  • More
    • Home
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Meet our Staff
      • Contact Us
    • Events
      • Iowa Safe Schools Events
      • Spirit Awards
      • Governor's Conference
    • Advocacy
      • Legislative Priorities
    • Students
      • The GSA Network
      • Resources for Students
      • I'm Experiencing Bullying
      • Affirming Resources
      • 24/7 Hotlines
    • Parents
      • My Child is Being Bullied
      • Affirming Resources
      • Resources for Families
      • 24/7 Hotlines
    • Educators
      • Safe Schools Academy
      • CSCA Program
      • Course Catalog
      • Speakers & Presentations
      • Bullying 101
      • Resources for Educators
      • 24/7 Hotlines
    • Get Involved
      • Contact Us
      • Safe Schools Store
      • Limited Edition Gear
      • Support Iowa Safe Schools
  • Home
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Meet our Staff
    • Contact Us
  • Events
    • Iowa Safe Schools Events
    • Spirit Awards
    • Governor's Conference
  • Advocacy
    • Legislative Priorities
  • Students
    • The GSA Network
    • Resources for Students
    • I'm Experiencing Bullying
    • Affirming Resources
    • 24/7 Hotlines
  • Parents
    • My Child is Being Bullied
    • Affirming Resources
    • Resources for Families
    • 24/7 Hotlines
  • Educators
    • Safe Schools Academy
    • CSCA Program
    • Course Catalog
    • Speakers & Presentations
    • Bullying 101
    • Resources for Educators
    • 24/7 Hotlines
  • Get Involved
    • Contact Us
    • Safe Schools Store
    • Limited Edition Gear
    • Support Iowa Safe Schools

Our Team

Becky Tayler (She/Her)

Damian J. Thompson (He/Him)

Damian J. Thompson (He/Him)

Becky Tayler (She/Her/Hers) is the Executive Director of Iowa Safe Schools. She has spent most of her career in direct service of LGBTQ youth across Iowa and is excited to be stepping back into the work that Iowa Safe Schools is doing statewide.





Meet Becky

Damian J. Thompson (He/Him)

Damian J. Thompson (He/Him)

Damian J. Thompson (He/Him)

 Damian Thompson (He/Him/His) is the Director of External Affairs at Iowa Safe Schools. During his time at Iowa Safe Schools, Damian has spearheaded the organization’s lobbying efforts, and serves as the organization’s spokesperson for local and national news outlets.




Meet Damian

Jordan Mix (They/Them)

Damian J. Thompson (He/Him)

Hannah Mitchell (She/They)

Jordan Mix (they/them) is the Director of Educational Programming at Iowa Safe Schools. They graduated from Drake University with degrees in Law, Politics, and Society; Sociology; and Women and Gender Studies. They were the president of Drake’s LGBTQ organization, helped establish the first all-gender bathroom on campus, and collaborated in writing Drake’s Transgender Inclusion Statement.

Meet Jordan

Hannah Mitchell (She/They)

Hannah Mitchell (She/They)

Hannah Mitchell (She/They)

Hannah Mitchell (She/They) is the GSA coordinator at Iowa Safe Schools. She is a recent graduate of the University of Iowa where she majored in Gender, Women, Sexuality Studies; Social Justice; Social Work and minored in Human Relations. At the University of Iowa Hannah worked at the Women’s Resource and Action Center as a Certified Peer Educator, and led the University of Iowa’s LGBTQ+ based sorority (Gamma Rho Lambda).

Meet Hannah

Mark Turnage (He/Him)

Hannah Mitchell (She/They)

Mark Turnage (He/Him)

Mark Turnage (He, Him, His) is the Registrar & Office Manager for Iowa Safe Schools. He coordinates everything, from transcripts to technical support for participants of the Safe Schools Academy, to registration for the annual Governor’s Conference on LGBTQ Youth. 






Meet Mark

Meet the Staff's Pets

Hannah Mitchell (She/They)

Mark Turnage (He/Him)

Want to meet all the four-legged family members of our staff? We figured you would!

Meet our four-legged friends

Iowa Safe Schools' Board of Directors

What is a Board of Directors?

A Board of Directors is a group of community members who are wholeheartedly invested in the mission, values, and goals of an organization. Board members can help organizations build relationships, engage in fundraising and financial oversight, and help with strategic planning. Board members are responsible for making sure that Iowa Safe Schools is continuously pursuing the mission of creating safe and nurturing learning environments and communities for LGBTQ youth.

Meet our Board

Jake Auliff - President

Dan Gutmann - Vice President

Dr. Sarah Eikleberry - Treasurer

Mark Turnage - Confidential Board Secretary

Gabby Guerra

Jan Reinicke

Miriam Woods

Viminda Shafer

Abby Marley

Copyright © 2023 Iowa Safe Schools - All Rights Reserved.


If this is an emergency, dial 911 or the Suicide & Crisis Hotline at 988.
24 x 7 crisis assistance is available from the Iowa Victim Service Call Center 1800-770-1650 or text IowaHelp to 20121.
Iowa Safe Schools —P.O. Box 704 Des Moines, IA 50303 — 515-381-0588 


Iowa Safe Schools

LGBTQ youth need your support, more than ever!

Find out how you can support our work, and help LGBTQ students in the process.

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