Alumni Features
Where are They Now? Catching up with Prairie alumni as part of its “Where Are They Now?” series. Check out what some of our alumni are up to and what advice they have for future Prairie High School graduates.
Future Alumni Features! Tell us about a Prairie graduate we should feature. Please email Community Relations Director Steve Doser sdoser@crprairie.org
Meet 1979 Prairie Grad Dawn (Becicka) Souza
Name: Dawn (Becicka) Souza
What year did you graduate Prairie High School? I graduated in 1979
What is your current position? I am the Director of Student Life
Where is your place of employment? Pikes Peak Community College in Colorado Springs, Colorado
What are your job responsibilities? I work with all student organizations, clubs and athletics at three different campuses. I also work with Student Government and have traveled all over the country with them to different conferences. We also put on all events for college at all campuses.
Describe your career and educational path since graduating from Prairie High School. I received my Bachelor of Arts at the University of Northern Iowa. From there, I moved to Colorado. I worked at different jobs and ended up in the Health Club business. One day I came to the college to talk to them about a job and my name was on the man’s desk. I figured it was a sign for me to work here. That was 24 years ago. After working here a few years, I moved into the Director position and pursued and received my Master’s at the University of Colorado.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates? I would tell high school graduates to know exactly what they want to do before spending the money on college. There is no real reason that a student has to go to college right after high school. There are so many fields that may only require a certificate or there may be a company that offers on the job training. Working at a college, I see students change their degree plan over and over which costs them so much money. My other piece of advice would be, look at the average amount of money that a particular job pays to see if it is worth the cost of paying back that student loan. Students take out loans and go into jobs that will never pay enough money to pay back their student loans.
Meet 2001 Sarah (Bentley) Eicher
What year did you graduate Prairie High School? 2001
What is your current position? High School English Teacher and Journalism Adviser
Where is your place of employment? Marion Independent High School
What are your job responsibilities? I teach 9th grade English and Journalism (newspaper, yearbook, website, and broadcasting). I’m also the head our English department, so responsibilities for that include working with my team to analyze data, identify and implement priority standards, create common assessments, and work together to make learning fun and engaging for students.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School. After high school I went to St. Ambrose University and majored in Secondary English Ed. I also got to play basketball and volleyball for the Bees while there. After graduating with my bachelors I worked for one year at Highland High School in Riverside, IA, and the following year I moved into my current position at Marion. I was the assistant varsity volleyball coach at MHS from 2006-2009, the highlight being when our team won the state tournament in 2008. In 2010 I received my Masters in Education from Viterbo University in LaCrosse, WI, and I am now working with our high school leadership team to integrate one-to-one technology in the fall.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates? I would tell high school graduates to stay true to themselves and have some grit! It seems the life of a high schooler has changed so much with the rise of technology and social media. I would advise them to use those tools in positive ways and to focus their energy on creating the best life possible for themselves, even though there may be obstacles that arise.
Anything else you would like to add… I would like to add that my decision to become a high school English teacher was largely due to the fact that I had such amazing teachers and coaches and a great overall experience while at PHS! Go Hawks!
On a personal note, I now live in Robins with my husband Andy, our two girls Tenley (6.5) and Lauryn (3), along with a yellow lab and two cats. :)
Meet 2004 Prairie Graduate Jessi Carver
What is your current position?
Peace Corps Volunteer Leader
Where is your place of employment?
Accra, Ghana (West Africa)
What are your job responsibilities?
Supporting Peace Corps Volunteers through connecting them to resources and people who can assist with a successful term of service. Working with Peace Corps Ghana staff on training incoming volunteers to prepare them for service, including technical and cultural information. Managing the volunteer housing at the Accra Office for volunteers who stay for a short time while on leave from their communities of service. Before becoming a volunteer leader I lived for two years in a rural community in northern Ghana. There I worked with community leaders to promote improved sanitation access and helped to organize a project that concluded with more than 100 households building latrines for their families.
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
2004
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School.
I studied Religion and Camping Ministry at Wartburg College and graduated in 2008. After graduating I served for one year in Raleigh, North Carolina with Habitat for Humanity of Wake County as an AmeriCorps construction crew member. The following year I moved to Sacramento, California to serve as a Team Leader for the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) for one year in the Pacific Region. Before joining the Peace Corps I was working with Gretna Glen Camp & Retreat Center in Lebanon, Pennsylvania as the Program Manager. I was there for 4 years planning, facilitating and managing programming for children, youth and adults. I loved my job at Gretna Glen, especially running the summer camp programs, but decided the Peace Corps was calling me to new experiences. I joined the Peace Corps in Ghana in 2015 for two years of service and when the two years ended I decided to extend for a third year. I’ll be completing my Peace Corps service in May 2018 and am excited to return to the US and whatever the next steps bring.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
1. Be brave. The most challenging things are what teach us the most in life. Don’t be afraid to do the thing that will challenge you the most. You will have good days and difficult days no matter how much you love or dislike your job. Don’t let the fear of the difficult days stop you from being where you should be. You can do difficult things.
2. Find ways to be in service to others, no matter where you are in life. When you put the needs of another person before your own you can glimpse life through their eyes and we all grow closer as a community. 3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Meet 2003 Prairie Grad Andrea (Jansa) Woodard
What year did you graduate Prairie High School? 2003
What is your current position? Director of Public Policy
Where is your place of employment? Greater Des Moines Partnership
What are your job responsibilities? I lead the planning of policy events for the organization, lobby at the state and federal levels of government, work with the Immigration Council and Iowa Caucus Consortium.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School. After graduating from the University of Iowa with bachelor’s degrees in political science, communications studies and a minor in business, I began working as a clerk in the Iowa Senate. Over the course of the next decade, I worked on a legislative campaign, worked for a non-profit organization in community organizing, served as assistant to the Iowa House Majority Leader and worked as a research analyst in the Iowa House of Representatives. It was in 2015 when I started in my role at the Greater Des Moines Partnership. What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates? Take every opportunity you can fine to grow both personally and professionally, build your network, listen more than you talk and always show gratitude for those you have helped you along the way.
Meet Todd DeMoss
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
Class of 1985
What activities were you involved in at Prairie?
Football
What is your current position?
Associate Vice President – Basketball Operations, WNBA
Where is your place of employment?
National Basketball Association – New York, New York
What are your job responsibilities?
Responsible for the WNBA Basketball Operations policies and procedures, coaching/player oversight and discipline, implementation and policing of playing rules, and franchise operating guidelines. This includes budgeting, league game scheduling, Player and Referee CBA requirements, franchise salary-cap guidelines, arena/facility standards and approval. Also, work with ESPN/ABC family of networks on National Broadcast schedule and production.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School.
After graduating the University of Iowa, specializing in sports medicine and exercise physiology (as part of the University of Iowa athletic training program). I then returned to Cedar Rapids as the head athletic trainer for the Cedar Rapids Silver Bullets of the Continental Basketball Association. This position provided me opportunities to oversee basketball operations, which included learning sales and sponsorship.
During the 1990’s, I served as general manager for professional basketball teams in Columbus, Ohio; Shreveport, Louisiana; and Palm Beach, Florida.
This experience with regard to developing and overseeing teams as start-ups led to opportunities at the league level — heading up team business operations for both the CBA (Phoenix, AZ) and the International Basketball League (Baltimore, MD). Since 2001, I have worked for the National Basketball Association, first as the president of the Fayetteville Patriots (NBA D League) and then as the head of basketball operations for the WNBA.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
With a positive attitude and a strong work ethic, you will be successful in anything you do.
Anything else you would like to add? (family, awards, etc)
I have wonderful memories from my time at Prairie… my mother and father both worked for the school system, and I am so thankful for them, my teachers/coaches and my friends that started me on this path of life, and to my wife Cynthia who has supported me each step of the way.
Meet 2000 Prairie Grad Danielle (Grabe) Drew
Name: Danielle (Grabe) Drew
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
2000
What is your current position?
Licensed Marital and Family Therapist
Where is your place of employment?
I have my own therapy practice in West Des Moines call Drew Therapy and Counseling Services
What are your job responsibilities?
I work with individuals and families, but primarily couples on addressing mental health issues, improving communication/connection, and generally moving toward living a more fulfilling life in whatever that means for them.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School.
I graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 2004 with a B.A. in Psychology. I then attended Iowa State University and earned a M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy.
After graduating I worked toward gaining client contact and supervision hours to become a fully licensed Marital and Family Therapist in the State of Iowa in 2008. I worked as a staff therapist and then a Clinical Director at community mental agencies in Des Moines before starting Drew Therapy and Counseling Services in 2013. I am a Clinical Fellow with the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy, and served on the Board of Directors for the Iowa Chapter. I am an active member of the IAMFT Ethics Committee and all to the LGBTQ community.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
When considering what life you want to lead after high school, focus on who you want to be instead of what you want to do. Let this be a guide in creating your most fulfilling life.
Meet 2004 Prairie Grad Kylee (Erenberger) Koziesek
What year did you graduate Prairie High School? 2004
Kylee Erenberger Koziesek
What activities were you involved in at Prairie? Cheerleading – Competition, Football, Basketball
What is your current position? RegionalDirector of Digital Marketing, Americas for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.
Where is your place of employment? Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, a luxury hospitality company located in New York City.
What are your job responsibilities? It is my responsibility to plan, execute and manage the digital marketing strategy for Mandarin Oriental hotels within North and South America. Major topics I focus on are website optimizations including SEO, paid search campaigns for Google, Bing and Yahoo and paid social media campaigns while always trying to remain innovative in the hospitality/travel industry. With a portfolio of hotels around the globe everything I do needs to also be considered for other cultures and languages. What works within our typical digital space in America is completely different in Asian and European markets and I need to entice guests to stay in our Americas properties from all countries.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School. After graduating from Prairie I attended the University of Iowa double majoring in Business Administration and Marketing. I began my career with People to People Ambassador Programs; an international travel company for students with a mission to understand other cultures. After People to People I moved to Las Vegas, focusing on hospitably marketing with MGM Resorts International. Upon joining Mandarin Oriental, I’ve relocated to New York City.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
Dream big: I love the saying “Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” by Earl Nightingale. It’s true 100% of the time.
Lead, don’t follow: Who would have thought one of the biggest transportation companies wouldn’t own any cars (Uber), an industry leader in hospitality wouldn’t own any property (Airbnb) and clothing rental could be a more cost effective way to shop than actually shopping (Rent the Runway). None of these companies existed when I was in high school and I never would have thought their business model would have worked. The strategy was brand new and they all solved a problem we didn’t even know we had.
Try to love what you do: It will make life so much more enjoyable.
Anything else you would like to add?
My ultimate goal was to live in New York City while truly enjoying my profession. I am grateful that my career allows me to see the world while meeting amazing people along the way; however I am more grateful to have very supportive friends and family who helped me get here. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them constantly encouraging me. It is important to find people in your life who support your most wild and crazy dreams. Make sure you keep those people close to you. They will be the ones to celebrate your wins and pick you up during your difficult times because with every goal achieved there are plenty of disappointments along the way. The disappointments are what makes the win that much sweeter.
Meet 1983 Prairie Grad Tobey Harrison
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
1983
What activities were you involved in at Prairie?
Unfortunately I was not involved in activities in high school.
What is your current position?
Police Lieutenant for the City of Cedar Rapids
Where is your place of employment?Cedar Rapids Police Department
What are your job responsibilities?
I am responsible for the delivery of Police services for the West District for the City of Cedar Rapids. I have a role in safe neighborhoods, safe streets, crime reduction, reducing calls for service, crime analysis, and work closely with our schools.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School.
After graduating from Prairie I joined the United State Marine Corps Reserve. During this time I was deployed to Persian Gulf during Desert Storm serving both Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In 1987 I joined the Cedar Rapids Police department as an officer. In 1999 I was promoted to Sargent and in 2004 I was promoted to Lieutenant. During my time as an officer I served 12 years on the Cedar Rapids Police Department Special Response Team which involved dealing with barricaded subjects, serving many high risk narcotic search warrants and arrest warrants.
I received my Associates Science Degree from Kirkwood Community College and my Bachelor of Science degree from Upper Iowa University.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
Pick your passion whether it is in the trades or education. Education opens doors regardless of the field you choose. Learn your work.
Anything else you would like to add? (family, awards, etc)
I have a son Caden who is a junior at Prairie High School.
Meet 2006 Prairie Grad Morgan (Funke) Less
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
2006
What activities were you involved in at Prairie?
Basketball, Volleyball, Choir, Show Choir, Student Council, Speech Team, National Honor Society
What is your current position?
Principal Business Development Manager
Where is your place of employment?
Collins Aerospace (Formerly Rockwell Collins)
What are your job responsibilities?
I work with US and International governments, and Aircraft OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to develop solutions to sustain their military aircraft. I develop strategies to grow Collins Aerospace’s aftermarket business across the globe. Additionally, I create marketing content for the company website, marketing materials, press releases, and trade shows.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School.
Since graduating from Prairie High School, I went on to pursue an undergraduate degree from the University of Iowa, majoring in Marketing. I transferred my junior year to the University of Northern Iowa, and continued my major in Marketing and Sales. I started an internship at Rockwell Collins (now Collins Aerospace) following my sophomore year of college, and was fortunate enough to continue to intern with the company for the remainder of my collegiate career.
Upon graduation, I went to work for Rockwell Collins as a Market Analyst. I’ve been with the company ever since, in a variety of Marketing and Business Development roles. I also earned my Masters of Business Administration (MBA) in May 2015.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
Follow your passion. Take risks. Be willing to start anywhere. Internships are invaluable. It’s a win-win for both the intern and the company. It allows you to figure out if the company is a good fit and gets your foot in the door. It also allows the company to test out its future employees. Anything else you would like to add?
My husband (Zach Less) and I met at Prairie and are high school sweethearts! Zach is a Pharmacist at the University of Iowa Oncology Clinic. We have two children: Hudson (3), and Laiken (1). We live in Solon, Iowa.
We have wonderful memories from our time at Prairie and are so thankful for the experiences provided to us by our teachers and coaches.
Meet 1987 Prairie Grad Dave Huston
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
1987
What is your current position?
President/Owner
Where is your place of employment?
Pipe Pro Inc. Mechanical Contractor
What are your job responsibilities?
Work with customers and employees to install and maintain mechanical piping systems including, plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration and process piping of several food products.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School.
Started at sweeping the floor and driving delivery truck for a local contractor. Gained access to an apprentice program for Plumbers and Pipefitters Local #125. Served a 5 year apprenticeship program and worked in the industry locally at several large manufacturing facilities. In 2003 I decided to open my own company and today employ roughly 60 people.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
Get up, dress up, show up and don’t let anyone tell you can’t do something! If you have the desire to succeed, surround yourself with people of the same likeness. You don’t need to know everything, just know where to find the answer.
Put trust and faith in good people and you will receive the same from them. Don’t be afraid to fail, just don’t do it twice. Find something you enjoy doing in life and then make that your job.
Meet 1979 Prairie Grad Jeff Johnson
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
1979
What is your current position?
President of USA Entertainment
Where is your place of employment?
USA Entertainment – Fairfax, Iowa
What are your job responsibilities?
Booking entertainment for corporates, weddings, casinos, clubs, and festivals. Tour Manager for the Impractical Jokers, Booking agent for Michael Carbonaro and Wayne Newton.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School. Started by working at the old Me Too stores in the area. Attended Kirkwood College. Worked at Norand which then turned into Intermec. Went to college as I worked at William Harper College in Illinois and graduated from Shorter College in Georgia with a BA in Business Management. Started USA Entertainment in 2005. I am also a member of the Prairie School Foundation.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates? Do what you love. You may not find what that is until later in life but don’t be afraid to find it. I graduated from college when I was 38 years old and started to do what I loved when I was in my forties.
Meet 1978 Prairie Grad Brian Nelson
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
1978
This is me standing by our fusion Z-pinch experiment (FuZE)
What is your current position and place of employment?
I am a Research Professor in the Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Washington in Seattle.
What are your job responsibilities?
As a Research Professor, I do not have to teach classes, but I daily engage with undergraduate and graduate students, as well as fellow scientists, in fusion energy research projects. Fusion energy powers the stars by combining smaller nuclei into larger nuclei, giving off tremendous amounts of energy. Fusion fuels on Earth can be obtained from water (extracting deuterium or “heavy hydrogen”), and from lithium (as found in batteries). There are enough fusion fuels available for many billions of years of clean energy production. The fuel is very inexpensive, as we are “burning” water (deuterium) and dirt (lithium), so the fuel prices are literally “dirt (and water) cheap”. The difficulty is getting the fuels to high enough temperatures (100 million degrees) and stably confining the ionized gasses (plasma) for a sufficient period of time. Achieving controlled fusion energy on Earth might be one of the most difficult tasks mankind has attempted, but I’m optimistic we will achieve this goal.
Describe your career path since graduating from Prairie High School.
After graduating from PHS, I went to the University of Iowa for my undergraduate Electrical Engineering degree, then to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for my graduate degree in Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Physics. Straight from UW-Madison, I went to the University of Washington. Basically I started going to school in 1966 and haven’t left yet.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
Follow your passion(s); do not be afraid to work hard; learn from your mistakes (and be sure to try hard enough to make mistakes); and enjoy the fruits of your successes (especially the small ones).
Any additional information you would like to offer?
I have fond memories of my time at Prairie, including making many life-long friends. I learned a lot from the Mathematics teacher Mr. “Fred” Fearing, the Physics/Chemistry teacher Mr. Rieniets, and the rest of the PHS faculty and staff. Plus we were pretty stout at football and wrestling.
Meet 2012 Prairie Grad Amanda Smith
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
2012
What is your current position?
Medical Device Research and Development Engineer
Where is your place of employment?
Boston Scientific in Marlborough, Massachusetts
What are your job responsibilities?
I brainstorm, design, prototype and test innovative devices to treat unmet medical needs. My focus area is stents and hemostasis for the Endoscopy division.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School.
After graduating from Prairie, I attended the University of Iowa and majored in Biomedical Engineering. While in college, I had a 6-month internship with Boston Scientific and was offered a full-time position.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
My advice for high school graduates is to apply for internships and co-ops in your field during college. Not only does it give you a head start looking for a full-time jobs, but it lets you explore potential career paths and figure out what you like and dislike. Students still in high school can do this too! While at Prairie, I took Project Lead the Way courses to try out engineering and participated in hospital internships through Workplace Learning Connection to explore healthcare. These helped me select my major for college and set me up for success!
Meet 2003 Prairie Grad Ben Waychoff
What year did you graduate Prairie High School? 2003
What is your current position and place of employment?
Research Systems Manager, Consumer insight, Measurement & Analytics for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
What are your job responsibilities?
I lead the team responsible for managing active Guest surveys and the organization of the resulting data for the Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Paris Resort, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, and Adventures by Disney.
Describe your career path since graduating from Prairie High School.
I started with the Walt Disney Company in 2004 as a Fantasyland Merchandise Host as part of the Disney College Program. After finishing that internship program I returned to Iowa and kept working for Disney as a Campus Representative for the Disney College Program as I finished my degrees.
After finishing my Associates and Bachelor’s degrees, I returned to Florida on a Professional Internship as a Coordinator for Disney Internships and Programs recruiting. I then completed a second Professional Internship as a Mechanical Engineering Intern with Business Integration and Planning supporting Magic Kingdom Support Engineering.
With internships done I moved into a full-time role as a Monorail Pilot with Disney Transportation. Over the next few years, I held several roles within Disney Transportation Operations Support, starting with Statistical Associate, then System Administrator, Workload/Staffing Analyst, and Workload/Staffing Manager. In the past year I’ve moved over to Consumer Insight, Measurement & Analytics as the Research Systems Manager, leading the Data Services team.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
Be flexible. Be open to new opportunities. Have fun!
Meet 2000 Prairie Grad Ben Welsh
What year did you graduate Prairie High School? 2000
What is your current position?
My title is Data Editor with The Los Angeles Times, a 24-hour website and daily newspaper in Southern California. I am a journalist, albeit an unconventional one. I specialize in what some people call computer-assisted reporting, and some others call data journalism. Journalists in the past were often hack novelists. I’m a hack computer programmer. I write code to collect, organize, analyze and present large amounts of information.
What are your job responsibilities?
I am the manager of a team called the Data Desk, a team of reporters and computer programmers in the newsroom who use our technical skills to find and tell stories.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School. My education includes a master’s degree from the Missouri School of Journalism — where I worked at the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting (NICAR). I received my undergraduate training at DePaul University in Chicago.
Before working at The Times, I worked on investigative projects at The Center for Public Integrity and helped produce long-form documentaries for cable channels like CNN.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates? Do what you love. Computers aren’t just for nerds. There’s so much opportunity for you if you pick up technical skills, like computer programming. And it’s not just in science and technology. You can be a nerd and do all kinds of artistic work, in journalism, the fine arts, academia and design. Even if you see yourself as an artistic person aiming for a career in the humanities, I urge to still try to learn technical skills so you can succeed in our digital era.
Meet 2000 Prairie Grad Hailey Whitters
What year did you graduate Prairie High School?
2007
What activities were you involved in at Prairie?
Dance Team, Cross Country, Show Choir, Student Council
What is your current position?
Singer/Songwriter at Carnival Music
Where is your place of employment?
Carnival Music in Nashville, TN
What are your job responsibilities?
My job is to write songs for artists in country music.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
My biggest professional accomplishment to date is having written a song that was recorded by Alan Jackson.
Describe your career/educational path since graduating from Prairie High School.
Post high school, I received a bachelor’s degree in Music Business at Belmont University in Nashville and went on to be signed by Carnival Music the year after graduating college.
What advice would you give to today’s high school graduates?
My advice to today’s high school graduates would be to work hard, stay focused on your goals, and seek opportunities outside of your comfort zone.
Anything else you would like to add? (family, etc)
Hailey Whitters
www.haileywhitters.com