Our Board

Brigitte Cornelius has lived in other countries as well as in a refugee camp and in big cities, and she sees the world a bit differently. Being on the Peace and Justice Center Board gives her a chance to voice yet another opinion about peace and justice. The opportunity is appreciated.

Marty is retired from many years of work as a licensed mental health counselor. She is a passionate supporter of newcomers to our country, active in a variety of immigration advocacy groups in the community and through the ELCA. She enjoys camping, kayaking, traveling, and making music.

Jack Knight is our Allamakee county board member. In addition to the NEIPJC board, he serves on two county boards, two regional, two watershed, and two other non profits. His philosophy for activism is through community service, and positioning oneself to have a seat at the table for decisions being made on development, farming, conservation, and environmental issues

My history is rural, and my notion is to promote education concerning our environmental and climatical changes and how they affect the remaining slices of the pie, e.g. social, economic, and perhaps the arts. In my third year as a board member I feel that NEIPJC has addressed these concerns in a positive manner, and is a plus to the community.

Heidi has been on the NEIPJC board for a couple of years, eager to maintain the tradition that a town as small as Decorah would value supporting such a place, and use it to help us “widen the circle of compassion”. She worked for many years as a naturalist and environmental educator in a variety of settings and is most passionate about finding ways to rebuild and deepen our connections to the natural world. She is also committed to inspiring choices that support the Great Turning, from the now inappropriate Industrial Growth Society, to a more appropriate Life Sustaining Society—precisely the path that will also address the climate change realities we are now facing. She has two grown daughters and one grandson living in the Decorah area, and lives with her husband Steve in an off-grid, largely recycled-content house surrounded by 60+ acres.

Roman Leis is new to Iowa, having moved with his family in 2017 from Fort Collins, Colorado. He is passionate about living alternatively, loves nature, and grows food and medicine in the soil outside his front door. He strives to help our human community become more conscious of our collective impact on all living beings. Currently he works with an organic veggie farm, is fixing up an old homestead, and helping raise his kids!

“Living life so others may live.”