August-September 2020
Customer Service
The Cedar Rapids CSRU office had no electricity, internet, or phones for a few days following the derecho of August 10, 2020. Most of the employee’s homes were impacted in some way with damage, lack of electricity for most for at least days (and up to 2 weeks), and interruptions to cell phone and internet service.

Slowly, as these services were restored and phone messages were able to be returned, staff members noticed a sincere concern from many of their customers. Rather than being upset that it may have taken longer than usual to return a phone call, or that interruptions with mail and other services were providing challenges, customers were inquiring about whether the staff person they were speaking with had been affected and how they were doing. There was sense of community among customers and staff as they all experienced this natural disaster and the aftermath.
New Hires
  • Melissa Higgins, Waterloo (8/7)
  • Cierra Cason, DSM South (8/14)
  • McKenzie Schulte, Carroll (8/21)
  • Megan Abramski, DSM North (8/21)
  • Kelsey Chevalier, DSM North (8/27)
  • Bryan Petersmith, Cedar Rapids (9/4)
Staff Anniversaries
10 Years:
  • Katherine Bigg, Central Office
  • Rita Rongkavilit, CSC
  • Stephanie Reynolds, Central Office
  • Amanda Ortega, Council Bluffs
15 Years
  • Erin Bloes, EPICS
  • Shelby Shelton, Pleasant Hill
  • Jodie Powers, Council Bluffs
20 Years
  • Jolene Hutchinson, Indianola
  • Linda Scales, Davenport
  • Dawn Shepard, Waterloo
  • Helen White, Davenport
  • Dena Sloan, Central Office
Policy Corner

Central Office is excited to introduce our newest employees! They bring a wealth of CSRU knowledge with them, and are a welcome addition to our teams.
 
Michelle Andrus started with DHS in 2010, and has been with CSRU over 5 years. She previously worked as a SRO in the Ankeny office. Michelle joined the policy unit as a PP2 in March 2020 and is part of the REVIEW, ADMOD, Guidelines, Suspension, Reinstatement, Satisfaction, and Medical teams.
 
Janine Howard started with CSRU in 1997 at the call center. She became a SRO in 2000 at the North Des Moines office and started working in Interstate shortly after. Janine joined the policy unit as a PP2 in March 2020 and is part of the Establishment, Case Closure, Foster Care, Guidelines, and Certified Mail teams.
 
Laurie Keller started with CSRU in 2001, most recently working as a SRO at the South Des Moines office. Prior to officially joining the state of Iowa, she was a CSRU contractor with Merit Resources. Laurie joined the policy unit as a PP2 on the Distribution team in May 2020.
 
Sindy Killin started with CSRU in 2001. She started as a Clerk Advanced, then a Clerk Specialist before becoming a SRO at the North Des Moines office. Her previous process experience includes ICER, Foster Care, Interstate Case Registry, Establishment, Interstate, Enforcement, and REACH. Sindy joined the policy unit as a PP2 for the Web team in March 2020.
 
Jodi Nore started working for CSRU 10 years ago. She previously worked as a SRO in the North Des Moines office where she was responsible for the Foster Care Unit. Jodi joined the policy team as a PP2 on the ICAR Maintenance team in June 2020.
 
Kathy Wadle started with CSRU 14 years ago and worked at the Bell, Grimes, and Indianola offices as an AA1 in the REVAD/ADMOD and ADMIN processes. Kathy joined the policy team as a PP2 on the ICAR maintenance team in July 2020.
Staff Highlight: Glenda Holthaus
Glenda had a family member diagnosed with COVID-19, suffered damage to her home when trees fell on her house and fence, and was without electricity for over a week. Despite all of this, Glenda always kept her focus on her work at CSRU, ensuring that her duties were completed each day and did so with a positive attitude.
Staff Insight: Shelly Franzen
I live in a small town 30 minutes West of Davenport /the Quad Cities. Shortly after the storm hit I lost power. I moved to a central part of my home and heard several loud thuds on my roof from trees I have on two sides of my house. I headed to the basement with my phone and flashlight. I had lost cell service also and unable to reach anyone. When the storm headed out (which seemed to be a scary long time) I headed upstairs to see that part of one of my trees was on my roof.  
ISU Insights: Exciting Opportunity!

Do you want to be part of a historic documentation of the COVID-19 pandemic? The ISU-CSRU contract team is producing a short film about the transition from the office to working from home and the ways CSRU staff have stayed resilient during the pandemic.

To participate, you'll just need to take part in a 15 minute Zoom call with our Marketing Specialist. Email mttritle@iastate.edu to participate!
Training
Show, Don't Tell
by David Briggs
If you’ve ever written a short story or taken a college composition course, you’re probably familiar with the phrase Show, don’t tell. It’s a writing technique that helps readers experience a story through imagery and actions of characters, rather than relying on a simple account of what happened. Showing, rather than telling, makes readers more engaged, more interested, and more likely to remember what they’ve read.
Outreach
VPA VIDEO
The Voluntary Paternity Affidavit program is excited to premier a new informational video that breaks down the VPA process for establishing paternity. Click the link below and scroll down to see the new video!