Theme: Creating Tomorrow

The future is not something we enter; it’s something we create. Creating Tomorrow is about shaping the world ahead through bold ideas, groundbreaking innovations, and transformative actions. It’s a call to visionaries, changemakers, and everyday pioneers to reimagine what’s possible and build a future driven by purpose, creativity, and resilience.

From advancements in technology and sustainability to new perspectives on leadership and human connection, this theme explores how our choices today influence the world of tomorrow. Whether through science, art, entrepreneurship, or social movements, Creating Tomorrow challenges us to take ownership of our collective future and turn inspiration into impact.

Join us as we uncover the ideas that will define the next generation and spark meaningful change. The future starts now—what will you create?

Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center
8201 Dakota St, Cedar Falls, IA 50614
Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50614
United States

Angela Franklin

President and CEO

Angela L. Walker Franklin became Des Moines University’s 15th president in 2011. A native of South Carolina, she holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Emory University. With over 25 years in higher education, she previously held roles at Morehouse School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College. Active in the Des Moines community, she serves on several boards and has received multiple honors, including induction into the Iowa Business Hall of Fame and awards from Furman University and CASE. She led DMU’s largest fundraising campaign, raising over $57 million, and oversaw the creation of a new campus in 2023. A published author and sought-after speaker, Dr. Franklin shares her leadership journey through her books and public engagements.

Connie Svoboda

Forest Therapy Guide

Connie Svoboda is a Certified Forest Therapy Guide. She recently retired from the public sector as a Naturalist for Black Hawk County Conservation in Iowa, where she presented educational programs and led nature therapy walks. Connie also helped to develop Trail Rx, a wellness program that navigates select trails at Hartman Reserve Nature Center. She hopes her continued work in nature therapy will inspire participants to value the natural world and therefore want to preserve it.

Elaine Eshbaugh

Professor of Gerontology; Dementia Simulation House Founder & Director

Dr. Elaine Eshbaugh is a professor of Gerontology and Family Studies at the University of Northern Iowa and has coordinated the Gerontology program since 2007. She earned her MS and PhD from Iowa State University. In 2022, she founded and now directs UNI’s Dementia Simulation House. Dr. Eshbaugh frequently speaks on dementia and leads trainings to promote dementia-friendly communities. She is active with Dementia Friendly Iowa and has developed advanced dementia training for sectors including healthcare, retail, social work, and caregiving. Her research has been published in journals such as the Journal of Community Health Nursing, Gerontology & Geriatrics Education, and the Journal of Community Psychology. With over 30 research publications, she presents at conferences nationwide. She teaches courses on dementia, aging, family relationships, and research methods, and collaborates with healthcare and social service organizations.

Gary Gute

Professor

Gary Gute is president of The Flow Channel Foundation, a non-profit advancing the work of his long-time mentor, friend, and collaborator Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the Father of Flow. A Professor of Human Development at the University of Northern Iowa, he researches creativity and flow and teaches The Science and Experience of Human Flourishing and The Creative Experience. His work has been discussed in Newsweek, The Washington Post, Parents, and Family Fun. He hosts The Cheating Chaos Podcast.

Hang Black

Vice President, Revenue Enablement

From penniless refugee to accomplished sales leader, Hang has most recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award for Revenue Enablement (2024) by Selling Power Magazine, recognized as the Most Visionary Revenue Technology Evangelist in SF Bay Area (2023) by Acquisition International Influential Businesswoman, and honored with the inaugural Woman of Impact (2022) Award by Quinnipiac University. With a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, her career spans engineering, marketing, and sales, earning the nickname “Black Ops”. A multinational keynote speaker on sales, leadership, and a passionate advocate for women in the workplace, she is the author of a Wall Street Journal best-selling book, Embrace Your Edge, for underrepresented groups in the workplace.

Kevin Droe

Associate Professor of Music Education

Kevin Droe, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Northern Iowa. He founded the UNI Spectrum Project, AmpCamp, and Spectrum JamFest, programs promoting accessible and popular music education. His research focuses on special populations and innovative teaching. Kevin also leads workshops in modern band and music education across Iowa. In his spare time, he’s the drummer for Corn Riot, UNI’s faculty punk metal band.

Leslie Wilson

Dean and Professor

Leslie K. Wilson is the dean of the David W. Wilson College of Business at the University of Northern Iowa, recognized by The Princeton Review and accredited by AACSB International in both business and accounting—an honor held by only the top 2% of business schools worldwide. As dean, she leads strategic planning, budgeting, and revenue generation. The college includes five departments: accounting, economics, finance, management, and marketing & entrepreneurship. A standout feature is its Business and Community Services (BCS) unit, which impacts all 99 Iowa counties and 37 states, generating over $30M annually in Iowa. BCS supports economic development, community planning, sustainability, entrepreneurship, and business growth. Within BCS, the Iowa Center for Employee Ownership (IA-CEO), launched in May 2023, promotes awareness and support for employee ownership, aiming to keep Iowa businesses locally owned and thriving.

Mae Yoshikawa

Creator of Kizuki Journaling, Author, and Yogi

Mae Yoshikawa is a cultural bridge, blending Eastern and Western perspectives in holistic wellness. As a yogi, she unites dualities—East meets West, pain meets joy, and loss meets new beginnings—to forge a new way forward. She has transformed profound loss into poignant self-healing and resilience. Creator of the Kizuki Journaling MAE Y method™, she offers a tool for self-awareness and change. The first Japanese woman authorized in Ashtanga yoga, she has been an adidas ambassador since 2015.

Mitch Matthews

CEO - Matthews Training International

Mitch Matthews is the creator of the DREAM THINK DO podcast. His DREAM THINK DO podcast is in the top 1% and helps people to dream bigger, think better, and do more of what they were created to do. Mitch also started something called The “Big Dream Gathering.” It began as a happy accident but has inspired many to give themselves permission to dream bigger and dream together. Most importantly, he’s a husband, a dad and a life-long learner living a highly-caffeinated life in Des Moines, Iowa.

Muhammad Talha

College Student

Muhammad Talha is the first international nursing student at UNI and an Iowa UNA College Ambassador. A war refugee who survived displacement, he has lived in refugee camps and overcome immense adversity with the help of strangers. Featured in multiple publications, he speaks on resilience, humanity, and redefining success. His journey, from war-torn uncertainty to leadership, challenges the self-made myth, proving that trust and community shape our lives. He actively participates in MUN conferences and recently attended Harvard MUN.

Nirmal Melam

High School Student

Nirmal Melam, a junior at Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, IA, is passionate about climate advocacy, scientific research, and global issues. He co-founded the Young Minds Mission Foundation, authored an award-winning climate change book, and led sustainability projects, including a solar panel installation at a rural school in India. A top student and researcher, his work in environmental science and cancer immunotherapy has been published, reflecting his commitment to impactful global solutions.

Quentin Hart

Mayor

Quentin Hart, now in his fifth term, is the first African American mayor of Waterloo, Iowa. Since taking office in 2016, he has led transformative efforts in infrastructure, community revitalization, and equity. He was named 2024 Mayor of the Year by the Iowa Mayor’s Association and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Iowa Legislative Black Caucus. His leadership helped Waterloo join Honeywell’s Smart City Accelerator and receive national recognition. Major projects under his tenure include a $120M citywide fiber network, a $100M theme park, and numerous road and bridge improvements. Hart is involved with the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Accelerator for America. A former city council member and Mayor Pro-Tem, he also served as Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs at Hawkeye Community College. He holds degrees from Minnesota State and UNI. Hart and his wife Cassandra have three children and remain committed to building a community of opportunity for all.

Sarah Helleso

Business Owner

Sarah Helleso leads the nonprofit social enterprise, Try Pie Bakery located in Downtown Waterloo, Iowa. Since graduating from the University of Northern Iowa in 2015, she’s called the Cedar Valley home. Passionate about the overlap between business and community, Sarah is thrilled to be where she can connect with people, work together through creative strategy, and realize deep impact. Sarah lives less than a mile from the program’s storefront in Waterloo with her husband and two daughters.

Tatiana Rice

Director, AI Legislation

Tatiana Rice is the Director of U.S. AI Legislation, where she helps lawmakers, industry leaders, and civil society navigate the evolving landscape of AI regulation and policy. She leads FPF’s strategic legislative and regulatory engagement at the state and federal levels, providing expert analysis, research, and guidance to support informed decision-making on AI policy and governance. Prior to joining FPF, Tatiana was at Shook, Hardy, & Bacon LLP, where she led biometric compliance efforts and supported industry clients in managing data privacy compliance, litigation, and investigations. She holds a J.D. from Washington University School of Law, where she clerked for the Department of Justice and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois.

Walter Caldas Wagner Caldas

Artist

The B2wins (B-Twins), dynamic and charismatic Brazilian Twins, ignite audiences globally with genre-blending, soul-lifting performances. From Rio’s brutal slums, they mastered violins crafted by their father, using music to transcend hardship. Spotlighted by NPR, they landed scholarships in Iowa in 2008. With over 1,000+ performances worldwide, they unite and inspire audiences of all ages, cultures and musical tastes, driven by a relentless quest: to spark joy worldwide through the power of sound.

Zach Lillquist

Client Relationship Manager

Zach is a dedicated educator and coach with a mission to foster intellectual independence, community, and meaningful connection. With years of experience in the classroom and beyond, he understands the value of conversation—whether it’s guiding students toward deeper thinking or engaging with strangers in everyday life. His work emphasizes the power of small moments to create big change.