Tay
lor Anderson, Director
Taylor became the new director of the Iowa Hall of Pride on August 1, 2017. A native Iowan who grew up on a farm in Zearing, Iowa, graduating from Colo-NESCO in 1995, and graduated from Wartburg College with a secondary education degree in 1999. For the next 18 years, starting in Williamsburg then on to Mason City, and finally Ankeny Community Schools, Taylor taught social studies and coached football. During his teaching career he developed a course called “Why Iowa?” and a interdisciplinary course called Adventure Iowa. Sharing his passion of this great State with several students over the years. Taylor and his wife Holly have three children, a bird dog Margo, and reside in Ankeny, Iowa.
Teri Diaz, Administrative Assistant
Teri has been with the Iowa Hall of Pride for 11 years and is the only person who has ever held this position. She is the Administrative Assistant to Director, Taylor Anderson. Her job involves working with over 400 school and private groups to schedule visits to the Iowa Hall of Pride. Her greatest joy comes from sharing the stories and interviews of the Iowans we showcase here. These outstanding Iowans inspire us all to become better citizens of our great state. Teri works with each school group as they do their scavenger hunts and loves scheduling after hours corporate events and then hosting them as their events come to be. Visiting with the variety of visitors coming through the Iowa Hall of Pride is one of her favorite activities, as she is the first person they meet upon arrival. Teri has lived her entire life in Iowa. She was born in Fairfield and then moved to Indianola, where she graduated from that high school and continued on to Simpson College. She has been married to Joe for 34 years and together they have 3 children and one granddaughter. The Diaz family are true “Southsiders” and enjoy all that Des Moines has to offer.
Margie Bloomcamp, Volunteer Coordinator
Margie is a retired educator, having taught preschool, Kindergarten, and 5th grade in Northwest Iowa for over 30 years. After retirement she moved to West Des Moines and began working at the Hall of Pride in 2011. Her job at the Hall is to notify volunteers of when they should come in and keep them up-to-date as to what is happening there. Margie says that the Hall of Pride volunteers are “The Best” Some of them starting when the Hall opened. Margie has two sons and five grandchildren. When she is not cuddling and spoiling the grandchildren, she enjoys singing in choir, traveling, hanging out with family and friends, and meeting everyone who comes into the Hall of Pride to see the “Best of Iowa”!
Blake Rhoads, Director of Marketing and Communications
Blake is a recent graduate from Iowa State University. He graduated with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications. As a former student of Taylor, he started with him August 1st of 2017. Blake is an Ankeny citizen, born and raised. He graduated from Ankeny High School in 2013 in the last year of consolidation for Ankeny schools, before splitting the town North and South the following year. In his free time, he enjoys reading and writing, watching sports and accidentally spending hours in YouTube wormholes. Blake is excited to help the Iowa Hall of Pride become an illustrious destination spot; not only in central Iowa but all across the state as well.