Barbara came to Collegiate in 2002 as the Director of Children and Youth programs. Since then her duties have morphed, and now her responsibilities include Pastoral Care, Hospitality, Adult Spiritual Formation and Deacon ministries. Barbara was nurtured in the faith in various protestant traditions, becoming a member of the UPCUSA as a college student at Carroll College in Waukesha Wisconsin. After receiving her BA from Carroll, she completed her seminary training at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Not content to follow a traditional ministerial path, she then worked in student personnel administration for 10 years at colleges in Iowa and Minnesota, before receiving a call to be the Associate Pastor at North Shore Presbyterian Church in Shorewood Wisconsin. She and her husband Paul Volker moved to central Iowa in 1988. Since then, she earned a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy from Iowa State University, owned and sold a family therapy agency, worked as a Research Associate for ISU, and raised two beautiful girls. Barbara loves life, and finds there are very few things she doesn’t like doing, except maybe fishing!

Jesse Larson has been our campus minister since August of 2008. He’s originally from upstate New York. Jesse’s dad, brother, sister-in-law and uncle are all Presbyterian pastors, so he’s quite familiar with camp counseling, retreats, potlucks and double predestination. As an undergrad, Jesse studied cultural anthropology at the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio. Immediately following college, he served as a Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer in Ghana, West Africa. Then, he was the program intern at the Center for Global Education in Namibia. Jesse spent four years working at the Director of Youth and Outreach for First Presbyterian Church of Buffalo, New York. He enjoyed working with a diverse and crazy group of urban teenagers, as well as many Sudanese refugees. Much of his twenties were spent going back and forth to Africa; he’s a self-proclaimed afrophile. After graduating from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois, Jesse moved to Ames and has been enjoying the wonderful people in this part of the world. Jesse is often traveling here and there, he is a lover of many genres of music, art and media, and he’s pretty good at eating. Jesse likes to think he is friendly and funny, so feel free to contact him with any questions you might have related to CPC’s work with ISU students.

Betsy was born and raised in Iowa, attended Iowa State University, obtained a degree in Biology and went on to graduate from McCormick Theological Seminary. Since Betsy joined CPC’s staff in August of 2009, she has led high school mission trips, facilitated one day mission projects for middle and high school students and joined forces with lay leaders and other Ames area youth leaders to start a week long Vacation Bible School program for pre-school through 5th graders as well as a summer mission project for middle and high schoolers called Summer Stretch. Betsy and her husband Zack have three cats and one dog. If you have children ages 0-18 and want to know more about how to get them involved in church life, she’d love to talk with you. If you’re interested in working with children and youth, please contact Betsy to find out ways to share your gifts with Collegiate Presbyterian Church’s children and youth.

Doug Sweeney has served as Director of the Adult Choir at CPC since the fall of 2002. Doug is also the Vocal Music Director in the Carroll Community School District in Carroll, IA.  At Carroll High School he serves as director of six performing ensembles, three concert choirs and three show choirs and at Carroll Middle School he directs the 7th grade chorus and the 8th grade chorus. Doug is married to Joan and they have three beautiful girls, Erica, Sara and Laura.

Laura LaGrange started the organist job in October of 2001. She came to our church with many years of experience.  Laura has 20 piano students and an occasional organ student. She enjoys leading worship from the organ and accompanying the wonderful choir and soloists that we have. Tennis and exercise classes are a part of each day's activities. Two grandsons are a blessing!

Jim is the leader of the contemporary service praise band and he and his wife, Jenifer, have been members of CPC for over 15 years.  Jim’s educational background includes a B.A. in Biology from Luther College in Decorah and a M.S. in Preventive Medicine & Environmental Health with an emphasis in Industrial Hygiene from the University of Iowa.  He is currently a full-time Manager of Industrial Hygiene at Ames Laboratory, a Department of Energy research facility located on the campus of Iowa State University.  Jim is also a Ph. D. candidate at Iowa State University with doctoral research that focuses on learning and retention differences between students that take safety training on a computer versus in the classroom.  Jim and Jenifer keep busy with raising 4 boys (Cole, Zach, Alec and Nate) and managing all their activities.  Other than family activities, Jim enjoys coaching baseball and reading.

Jenny has just celebrated 10 years of service to CPC. A life-long resident of Boone, Jenny and her husband Larry have one son, Dan, and 2 dogs, Winston & Chuck. She can answer your questions about financial contributions, church budgets, scheduling, and our columbarium. Office hours are Monday thru Thursday from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

To help answer the question “What does Nichole love?”:
- Using up the last of the shampoo bottle so you can start a new one.
- The first time you get to listen to newly purchased music in the car.
- And, singing to that music at a rock star decibel level.
- Mowing.
- Artwork that's so perfect, you wished that you had created it.
- The time between opening music and when a band comes on stage for a concert.
- Contradictions.

To help answer the question “where did Nichole come from?”:
Nichole was born and raised in Sioux City, Iowa, and proud to call herself a corn fed gal. She received her BBA in Marketing from the University of Iowa and had since attained a digital illustration endorsement.  Nichole spent the past 4 years in Seattle, Washington, drinking coffee, hiking, and using reusable bags.  She’s now back in Iowa with her husband Mark who is getting his PhD from Iowa State in Chemical/Biological Engineering.  Besides working at Collegiate, Nichole is a freelance graphic designer (nicholebrowndesign.com) and has 2 cats, Pica and Boo.