Kari Elbert, Director of Publications

Kari Elbert is right in her element as she launches !ntuition. Kari started out in journalism by sticking microphones in people’s faces for interviews when she was a kid.  So she went to the University of Northern Iowa and has enjoyed 20 years of success in the publishing business.  The Victor, Iowa native now makes her home in Clive with her husband and 16-year-old son. If she can sneak away, you’ll find her on a golf course.  But most weekends are spent cheering on her son’s soccer.

Monthly Columnists:

Mary Day

Mary Day’s mom inspired her interest in radio. Her mother was a host until Mary was in junior high and then quit to stay home with the kids. Mary did the opposite; she was a stay-at-home mom and then went into radio. Mary has been in the business for over 20 years now and between being a mom and a working woman, she brings a unique perspective to !ntuition. When Mary has free time it is spent reading, enjoying a good glass of wine with friends or time with her family. Mary’s kids are all grown but she now has seven grandchildren she loves to dote on.

Pam Dixon

Pam Dixon is a Des Moines native and Hoover High grad. Pam did a full tour of Des Moines radio stations in the 80’s and 90’s and then took a break from broadcasting. Coming into her 50th year she decided to make a change and 93.3 KIOA was able to lure her back to the studio where you can now hear her morning with Maxwell Schaeffer. Pam lives a full life of fun and activism as a breast cancer survivor and mom. She and her daughter Maddie live in West Des Moines.

Deb Engle

Deb Engle is an author, speaker, writing coach, and co-founder of Tending Your Inner Garden^®, a program of personal and spiritual growth for women. She and her husband Bob live near Winterset, where she does a lot of walking in the hills, bike riding (not in the hills), talking to the rocks and rabbits, and curling up in front of Glee and Netflix movies. She also plants flowers and sometimes even weeds them. She and Bob like to travel, play cards, and dance. And she thinks we’re all fortunate to live in Iowa, the hotbed of consciousness. “Where else can you find people who are so down to earth and understand the mind-body-spirit connection?” she says. “We’re all mystics with cream-of-mushroom-soup casseroles.”

Cynthia Fodor

Cynthia Fodor is the Co-Anchor on the KCCI-TV 8 news at 5.  She is also a travel reporter and writer.  She has lived in London and traveled extensively.  In her free time she reading, jogging and playing tennis, but she spends most of her spare time with her son, Jake.

Kate Garner

Kate Garner has a passion for writing and is thrilled to have found a home for it with !ntuition Magazine. She’s been writing stories and playing journalist since third grade. Yet, she likes to talk too and has been a broadcaster for 20 years. As luck would have it her two interests merged when !ntuition was born at the Des Moines Radio Group where you can hear Kate on KIOA, KLTI and KSTZ. When she has free time, (not very often) she’s with family, friends, watching movies or absorbed in a mind-bending puzzle.

Andy Hall

Picture Andy Hall telling you it’s going to be 75 and sunny today. That’s where his career was headed as he studied meteorology in his college years before discovering the wonderful world of radio! Andy is the Music Director and Afternoon Drive host from 2–7pm weekdays on Lazer 103.3, where he’s been the voice of rock radio in Des Moines for nearly 10 years. He resides on the south-side of town with his wife, Mellissa, his beagle, Ruby Soho, and is excited to be a first-time father in June of this year! He enjoys sports, movies, and the fine art of fine dining and is thrilled to be a contributor to !ntuition Magazine.

Ben Hildebrandt

Ben Hildebrandt is vice president of marketing, public affairs and member services for the Iowa Bankers Association. A Perry, Iowa native, he is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and of the Northwestern University Kellogg Management School’s executive education program. Ben and his wife, Barb, are active in numerous community activities; he’s past president of the Des Moines A.M. Rotary and its foundation and is a board member of Iowa Kidstrong and the Small Business Development Centers of Iowa. The Hildebrandts have three daughters.

Colleen Kelly

Colleen grew up in Lockport, Illinois. Her first stint on radio was that of a newswoman. However, after a slew of mispronounced words, they moved her to mornings. She joined Big Ken and Star 102.5 in 2000. Colleen lives in Beaverdale with her two cats Fatty and Sassy. If you’re outside, you’ll probably spot Colleen riding her bike or running, as she is a triathlon enthusiast. Oh, and she also loves ice cream… preferably Breyer’s Mint Chocolate Chip (because they put actual mini-chocolate chips in it, not just small shards of chocolate). Colleen has a very exciting year underway because on November 25th, she got engaged to her fiancé, Justin!!! Their wedding is planned for September.

Becky Kolosik

Becky Kolosik is a freelance writer and marketing communications consultant. After nearly 12 years in corporate communications, she left that behind and put her skills to work for her own marketing and communications consulting business, In So Many Words. Becky specializes in freelance writing services as well as helping clients find ways to build better relationships on a professional and personal level with an online card system. When she is not writing, Becky enjoys spending time with her family — husband (Lyle) and two boys (Brady, age 10; Zane, age 6) and says she has quickly become outnumbered in the house by football fans! In addition, she loves a good workout as well as volunteering in and out of the classroom at her boys’ elementary school and working with kids at her church.

Liz Nead

Liz Nead was an executive at a mortgage technology firm and 15-year insurance veteran when she read a book about “vision boards.” She thought the process was ludicrous and set out to disprove the process with a 90-day journal and a magazine article. Instead, she was made a believer when her vision (full time speaker, radio host, television pilot, movie experience, six pounds lost and more!) came to life in four short months. Today the married mother of seven owns Nead Inspiration designed to challenge you to take the leap of inspired vision.

Maxwell Schaeffer

Maxwell Schaeffer is now celebrating 32 years in broadcasting! (YIKES!) Almost twenty-five of those years have been spent become the man who knows Des Moines. Max loves the theater and is frequent actor and director for productions all over Des Moines.  He’s also a closet composer/songwriter, guitar/keyboard, and hack-gardener/landscaper. He and his wife of 25 years, Karen, live in the Drake neighborhood. They have two sons — Al who’s in high school and Jon who’s in college.

Contributors:

Marcia Lyon

Marcia is a professional remodeling designer and freelance writer, producing projects locally and several other areas across the United States and Canada.  Visit www.creatingspaces.net for more information.

Mick McAuliffe

Mick McAuliffe is the Pet Behavior and Enrichment Manager for the ARL.  He can be contacted at mmcauliffe@arl-iowa.org.

Kelly Hunstman

Kelly is the Executive Director of Primary Health Care, Inc.

Amanda Schreiber

Amanda Schreiber is a freelance [or contributing] writer and a Drake University grad. She currently works as a barista (drinks as much coffee as possible), and enjoys reading biographies and writing. She can be reached at schreiber.aj@gmail.com.

Cheryl Miller

Cheryl is the Marketing Coordinator for the Iowa Bankers Association and can be reached at cmiller@iowabankers.com.

Michelle McKinzey

Michelle is a graduate of Lake Forest College and works as a Sales Assistant for the Des Moines Radio Group.  She can be reached at mmckinzey@desmoinesradiogroup.com.