Nathan White is the Founder of Simple Amp, LLC, a marketing and advertising consulting firm.

Previously, he was the Marketing Director at the Karl Auto Group and the Creative Services Director at KCCI in Des Moines, Iowa, where his team grew the audience through advertising and brand campaigns.

Nathan joined the AAF Des Moines board in 2019.

Fun Fact: He has participated in two hot air balloon races.

Taylor Blanchard serves as the Assistant Vice President of Marketing at Fareway Stores, where she brings over a decade of diverse marketing experience and strategic leadership to the role. Since launching her career in 2011, Taylor has held a variety of positions across the marketing spectrum, developing deep expertise in areas such as web strategy, SEO, copywriting, direct mail, digital media, and traditional advertising.

Her passion for media is matched by a keen analytical mindset—Taylor thrives on interpreting data and uncovering trends that drive informed, impactful marketing decisions. She is known for blending creativity with strategy to deliver results that resonate with both customers and stakeholders.

Taylor is thrilled to join the AAF Board, where she looks forward to collaborating with fellow professionals and contributing to the growth of the marketing and advertising community. She is especially excited to share her enthusiasm for marketing and education, and to help inspire and support the next generation of industry leaders.

Scott Horton is a media producer and live event video director with more than 20 years of experience as a creative in sports, entertainment, and higher education. He started his career in Nashville as a graphics designer in the touring music industry before taking on a creative director role at his alma mater, Purdue University, working for both the academic and athletics sides of campus. In 2022, he arrived in Des Moines as a motion designer, video editor, and producer for Studio Iowa.

Scott spent over a decade serving on the American Advertising Awards committee for the North Central Indiana chapter of AAF where he utilized his design and event production experience to produce some truly unique award celebrations. This is his second year serving with AAF of Des Moines.

Scott and his wife Maria enjoy exploring the city with their two children and miniature schnauzer, Yennefur of Vengerbark.

Kathy Wiseman is the Multimedia Producer at Food Bank of Iowa in Des Moines. Previously, she worked as a commercial producer at KCCI-TV. She enjoys creatively telling and sharing stories from the community and has been honored with 3 regional Emmy awards.

Fun Fact: She’s an alumni of Drake University and attends the Drake Relays every year (no matter the weather) following a tradition set by her own alumni father.

• Hi there — I’m Madeilline Preston!

I bring a well-rounded background in marketing that spans print and digital branding, on-air radio and sales, marketing automation, and client experience across both pre- and post-sales touchpoints. With more than a decade of experience wearing many hats, I’m passionate about helping brands show up meaningfully — and helping people feel seen in the process.

Now in my second year with AAF Iowa, I’m excited to keep the momentum going! I’m committed to elevating our presence, programming, and partnerships while being a nearby resource for both the board and our broader metro marketing community.

Joanna Schroeder, APR, is a content invigorator, brand storyteller, PR influencer and strategist, grammar enthusiast and blogging maven. She is currently an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism & Communication teaching advertising creativity, public relations and crisis communication. She values diversity and strives to foster open, honest and respectful discussions in the classroom. Schroeder’s biggest educational accomplishment was successfully defending her master’s thesis and receiving her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) on the same day. Professionally, she led the PR campaign behind the IndyCar Series use of 100% ethanol garnering more than 1B global media impressions. She is a bibliophile and enjoys taking photos of her rescue dog, Mr. Edison, and posting them on Instagram @dsmdowntowndoggie.

Reese Scherder is the Marketing Specialist at VisionBank of Iowa, where she blends creativity and strategy to elevate the bank’s brand through digital marketing, design, community involvement, and storytelling. She enjoys finding new ways to connect with audiences and believes the best ideas come from collaboration and curiosity. As a member of the AAF Des Moines Board of Directors, Reese is excited to support and celebrate the local creative community while continuing to grow alongside fellow marketers.

Originally from New Zealand, Elaine brings more than 20 years of experience in education, where she’s been passionate about developing people, building meaningful connections, and creating engaging learning experiences. Today, she is the founder of Reka Luxury Travel, a boutique travel advisory specializing in thoughtfully curated luxury travel experiences. She enjoys bringing people together, fostering relationships, and creating memorable events, and she is excited to contribute those skills as an AAF volunteer.

With experience spanning financial services, agency, and nonprofit organizations, Kayla has built a career rooted in strategic marketing, relationship management, and collaborative leadership. She brings expertise in integrated marketing strategy, campaign execution, and project management, with a passion for developing creative solutions that deliver meaningful results and foster lasting connections. She is passionate about mentoring others, building community, and creating opportunities for growth both professionally and personally.

As a member of the AAF of Des Moines Board, Kayla is excited to collaborate with fellow industry leaders to strengthen the local marketing and advertising community. She looks forward to supporting professional development, fostering meaningful connections, and giving back to the community that has played an important role in her career.

As an Account Supervisor at Flynn Wright, Chantelle enjoys building strong relationships with clients, partners and internal teams. She is known for her resourcefulness, attention to detail, and friendly smile around the office. 

She holds a bachelor’s in marketing from Drake University. Although she now works at an agency, she started her career in nonprofit and still enjoys volunteering her time to help lead the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s and Brook Run Neighborhood Association. In her free time, you can find her spending time with her husband and five year old and attending live music shows.