Kristina Venzke, ISA Associate Director, has been with the University of Iowa for twenty-five years as of October 2025.

Kristina Venzke grew up in the country near the small town of Frytown, Iowa, just south of Iowa City. Her love of travel and education led her to pursue a dual BA degree in French and Communications from the University of Iowa and then an MA in International Administration from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, Vermont. After her studies, she spent over two years in Moundou, Chad with the Peace Corps, teaching English and working on public health projects. After Peace Corps, she returned to Iowa, and her interest in public health led to working in the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa, which was the start of her 25-year career. 

In the College of Public Health, Kristina engaged in a variety of projects geared towards research and grants administration, ultimately serving as the Deputy Director for the Center for International Rural and Environmental Health (CIREH) for ten years. CIREH was funded by NIH training grants and focused on providing global health research training experiences for graduate and undergraduate students from the University of Iowa and for students from international collaborating institutions primarily in Central and Eastern Europe and West Africa.

Most recently, Kristina came to ISA from the College of Engineering, where she served as the Assistant to the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs, Research, and Faculty and then as the Department Administrator for Biomedical Engineering.

Kristina first heard of ISA, which was then known as the Iowa Biosciences Academy (IBA), when she worked for CIREH. She recounts that "CIREH had a grant which provided international summer research experiences for undergraduate students, and I worked with IBA for many years to recruit students to participate in our summer internship program. When I saw there was a job opening for an Assistant Director position with ISA, I just knew I had to apply."

Kristina has always known that she wanted to work in a university setting, having a particular interest in student programming and experiential learning experiences. Kristina points out that “working for a university provides a lot of unique opportunities for personal and professional growth. You can find a lecture to attend nearly any day of the week, or attend a concert, or a book reading. It’s interesting to always meet new people, confront new and challenging ideas, and watch trends come and go.” Drawing on how the university experience has shaped her perspective, Kristina says that “at this point in my career, I can even ponder how each new generation, of which I’ve now worked with several, brings something different and valuable to the table.”

A significant aspect of Kristina’s role with the ISA is working with the students. She highlights how the skills she’s built throughout her career impact the experience she has working directly with students. Specifically, her knowledge of program development, research administration, and experiential learning translate to this piece of her role. “My background in managing training programs and coordinating research opportunities helps create meaningful experiences for students,” she says. 

In addition to translating skills, Kristina takes pride in working with ISA students. When asked about her proudest professional achievements, she answered, “Seeing what students accomplish with their careers. It’s profoundly gratifying to see students attain their goals in school, then go on to thrive in their graduate work and careers.” Kristina has a significant positive impact on ISA students, and expresses her outlook on students’ successes: “I hope the services I have helped to provide students over the years helped them get to where they want to be,” she says. “I feel very strongly about working in a profession that contributes to the greater good, and I feel lucky that I have been in a position to do so.”

Students of the ISA put great amounts of time and dedication into their research, which they often present at conferences, symposiums, and more. These presentations make up some of Kristina’s fondest memories at the ISA. She says, “Every year I really look forward to the ISA Scholar Symposium, where seniors talk about their research, and the Latham Showcase, where students in the Latham course present their final science communication projects. I’m always blown away by their expertise and creativity!”

The ISA is extremely grateful for Kristina’s dedication to the students, and for her contribution to the close-knit community of the program. ISA Director Lori Adams, PhD, expresses her gratitude for the time Kristina has contributed to the program: “Kristina brings a depth of experience from her twenty-five years at the University of Iowa, and her impact on the Iowa Sciences Academy has been clear from the moment she joined the team. She pairs strong institutional knowledge with genuine care for students, which has made her an invaluable colleague. I have deeply appreciated her work ethic and the clarity and thoughtfulness she brings to every collaboration.”

Kristina’s enthusiasm for students’ learning and success, along with her professional accomplishments, are greatly appreciated at the ISA. Congratulations, Kristina, for 25 years!