Executive Staff

Email: todd.frederickson@iowawild.com

Since his hiring on April 24, 2013, President Todd Frederickson has been an instrumental and driving force in hockey’s return to the Des Moines market. 

During the course of the first seven seasons, the Wild has averaged nearly 6,000 fans per game and completely entrenched itself as one of the premier franchises in the American Hockey League. The Frederickson-led front office broke its’ own record by re-setting the all-time attendance mark for a professional hockey game in the state of Iowa when the team welcomed 14,282 patrons to Wells Fargo Arena on Sept. 19, 2018, when the organization hosted an NHL preseason game between the Minnesota Wild and St. Louis Blues. 

Under his leadership, the team has garnered numerous awards in its short existence. During the summer of 2019, the Wild won four awards, including Team of the Year, Social Media Department of the Year, Outstanding Fan Experience and Best Unique Game Operations Promotion. Frederickson was also honored by the league as the 2019 recipient of the Thomas Ebright Award in recognition of his career contributions to the AHL.

In 2018, Iowa was honored for the third straight season as the AHL’s Corporate Sales Team of the Year, with more than 100% growth backed by new and creative sponsorships. In 2016-17, Iowa Wild was awarded best Digital Media Experience for fans.

In July of 2015, the club was awarded the Best Fan Experience for the AHL’s Western Conference. The organization also racked up three more business-growth awards at the AHL League Marketing Meetings in June of 2015. The Iowa Wild picked up more honors in July of 2015 after Drake University selected team mascot “Crash” for the Character Counts! Program – Mascot of Character Award.

As the first president in team history, Frederickson integrated a successful business plan by creating community-based initiatives such as the Healthy Living Floor Hockey Program and the team’s Wild About Reading campaign. In all, more 150,000 young students throughout central Iowa participated in the team’s floor hockey and reading programs in the first five seasons.

In addition to these programs, the Iowa Wild continues to expand its local growth through community programs. During the 2017-18 season, Iowa Wild, partnered with Iowa Corn, introduced Hockey Days Iowa, the largest outdoor 3-on-3 hockey tournament in Iowa history. More than 300 players from multiple states making up more than 40 teams competed in the inaugural event, which took place in a cornfield in the greater Des Moines area. Because of the success of Hockey Days Iowa, the Wild received the AHL Corporate Promotion of the Year and Community Service Excellence awards at the 2018 AHL Team Business Meetings.

During the winter of 2016, the club partnered with Wells Fargo to christen the first-ever outdoor rink at Raccoon River in West Des Moines. Furthermore, the team has since added six more rinks since the program's inception, reaching communities such as Waukee, Ankeny, Indianola, Ames, Johnston and Urbandale, bringing the total number of rinks to seven. 

In the summer of 2017, Iowa Wild introduced new programs designed for beginners and a separate league for those with physical disabilities. Boys and girls between the ages of 4-12 could sign up for the Junior Crash Course, which allows kids the opportunity to play hockey without the burden of purchasing expensive equipment. Through the program, a total of 250 kids in the Des Moines Metro has graduated from Junior Crash Course into youth hockey. In addition, through a donation made by the Minnesota Wild Foundation and a partnership with Adaptive Sports Iowa, the Iowa Wild announced a Sled Hockey League to begin play in fall of 2017.  

Aside from his team responsibilities, Frederickson takes pride in helping his local community. In 2017, he oversaw a successful fundraiser for the American Heart Association (AHA) as the chairman for their annual Heart Walk. The annual jersey auction has generated roughly $60,000 in funds from the hockey club alone. Frederickson served on the board of the AHA from 2014-17, with a strong tie to the AHA because his son Will had open-heart surgery seven days after birth.

Since 2014, he has served as a volunteer chairman for the Mid-Iowa Friends of Scouting – which provides leadership for annual fundraising campaigns for the Mid-Iowa Council Boy Scouts of America. The only president in Iowa history also makes time to serve on the board for the Susan G. Komen of Greater Iowa since March of 2016. In addition, he was the acting Corporate Chair for the Walk to Defeat ALS in October of 2016.

Prior to taking over in Iowa, Frederickson had served as the AHL’s Vice President, Team Business Services, leading the league to five consecutive years of ticket sales and corporate sales growth.

Before joining the AHL, Frederickson spent time with the Atlanta Falcons organization. Prior to that, Frederickson spent 10 years in the ticketing department of the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, including three years as their executive director of ticket sales and service. The Wolves led the AHL in attendance during the 2004-05 season, averaging more than 9,200 fans per game.

The Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., native, is a graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio. He resides in West Des Moines, with his wife Kristy and their two children: Lilly (10) and William (7). 

Email: alexandra.brown@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild:
It’s been a great opportunity to help build a business from the ground up and see firsthand how hard work contributes to the success of the organization. I genuinely enjoy the people I work with and love witnessing the passion and pride each person brings to their role.

Best thing about your job:
I love creating a fun, unforgettable experience for fans and seeing their passion for the sport. I also value the opportunities we have as a team to make a positive impact in the local community.

Hometown: Emmetsburg, Iowa
States (and provinces or countries) you’ve lived in: Colorado, Pennsylvania, Spain, Iowa
College degree/year/school: B.A. in Marketing and Spanish – University of Iowa, 2011
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Misty May-Treanor, Kerri Walsh, Ryan Theriot, Phil Mickelson
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A sound designer (creating movie soundtracks)
First job/your age: A Heavenly Celebration Bridal, age 15
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: University of Iowa Hawkeyes
Proudest professional accomplishment:
Developing and executing a new marketplace promotion—our postgame country concert night featuring Grammy-nominated artist Cam—which became one of the organization's highest-attended and revenue-generating games. Since then, we've hosted Parmalee, Gaelic Storm, Cassadee Pope, and Brett Young. These events have become marquee nights each season.
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Make-A-Wish Foundation, Iowa Wild’s Junior Crash Course, Tame the Hunger
Most exciting/unique thing you’ve done or place you’ve visited: Waterfall rappelling in Alicante, Spain
Sports played growing up: Basketball, volleyball, softball, track
Favorite foods: Sushi, pizza, mushrooms, avocado, Oreos
Favorite sports movie: Happy Gilmore, Miracle, Moneyball
Favorite book or author: Ken Follett, J.K. Rowling
Favorite subject in elementary school: English
Favorite spectator sports: College football, hockey, golf, baseball
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Iowa Hawkeyes, Minnesota Wild, Chicago Cubs
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Sand volleyball, biking, fishing, golfing, reading

Email: allie.hartman@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild:
I love being part of the planning and execution of theme nights, games, and events. Creating memorable experiences for our fans is what this job is all about. Seeing everything come together—and watching our fans enjoy it just as much as we do—is the most rewarding part of working for the Wild.

Hometown: Storm Lake, IA
College degree/year/school: B.A. in Strategic Public Relations with tracks in Event Planning and Sports Communication – 2019, Buena Vista University
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Jennie Finch
Personal/professional heroes: My parents
First job/your age: Barista at Grand Central Coffee Station, age 15
Sports played growing up: Softball, basketball, volleyball
Favorite foods: Spaghetti and tater tot hotdish
Favorite music artists: Anything country
Favorite sports movie: The Blind Side
Favorite book or author: Nicholas Sparks
Favorite spectator sports: Football and baseball
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Buena Vista Beavers

Email: kyle.weeden@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: Providing entertainment for clients
Best thing about your job: Making clients happy!
Hometown: Des Moines, IA
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Iowa, Arizona
College degree/year/school: B.A. in Sports Management, Buena Vista University, 2015
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Ron Artest
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A business owner
First job/your age: Grocery bagger at Dahl’s Foods, age 14
Current dream job: COO of a sports team
Proudest professional accomplishment: Moving back home and accepting a job with the Wild
Favorite charities/charitable causes: ALS Association
Sports played growing up: Basketball, tennis
Favorite foods: Pizza
Favorite music artists: Kid Cudi
Favorite sports movie: Remember the Titans
Favorite book or author: Any book about sports
Favorite subject in elementary school: History
Favorite spectator sports: Basketball, football, hockey
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Iowa Hawkeyes
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Spending time with family and friends, playing with my dog, watching movies

Email: john.savoia@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: The collaboration from all of our employees in all of the departments with a common goal of constantly improving our product for our fans and community partners.
Best thing about your job: Watching the joy of our fans, partners and staff after a successful game night
States (and provinces or countries) you’ve lived in: Massachusetts, Rhode Island & Iowa
Sports idol as a youth: Larry Bird, Boston Celtics
Personal/professional hero: My Dad
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: Sports Broadcaster
First job/your age: Grocery Store in Boston, Bagging Groceries, 15 years old
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: As an intern in grad school I worked for the American Hockey League, Springfield Falcons, Washington Redskins and the Boston Celtics. After college, I've spent most of my career with the Providence Bruins Hockey Team and also worked for Sports Radio WEEI-FM
Proudest professional accomplishment: The friendships and professional relationships I've been able to develop and the amount I've learned from a lot of great people in my career.
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Jimmy Fund of Boston and NAMI
Sports played growing up: Basketball, Baseball and Soccer
An interesting fact about you: I had two different stints with the Providence Bruins that added up to a total of 19 1/2 years
Favorite foods: Italian and Seafood
Favorite music artists: Pearl Jam, Nirvana, U2, Dave Matthews, John Mayer
Favorite sports movie: League Of Their Own
Favorite book or author: When Pride Still Mattered, David Maraniss
Favorite subject in elementary school: Math
Favorite spectator sports: Football and Basketball
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins and Boston Red Sox
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Jogging, Biking, going to the beach, going out to a restaurant

Email: coleman.peer@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: The ability to play a role in creating long-lasting memories for all our fans!
Best thing about your job: I am able to talk to new people every day, learn from great people on our team and do it in a sport I love.
Hometown: Poughkeepsie, New York
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Iowa
College degree/year/school: Undergrad: Ohio University bachelor's in business administration with a major in Entrepreneurship Grad School: Ohio University Dual Master’s Program, Master of Sports Administration and Master of Business Administration
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Sidney Crosby has always been someone I have looked up to as someone who is a world class superstar but has always been involved in the community he was born in, as well as Pittsburgh, and the hockey community as a whole. He is someone a lot of current and future players look up to, as he is an example of what a professional should be.
As a child, you dreamed of: I dreamed of being a quarterback in the NFL.
First job/your age: Soccer Referee at the age of 14.
Current dream job: Chief Revenue Officer of an NHL organization.
Proudest professional accomplishment: Achieving my goal of working in the professional hockey world with the Iowa Wild!
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Any charity that involves fighting cancer and supporting the families of those with cancer. My family has been unfortunate that it has been touched by this disease too many times and the support we have received has been nothing short of amazing.
Sports played growing up: Basketball, Soccer, and Football
Favorite foods: Buffalo chicken, chicken parm, cheeseburgers, and pizza
Favorite music artists: Khalid, Luke Combs, Post Malone, Thomas Rhett
Favorite sports movie: Miracle on Ice
Favorite subject in elementary school: Gym
Favorite spectator sports: Football and Hockey
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, and Pirates
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Watching sports, playing video games, golf, playing sports, and hanging with friends.

Email: patrick.angell@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: The opportunity to connect our team with the community
Hometown: Naples, FL
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Washington, Florida, Louisiana, Oregon
College degree/year/school: Bachelors in Sport Management from the University of North Florida, 2017 and master’s in business administration from the University of Oregon, 2024
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Peyton Manning, Rafa Nadal, Joe Mauer
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A professional athlete
First job/your age: Soccer Referee at 14
Current dream job: Athletic Director for the University of Oregon
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: Jacksonville Jaguars, Louisiana Tech Athletics, Oregon Athletics
Proudest professional accomplishment: Moving away from home and having success
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Any cause involving animals
Most exciting/unique thing you’ve done or place you’ve visited: London 2012 Summer Olympics
Favorite foods: Seafood, pizza
Favorite music artists: The Beatles, Kendrick Lamar, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Anderson .Paak, Joe Walsh
Favorite sports movie: Dodgeball or Benchwarmers
Favorite book or author: A Song of Ice and Fire series by George RR Martin
Favorite subject in elementary school: Science
Favorite spectator sports: College football, tennis, basketball
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Oregon Ducks, Minnesota Twins, Vikings, and Wild
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Watching sports, playing sports, taking my dog for walks, biking, playing video games

Email: lisa.rothlein@iowawild.com

What you love most about working for the Wild: Working with other hard-working, like-minded people who love hockey

Best thing about your job: The chance to create a team from the ground up

Hometown: Long Island, NY

States (and provinces or countries) you’ve lived in: New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Florida, Texas, Iowa

College degree/year/school: BS Sports Management, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, 1993

Sports idol(s) as a youth: Wayne Gretzky

As a child, you dreamed of becoming: Someone who worked for a hockey team. (And I did it!)

First job/your age: Babysitting, age 12.

Current dream job: Ticket Operations for a major league team, preferably NHL

Other sports teams you’ve worked for: New York Islanders, USTA, Nashville Knights, Pensacola Ice Pilots, Pensacola Barracudas, Houston Aeros

Proudest professional accomplishment: 2003 - Handling the transition to a new arena and new ticketing system in only eight weeks

Favorite charities/charitable causes: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, American Lung Association, donating school supplies

Most exciting/unique thing you’ve done or place you’ve visited: Swimming with dolphins in Marathon Key, FL

Favorite foods: Seafood, NY Bagels, Sushi, Mexican

Favorite music artists: Billy Joel, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews Band, Coldplay, Foo Fighters

Favorite sports movie: Slapshot, Miracle, A League of Their Own, Remember the Titans, Moneyball

Favorite book or author: The Outsiders, The Stand, Water for Elephants,

Favorite subject in elementary school: Creative Writing

Favorite spectator sports: Hockey, Tennis, all Olympic sports

Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): New York Rangers, New York Giants, Minnesota Wild

Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Traveling, reading, movies, going to concerts

Email: mike.bladzik@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: The opportunity to be part of a well-respected organization and help fans create long-term memories by getting them out to a game.
Best thing about your job: Getting to work in sports!
Hometown: Ionia, Michigan
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Michigan, Indiana, Iowa
College degree/year/school: B.S. in Sports Management, Grand Valley State University, 2017
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Ben Wallace, Miguel Cabrera, Calvin Johnson, Steve Yzerman, Nick Lidstrom
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A professional athlete
First job/your age: Delivery driver for a local restaurant (Olivera’s) at age 16
Current dream job: C-level position with a sports team
Proudest professional accomplishment: Winning Trainer of the Year with my last organization
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Movember – Men’s Health and Cancer Awareness
Sports played growing up: Football, baseball, bowling, and golf
Favorite foods: Pizza
Favorite music artists: AC/DC
Favorite sports movie: Dodgeball or Major League
Favorite book or author: Brandon Sanderson, Matt Dinnaman
Favorite subject in elementary school: History
Favorite spectator sports: Football, hockey, baseball, and golf
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Detroit Lions, Detroit Red Wings, Detroit Tigers
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Hanging out with family and friends, playing golf and disc golf, and watching a good movie or TV series

Email: arthur.braden@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: I enjoy creating memorable experiences for fans so they keep coming to our games.
Best thing about your job: Being a part of something bigger than myself
Hometown: Pulaski, Tennessee
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Tennessee, Iowa
College degree/year/school: B.A. in Sports Management, Grand View University, 2022
Sports idol as a kid: Reggie Bush
Personal/professional heroes: My parents
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A professional football player or an NFL coach
First job/your age: Assistant football coach for youth camps / Age 15
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: Iowa Cubs, Quad City Storm
Proudest professional accomplishment: Being able to work with underprivileged kids and give them the opportunity to enjoy a hockey game and create memories that will last a lifetime
An interesting fact about you: I hold school records at Pleasant Valley High School in football and track
Sports played growing up: Football, soccer, baseball, track, and basketball

Email: Benjamin.Campbell@IowaWild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: Making the fans happy!
Hometown: Vernon Hills, Illinois
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Illinois, Iowa, Guatemala
College degree/year/school: B.S. in Marketing, Northern Illinois University, 2019
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Patrick Kane, Derrick Rose, Shaun White
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A doctor, lawyer, actor
First job/your age: Waiter at 15 years old
Current dream job: Professional windsurfer or Mayor of Chicago
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks
Proudest professional accomplishment: Tripled my sales revenue from 2023–2024
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Jimmy V Foundation for Cancer Research
Most exciting/unique thing you’ve done or place you’ve visited: Fell off Niagara Falls in a whiskey barrel
Favorite foods: Scallops and Skittles
Favorite music artists: Mac Miller, Jimi Hendrix
Favorite sports movie: Semi-Pro
Favorite book or author: Bo Burnham's Poetry Book
Favorite subject in elementary school: Math
Favorite spectator sports: Winter Olympics, X Games
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Northern Illinois Huskies!!
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Skiing, skating, surfing, open mic comedy

Email: owen.thompson@iowawild.com
Best thing about your job: Being able to live my dream of working in sports while giving fans the opportunity to create lifetime memories at our events
Hometown: Winterset, IA
College degree/year/school: B.A. in Business Management, Iowa State University, 2022
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Jimmy Butler, Eli Manning, John Cena
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A professional athlete
Current dream job: Working in the front office of an NBA or NFL team
Sports played growing up: Football, cross country, basketball, track, soccer
Favorite music artists: Luke Combs, Van Halen, Tame Impala, Lil Baby
Favorite sports movie: Talladega Nights
Favorite spectator sports: Football, basketball, golf, track and field, wrestling, hockey, baseball
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Iowa State Cyclones, New York Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Heat, Indiana Fever

 

Email: kyle.walzer@iowawild.com
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida
College degree/year/school: B.S. in Sport Management, Ohio University, Class of 2023
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Sidney Crosby
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: Working for a sports team
First job/your age: Snack shack attendant at a local swim club, age 15
Current dream job: General Manager of a major league sports team
Sports played growing up: Hockey, football, basketball, soccer
Favorite foods: Pizza, subs, wings
Favorite music artists: Travis Scott, Kanye West, The Eagles, Led Zeppelin
Favorite sports movie: Miracle
Favorite book or author: The Stand by Stephen King
Favorite subject in elementary school: History
Favorite spectator sports: Hockey, football
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Boston Celtics, Pitt Panthers
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Pickleball, video games, reading

Email: meredith.wedro@iowawild.com
Best thing about your job: Creating a fun and memorable experience for fans!
Hometown: La Crosse, WI
States (and provinces or countries) you’ve lived in: Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Missouri, North Carolina, and now Iowa
College degree/year/school:
– Bachelor’s in Sport Management & Marketing, Minor in Digital Communications – Merrimack College (2018)
– Master’s in Strategic Communications – Michigan State University (2022)
First job/your age: Tennis camp counselor at age 17
Sports played growing up: Tennis, soccer, and skiing
Favorite foods: Mexican and tapas
Favorite subject in elementary school: Math and gym
Favorite spectator sports: Hockey, football, and tennis
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Go Pack Go! (Green Bay Packers)
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Cooking and baking, running, hiking, tennis, golf, and discovering new restaurants

Email: jack.daguanno@iowawild.com
Hometown: Oregon, Wisconsin
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa
College degree/year/school: B.A. in Sports Marketing and Management, University of Dubuque, Class of 2024
What you love most about working for the Wild: Connecting fans to the sport they love
Best thing about your job: Following my passion—working in sports
Sports idol(s) as a youth: LeBron James, Johnny Manziel
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: An NFL player
First job/your age: Dishwasher, age 14
Current dream job: Working for the Iowa Wild
Proudest professional accomplishment: Starting a job with the Wild in a brand-new city
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Special Olympics
Sports played growing up: Football, basketball, track, baseball
Favorite foods: Steak, pizza
Favorite music artist: Future
Favorite sports movie: Creed
Favorite book or author: Harry Potter series
Favorite subject in elementary school: P.E.
Favorite spectator sports: Football, basketball, hockey
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Wisconsin Badgers
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Working out, fishing, golfing, watching sports

Email: dawson.freese@iowawild.com
Hometown: Dubuque, IA
College degree/year/school: B.A. in Sports Marketing and Management, Minor in Business, University of Dubuque, Class of 2024
What you love most about working for the Wild: Getting to come to work in an event center/arena every day
Best thing about your job: Interacting with Iowa Wild fans
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Albert Pujols, Peyton Manning
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A professional baseball player
Current dream job: General Manager of a team in one of the four major sports leagues
Proudest professional accomplishment: Starting my career in sports with the Iowa Wild
Sports played growing up: Baseball, tennis
Favorite music artists: Nickelback, All-American Rejects, Judah & the Lion
Favorite sports movie: Moneyball or Talladega Nights
Favorite book or author: Harry Potter series
Favorite subject in elementary school: Gym
Favorite spectator sports: NASCAR
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Wisconsin Badgers

Email: amanda.niedan-olsen@iowawild.com

Email: ava.martin@iowawild.com
Hometown: Fishers, Indiana
College major/school/year: B.S. in Sport Management, University of Southern Indiana, Class of 2019
Best thing about your job: Helping create lasting memories for our fans
Sports idol as a youth: Maya Moore
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A WNBA player
Favorite foods: Sushi and pasta
Favorite music artist: Zach Bryan
Favorite sports movies: Air Bud, A League of Their Own
Favorite subject in elementary school: Art
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Denver Nuggets, Indiana Fever

 

 

Email: kelcee.kent@iowawild.com
Hometown: Mosinee, Wisconsin
States you’ve lived in: Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Iowa
College degree/year/school: B.S. in Communication Studies with a Minor in Journalism, 2018, University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh
Sports idol as a youth: Brett Favre
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: Green Bay Packers, Green Bay Gamblers, Fargo Force
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Charities that make a direct impact on their local communities
Sports played growing up: Basketball, Soccer
Favorite music artists: Drake, Don Toliver, Lana Del Rey, The Lumineers
Favorite sports movies: Miracle, The Benchwarmers
Favorite book/author: True crime books
Favorite subjects in elementary school: English, Art
Favorite spectator sports: Football, Hockey
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Bucks, Milwaukee Brewers, Wisconsin Badgers
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Golf, thrifting, DIY projects

Email: Morgan.Biretz@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: Working within a supportive and goal-focused organization, as well as being able to advance current skills and formulate new experiences.
Best thing about your job: Cultivating new relationships with fans of the Wild, as well as with coworkers!
States you’ve lived in: Only Iowa!
College degree/year/school: Recent 2023 Graduate of Iowa State University with a B.S. in Management and an additional major in Marketing
Personal/professional hero(s): Both of my parents
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A neurosurgeon
Favorite music artists: A$AP Rocky, Lizzo, Migos, 21 Savage
Favorite sports movie: A League of Their Own
Favorite pro/college sports teams: Iowa State Cyclones and the Chicago Bears

Email: travis.green@iowawild.com
Hometown: Algona, Iowa
What you enjoy most about working for the Wild / best thing about your job: Working with a talented group of people who are just as passionate as I am about their careers and hockey
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Iowa and Minnesota
College degree/year/school: Bachelor of Fine Arts – Emphasis in Graphic Design, 2014, Minnesota State University – Mankato
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Shaquille O’Neal, “Penny” Hardaway, the ’92 Dream Team, Kirby Puckett, and Chipper Jones
Personal/professional hero(es): My parents, Aaron Draplin, and Allan Peters
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: An animator for Nickelodeon
First job/your age: K-Mart (Pantry Department), age 16
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: This is my first foray into the world of sports
Proudest professional accomplishment: Redesigning the website for one of the world’s largest e-commerce companies and earning the opportunity to work with the Iowa Wild
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Moving Veterans Forward, Hope for Paws
Sports played growing up: Basketball and track
An interesting fact about you: Pizza is my second language
Favorite foods: All the pizza
Favorite music artists: Foo Fighters, Blue October, The Gaslight Anthem, Phantogram, Nothing But Thieves, Gang of Youths
Favorite sports movies: Southpaw, Moneyball, Creed, Space Jam (original)
Favorite book or author: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
Favorite subject in elementary school: Art and art history
Favorite spectator sports: Hockey and baseball
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Capital City Crushers (wink-wink)
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Watching movies, attending concerts, playing drums, making art

Email: brooklyn.dean@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: Being able to better connect our amazing fans to our team and players through our social media content!
Hometown: Crosslake, MN
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Minnesota and Iowa
College degree/year/school: B.A. in Strategic Communications – University of Minnesota, Class of December 2023
Sports idols as a youth: Justin Morneau, Brian Dozier, T.J. Oshie
Sports played growing up: Volleyball
Favorite sports movie: Miracle on Ice
Favorite spectator sports: Hockey, baseball, volleyball
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Minnesota Wild, Minnesota Twins, University of Minnesota Golden Gophers!

 

 

Email: jack.pate@iowawild.com

What you love most about working for the Wild: Gameday!

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

States (provinces and/or countries) you've lived in: Iowa, Missouri

College degree/year/school: B.S. in Marketing & Management, 2022 – Drake University

Sports idol(s) as a youth: Albert Pujols
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A forward for the St. Louis Blues
First job/your age: Neighborhood lawn mowing, age 13
Current dream job: PGA Tour professional
Proudest professional accomplishment: My first sale
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Meals from the Heartland – Des Moines
Most exciting/unique thing you’ve done or place you’ve visited: Hawaii / Costa Rica
Favorite foods: BBQ
Favorite music artists: Tame Impala, Men I Trust, Channel Tres, Travis Scott
Favorite sports movie: Caddyshack
Favorite book or author: Things Fall Apart – Chinua Achebe
Favorite subject in elementary school: History
Favorite spectator sports: PGA Tour, NHL, NFL, Premier League
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Drake Bulldog Athletics, any St. Louis sports, and Tottenham Hotspur
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Movies, rec sports, live entertainment, traveling, walking to get coffee

Bio coming soon!

Email: emily.garner@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: Creating a fun and memorable game experience for fans
Best thing about your job: Seeing the impact game presentation has on the fans and witnessing their reactions firsthand on game days
Hometown: San Jose, CA
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: California
College degree/year/school: B.A. in Communications – San Jose State University, Class of 2023
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Patrick Marleau, Mike Ricci, Buster Posey
Personal/professional hero(es): My sister, Herb Brooks
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A teacher
First job/your age: Safeway – Deli, age 18
An interesting fact about you: Took eight years of piano lessons
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: San Jose Barracuda, San Jose Sharks, San Jose Earthquakes, San Francisco 49ers
Proudest professional accomplishment: Opening Tech CU Arena in San Jose; producing Patrick Marleau’s Legends Game in 2023; assisting with his banner raising at SAP Center in San Jose
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Anything supporting women in sports
Sports played growing up: Soccer, softball
Favorite foods: Sushi, lasagna
Favorite sports movie: Miracle
Favorite TV shows: The Office, New Girl, Parks and Recreation
Favorite subject in elementary school: History
Favorite spectator sports: Baseball, football, soccer
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, San Jose Earthquakes

Email: Nick.Spolec@iowawild.com

What you love most about working for the Wild: Working with wonderful people who all share the common goal of creating a greater community and growing the sport of hockey in the state of Iowa

Hometown: Kansas City, MO

States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Missouri, Nebraska, Minnesota, Ohio, Iowa

College degree/year/school: B.S. in Parks, Recreation, Sport & Tourism – University of Missouri, 2024

Personal/professional heroes: My mother, father, and sister

Sports idol(s) as a youth: Nail Yakupov, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Kevin Love, Jamaal Charles

As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A Food Network cooking show judge and an NHL hockey player

First job/your age: Team Service at Main Event Entertainment, age 16

Current dream job: Director of an NHL Community Relations Department

Other sports teams you’ve worked for: Columbus Blue Jackets, University of Missouri Hockey, University of Missouri Baseball

Proudest professional accomplishment: Creating Tigers Rookies, a Try Street Hockey for Free program that introduced the sport and provided equipment to youth in Columbia, MO

Favorite charities/charitable causes: Any organizations supporting wildlife rescue, animal welfare, or conservation awareness

Most exciting/unique thing you’ve done or place you’ve visited: Traveled around Switzerland for 10 days with my grandmother

Favorite foods: Anything my mom makes, Trader Joe’s chips and salsa, and my dad’s homemade pizza

Favorite music artists: Arctic Monkeys, Foster the People, Sublime

Favorite sports movie: Draft Day

Favorite TV show: BoJack Horseman

Favorite subject in elementary school: History

Favorite spectator sports: Hockey, Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, Wrestling

Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Edmonton Oilers, Kansas City Royals, Sporting Kansas City

Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Playing and coaching hockey, skateboarding, being outdoors, traveling, building LEGO sets, studying geography and cities

Email: michael.parker@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: I love having a direct impact on the community and the fan experience.
Hometown: Manassas, VA
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Iowa
College degree/year/school: Bachelor’s degree in Digital Marketing – James Madison University, Class of 2024
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Alex Ovechkin, Manny Ramirez
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: A lawyer or chiropractor
First job/your age: United States Marine, age 18
Current dream job: Work for the NHL
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: James Madison University, Worcester Red Sox, Washington Capitals, Washington Mystics, Washington Spirit, Maryland Black Bears
Proudest professional accomplishment: Landing my first full-time job in sports with the Iowa Wild
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Gary Sinise Foundation
Most exciting/unique thing you’ve done or place you’ve visited: Attempted Pat McAfee’s Kick Contest on College GameDay
Favorite foods: Steak, bacon, cookies
Favorite music artists: The Killers, Twenty One Pilots, Coldplay
Favorite sports movie: Remember the Titans
Favorite book or author: Scars and Stripes – Tim Kennedy; Greenlights – Matthew McConaughey
Favorite subject in elementary school: History
Favorite spectator sports: Hockey
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Washington Capitals, Washington Commanders, Boston Red Sox, James Madison University sports
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Playing hockey, lifting weights, golfing

Hockey idols as a youth: Jordan Greenway, Jared Spurgeon, Matt Dumba, Joel Eriksson Ek

Professional idol: Nordy

Favorite charities: Anything for the kids!

Favorite colors: Forest Green, Iron Range Red, Harvest Gold, and Wild Wheat

Favorite food: Popcorn and hot dogs
Sports played as a youth: Ice hockey, pond hockey, floor hockey, roller hockey

Instruments played: Highly skilled in cowbell performance

Birthday: February 16, 2014

Dreamed of becoming: The best mascot in the AHL

Other sports teams worked for: None

Favorite songs: Wild Thing, Born to Be Wild, Wild World, Maria (I Like It Loud)

Favorite books: Into the Wild, Where the Wild Things Are

Favorite letter: W

Email: ben.gislason@iowawild.com
Hometown: Burnsville, MN
What you enjoy most about working for the Wild / best thing about your job: The family environment and getting to work in a sport I’ve loved since diapers.
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa
College degree/year/school: Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Journalism
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Ray Bourque, Mike Modano, Paul Kariya
Personal/professional heroes: My dad, Eric, Chris Cuthbert, and Brendan Burke
As a child, you dreamed of becoming: An NHL Play-by-Play Broadcaster
First job/your age: Preschool janitor at age 13
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL)
Proudest professional accomplishment: Calling the second period of the St. Louis Blues vs. Utah Hockey Club preseason game in Des Moines
Favorite charities/charitable causes: The Hendrickson Foundation, InSports Foundation, Special Olympics, Make-A-Wish Foundation
Sports played growing up: Hockey, baseball, and golf
An interesting fact about you: A goal I scored in high school hockey made ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10 Plays
Favorite foods: Chicken, asparagus, rice, steak
Favorite music artists: Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, AC/DC, Gordon Lightfoot, Mozart
Favorite sports movie: Semi-Pro
Favorite book or author: The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Favorite subject in elementary school: History
Favorite spectator sports: Hockey, soccer, football
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Minnesota Wild, Vikings, Twins, and Tottenham Hotspur
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Spending time with my wife, playing guitar, fishing, hunting, and collecting vinyl records

Email: alec.lessner@iowawild.com
What you love most about working for the Wild: Being part of an organization committed to growing the game of hockey in Iowa and helping prepare players and staff for the next level.
Best thing about your job: Walking into a rink for work every day.
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
States (provinces and/or countries) you’ve lived in: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Iowa
College degree/year/school: Bachelor of Arts in History and Art History, Class of 2014, University of Michigan
Sports idol(s) as a youth: Chase Utley, Kimmo Timonen
First job/your age: Intramural referee at age 18
An interesting fact about you: I still listen to music on an iPod Touch.
Other sports teams you’ve worked for: Detroit Red Wings, Rockford IceHogs
Proudest professional accomplishment: Using the sport of hockey to educate and empower under-resourced youth in Philadelphia while coaching at Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education—and helping secure a charitable donation to the foundation from Wawa.
Favorite charities/charitable causes: Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education
Sports played growing up: Baseball
Favorite foods: Macaroni and cheese, pasta, Life Savers Gummies Neons, Sour Patch Kids, Swedish Fish
Favorite sports movies: Caddyshack, Slapshot, Semi-Pro
Favorite TV show: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Favorite subject in elementary school: History
Favorite spectator sports: Hockey, Baseball
Favorite pro/college sports teams (excluding Iowa Wild): Philadelphia Phillies, Flyers, Eagles, 76ers, and University of Michigan Wolverines
Favorite recreational activities/hobbies: Golfing, biking, fishing

Email: jon.schaeffer@iowawild.com

Bio: Jon Schaeffer is a Des Moines native, raised around hockey. Jon started his playing career at a young age through the travel programs of Des Moines Youth Hockey up to high school with the Des Moines Capitals. His career on the ice ended there, but he spent more than a decade as a sports anchor including nearly eight years at Des Moines' ABC affiliate, WOI. Schaeffer is an advocate for the growth of hockey in central Iowa and took great pride in sharing stories within the hockey community during his time with WOI. Now he helps anchor the pregame, intermission and post game shows on FloHockey for Iowa Wild home broadcasts. You can find him perched in section 116 or between the glass amongst the action on the ice at Wells Fargo Arena.

Email: garrett.cecere@iowawild.com

Bio: A West Des Moines, IA native, Garrett joins the Wild as an analyst after a wealth of recent playing and coaching experience. He grew up in playing Des Moines Youth Hockey and moved onto prep school and juniors playing in the NAHL and USHL. Garrett played college hockey at Northeastern University before progressing to the professional ranks where he played 181 games in four seasons in the ECHL from 2018-2022 with the Reading Royals, Maine Mariners and Tulsa Oilers. After playing, he spent the 2022-23 campaign as an assistant coach with the Des Moines Buccaneers. Garrett analyzes the games and commentates alongside Ben and Jon on KxNO and FloHockey, as well as select MC22 TV games.