\n Seni
or Director of Policy and Programs\, Iowa Environm
ental Council
_ ____________________
\n \nOCTOBER 2\, 2026 | 11:4
5 AM – 1:00 PM
\n St. Paul's Unit
ed Methodist Church\, Cedar Rapids
\n ** in-p
erson event **
Iowa has the second highest cancer incidenc e rate in the nation and is one of only three stat es where the rate is rising. While the U.S. has a declining overall cancer rate\, Iowa's is sharply increasing. More than 170\,000 Iowans share the ex perience of living with a past or current cancer d iagnosis\, and many more have lost loved ones to c ancer. The “Environmental Risk Factors and Iowa’s Cancer Crisis” project was developed by the Iowa E nvironmental Council and The Harkin Institute base d on feedback from hundreds of Iowans who are aski ng: What makes Iowa an outlier for cancer? What is unique about our state?
\n \nKerri Johannsen\, an author of this report who se rves as Senior Director of Policy and Programs wit h the Iowa Environmental Council\, will present fi ndings on pesticides\, nitrate\, PFAS\, and radon\ , and their associations with cancer in Iowa. In a ddition\, she will share actionable ways you can g et involved in the movement for change.
\n \nYou may make your reservation to attend in -person (with lunch) by clicking on the "Register Now" button. Four boxe d lunch options are available: turkey & swi ss on ciabatta\, roast beef & cheddar on wheatberr y\, Greek Mediterranean wrap (vegetarian)\, and ga rden veggie salad\; boxed lunches are $15 each. You must pr e-order and pay for your lunch by 12:00 PM on Tues day\, September 29. Late orders or walk-in requests for lun ch will not be available.
\n \nIf you have any issues registering\, please email info@interfaithallianceiowa.org o r call 515.279.8715.< /span>
\n \nABOUT OUR PRESE NTER | Kerri Johannsen is the Senior Director of P olicy and Programs with the Iowa Environmental Cou ncil\, providing strategic oversight and advocacy strategy across the Council’s Energy\, Climate Ini tiatives\, and Water Programs. She has two decades of experience in energy and environmental policy and has previously served as the Council’s Energy Program Director as well as Manager of Government Affairs. Kerri previously served as professional s taff with the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee\, administered the Iowa Power Fund for innovative cl ean energy projects\, and worked as an analyst and Legislative Liaison with the Iowa Utilities Commi ssion before joining the Council in 2016. Kerri wa s a visiting researcher with the Florence School o f Regulation in Florence\, Italy\, in the summer o f 2024. She has a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus Coll ege and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Humph rey Institute at the University of Minnesota.
\n \nIntersections is a monthly gathering of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in C edar Rapids. It's an opportunity to learn\, to par ticipate in civil dialogue\, and to discuss issues at the crossroads of religion and politics.< /span>
DESCRIPTION:\n \n \n \n Iowa's cancer crisis\n \n \n Kerri Joh annsen\n \n Senior Director of Policy and Programs \, Iowa Environmental Council\n \n \n \n _________ ____________\n \n \n \n OCTOBER 2\, 2026 | 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM\n \n St. Paul's United Methodist Chu rch\, Cedar Rapids\n \n ** in-person event **\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Iowa has the second highest cancer incidence rate in the nation and is one of only three states where the rate is rising. While the U.S. has a declining overall cancer rate\, Iow a's is sharply increasing. More than 170\,000 Iowa ns share the experience of living with a past or c urrent cancer diagnosis\, and many more have lost loved ones to cancer. The “Environmental Risk Fact ors and Iowa’s Cancer Crisis” project was develope d by the Iowa Environmental Council and The Harkin Institute based on feedback from hundreds of Iowa ns who are asking: What makes Iowa an outlier for cancer? What is unique about our state?\n \n \n \n Kerri Johannsen\, an author of this report who se rves as Senior Director of Policy and Programs wit h the Iowa Environmental Council\, will present fi ndings on pesticides\, nitrate\, PFAS\, and radon\ , and their associations with cancer in Iowa. In a ddition\, she will share actionable ways you can g et involved in the movement for change.\n \n \n \n \n You may make your reservation to attend in-per son (with lunch) by clicking on the "Register Now" button. Four boxed lunch options are available: t urkey & swiss on ciabatta\, roast beef & cheddar o n wheatberry\, Greek Mediterranean wrap (vegetaria n)\, and garden veggie salad\; boxed lunches are $ 15 each. You must pre-order and pay for your lunch by 12:00 PM on Tuesday\, September 29. Late order s or walk-in requests for lunch will not be availa ble.\n \n \n \n If you have any issues registering \, please email info@interfaithallianceiowa.org (m ailto:info@interfaithallianceiowa.org) or call 515 .279.8715 (tel:5152798715).\n \n \n \n \n ABOUT OU R PRESENTER | Kerri Johannsen is the Senior Direct or of Policy and Programs with the Iowa Environmen tal Council\, providing strategic oversight and ad vocacy strategy across the Council’s Energy\, Clim ate Initiatives\, and Water Programs. She has two decades of experience in energy and environmental policy and has previously served as the Council’s Energy Program Director as well as Manager of Gove rnment Affairs. Kerri previously served as profess ional staff with the U.S. Senate Agriculture Commi ttee\, administered the Iowa Power Fund for innova tive clean energy projects\, and worked as an anal yst and Legislative Liaison with the Iowa Utilitie s Commission before joining the Council in 2016. K erri was a visiting researcher with the Florence S chool of Regulation in Florence\, Italy\, in the s ummer of 2024. She has a B.A. from Gustavus Adolph us College and a Master’s in Public Policy from th e Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesot a.\n \n \n \n \n Intersections is a monthly gather ing of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in Cedar Ra pids. It's an opportunity to learn\, to participat e in civil dialogue\, and to discuss issues at the crossroads of religion and politics.\n \n CATEGORIES:Event c3 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN DTSTAMP;TZID=America/Chicago:20261002T114500 DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261002T114500 DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261002T130000 LOCATION:1340 3rd Ave SE\n St. Paul's United Methodist Chur ch\n Cedar Rapids\, IA 52403\n URL:https://interfaithallianceiowa.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=310 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR