<
strong>Kerri Johannsen
\n Se
nior Director of Policy and Programs\, Iowa Enviro
nmental Council
_____________________
\n \nOCTOBER 2\, 2026 | 11
:45 AM – 1:00 PM
\n St. Paul's Un
ited Methodist Church\, Cedar Rapids
\n ** in
-person event **
Iowa has the second highest cancer incidence r ate in the nation and is one of only three states where the rate is rising. While the U.S. has a dec lining overall cancer rate\, Iowa's is sharply inc reasing. More than 170\,000 Iowans share the exper ience of living with a past or current cancer diag nosis\, and many more have lost loved ones to canc er. The “Environmental Risk Factors and Iowa’s Can cer Crisis” project was developed by the Iowa Envi ronmental Council and The Harkin Institute based o n feedback from hundreds of Iowans who are asking: What makes Iowa an outlier for cancer? What is un ique about our state?
\n \nKerri Johannsen\, an author of this report who ser ves as Senior Director of Policy and Programs with the Iowa Environmental Council\, will present fin dings on pesticides\, nitrate\, PFAS\, and radon\, and their associations with cancer in Iowa. In ad dition\, she will share actionable ways you can ge t involved in the movement for change.
\ n \nYou may make your reservation to attend in- person (no lunch) by clicking on the "Register Now " button. There is no cost for this option\, but we must have your RSVP to ensure we have enough seati ng. You are welcome to bring your own lunch to eat during the presentation.
\n \nIf you have any issues registering\, please em ail info@interfaithallianceiowa.org or call 515.279.8715.
\n \nABOUT OUR PRESENTER | K erri Johannsen is the Senior Director of Policy an d Programs with the Iowa Environmental Council\, p roviding strategic oversight and advocacy strategy across the Council’s Energy\, Climate Initiatives \, and Water Programs. She has two decades of expe rience 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 staff wit h the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee\, administ ered the Iowa Power Fund for innovative clean ener gy projects\, and worked as an analyst and Legisla tive Liaison with the Iowa Utilities Commission be fore joining the Council in 2016. Kerri was a visi ting researcher with the Florence School of Regula tion in Florence\, Italy\, in the summer of 2024. She has a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Master’s in Public Policy from the Humphrey Inst itute at the University of Minnesota.
\n \nIntersections is a monthly gatheri ng of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in Cedar Rap ids. It's an opportunity to learn\, to participate in civil dialogue\, and to discuss issues at the crossroads of religion and politics.
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 (no lunch) by clicking on the "Register Now" b utton. There is no cost for this option\, but we m ust have your RSVP to ensure we have enough seatin g. You are welcome to bring your own lunch to eat during the presentation.\n \n \n \n If you have an y issues registering\, please email info@interfait hallianceiowa.org (mailto:info@interfaithalliancei owa.org) or call 515.279.8715 (tel:5152798715).\n \n \n \n \n ABOUT OUR PRESENTER | Kerri Johannsen is the Senior Director of Policy and Programs with the Iowa Environmental Council\, providing strate gic oversight and advocacy strategy across the Cou ncil’s Energy\, Climate Initiatives\, and Water Pr ograms. She has two decades of experience in energ y and environmental policy and has previously serv ed as the Council’s Energy Program Director as wel l as Manager of Government Affairs. Kerri previous ly served as professional staff with the U.S. Sena te Agriculture Committee\, administered the Iowa P ower Fund for innovative clean energy projects\, a nd worked as an analyst and Legislative Liaison wi th the Iowa Utilities Commission before joining th e Council in 2016. Kerri was a visiting researcher with the Florence School of Regulation in Florenc e\, Italy\, in the summer of 2024. She has a B.A. from Gustavus Adolphus College and a Master’s in P ublic Policy from the Humphrey Institute at the Un iversity of Minnesota.\n \n \n \n \n Intersections is a monthly gathering of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa in Cedar Rapids. It's an opportunity to l earn\, to participate in civil dialogue\, and to d iscuss issues at the crossroads of religion and po litics.\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=311 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR