An Iowa movement, by Iowans, for Iowans.

Ben Allen spent years turning complex information into something people actually want to read — managing the creation of more than 100 books at Meredith Corporation under brands like Better Homes and Gardens, The Home Depot, and Miracle-Gro. That instinct for clarity and accessibility shapes how he thinks about Better Ballot Iowa's work: making a complicated system easier for everyday Iowans to understand. Ben holds a Master's in Journalism from the University of Kansas and an MBA from Iowa State, which makes football season complicated. He has served on the boards of the ACLU of Iowa, Metro Arts Alliance, and Master Gardeners of Polk County, and volunteers with Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement. He lives in Des Moines with his wife Peggy and two spoiled cats.

David Gion has spent more than 35 years bringing new companies, products, and initiatives to market — and for the last several, he's turned that same innovation lens on American democracy. Frustrated by growing political division and convinced that practical, achievable fixes exist, David discovered the case for open primaries and ranked choice voting in 2020 and hasn't looked back. He was a founding force behind Better Ballot Iowa and remains on the board today.

Matt Wetstein is a Professor of Physics at Iowa State University, where he studies experimental particle physics and serves as founding co-spokesperson of an international research collaboration. He knows something about building consensus among people who don't always agree. A longtime believer in nonpartisan political reform, Matt decided four years ago to stop watching from the sidelines — motivated in part by a simple goal: leaving his kids a democracy stronger than the one he inherited. He lives in Ames with his wife and two school-aged children.

Pete Jones spent 20 years developing marketing strategies for major corporations before transitioning into real estate, where he helps first-time and move-up buyers navigate the Des Moines metro market. He brings that same instinct for clear, persuasive communication to his role at Better Ballot Iowa. Pete is active in his community through Johnston Rotary and the Johnston Chamber of Commerce, and he joined BBI for a reason that'll sound familiar to anyone on this team: he wants to leave his kids a community — and a democracy — worth being proud of. He lives in Johnston with his wife and three children.

Justin Whitty is a native Iowan who left for Chicago after earning his degree in History and Mathematics from Iowa State, built a career in energy engineering, and eventually came back home to start his family. While in Chicago, he logged time mentoring at food banks, working with forest preserves, and organizing with his neighborhood association — where he got his first real education in how political organizations work. He continues to volunteer with Represent Us, a national movement working toward political reform, and brings that same commitment to building and mobilizing BBI's volunteer base.

Thomas Ahart spent more than 30 years in public education — including a decade as Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools — before moving into consulting. That career gave him a front-row seat to what's at stake when democracy doesn't work as well as it should. A longtime proponent of representative government, Thomas came to Better Ballot Iowa convinced that how we choose our nominees for public office is a problem worth solving — and that it can be. He holds a BA from the University of Denver and an MPA, Ed.S., and Ed.D. from Drake, and has served on nonprofit boards at the local, state, and national level, including his current role as chair of IMPACT Community Action Partnership of Central Iowa. He lives in Des Moines with his wife Jami, son Eli, and Stitch, their French bulldog.

Dwight Schumm serves as an At-Large Board Member. Although not originally from Iowa, he now considers himself a "lifer" having lived here for over 30 years. Dwight got interested in politics after (finally) becoming a citizen in 2009. He quickly developed a passion for non-partisan election reform after seeing how our current election system reinforces hyper-partisanship and gridlock. We can do better! Dwight is a partner in an architectural engineering firm in Cedar Rapids where he designs large scale building systems with a focus on sustainability. His four children are in various stages of adulthood with the youngest just starting college. Besides improving elections, his interests (some might call them obsessions) include electric vehicles and all kinds of wilderness.

Amy Brown spent 27 years in financial services, taking on leadership roles spanning human resources, customer experience, and continuous improvement — the kind of career that leaves you very good at figuring out how systems work and how to make them better. She holds a BS in Economics and Finance from Morningside University in Sioux City. An Iowa native through and through, Amy spends her free time restoring native prairies, renovating homes, and traveling whenever she gets the chance.

Genevieve Johnson holds a BA and MA in Mathematics from the University of Northern Iowa and works as a Senior Application Developer at the University of Iowa, supporting researchers across the institution. She came to Better Ballot Iowa out of a frustration many Iowans share: tired of feeling forced to choose the lesser of two evils, she wanted to connect with people actually working to fix it. When she's not doing that, she's hiking with her husband, wrangling their dogs, or deep in a true crime podcast.