Staff
Lindi Trowbridge, Executive Director
Lindi Trowbridge was born and raised in Southeast GA, but made the move to Marshalltown four years ago, to be closer to her husband Joey’s family. Joey and Lindi have been married ten years, and have been blessed with an amazing daughter, Harper Leigh.
She spent the last twenty years working in Property Management, Real Estate, Senior Living, and most recently Banking. She is very passionate about serving others. She believes life should be lived every day to the fullest, as we are not guaranteed tomorrow, and when we put God first, everything else in life falls into place.
Linda Jacobs, Client Services Coordinator
Fertility Educator and Cycle Show Instructor
Linda is a wife and mother of six children. As a Registered Nurse, she has years of clinical experience in various areas including labor and delivery and post-partum care. Before becoming a FertilityCare Practitioner over 28 years ago, she and her husband experienced several years of infertility and a sorrowful miscarriage. She knows first-hand the value of learning the biomarkers of fertility. Linda has a passion for learning about and teaching the reproductive system! In 2019, she received certification as a Cycle Show Instructor and enjoys helping young girls learn about the awesome things that will be happening in their body as they develop into a woman. In 2022, she became certified as a FEMM and Teen FEMM Instructor and will soon be offering these classes at GSM.
Megan Edel, Marketing Director
Megan is a wife and mother. Megan attended University of Northern Iowa for a degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and continued for a masters in Speech Language Pathology. Megan currently stays at home with her little one. Megan is passionate about empowering women to pursue wholeness through authentic education and supporting women and families throughout all stages in life.
Executive Team and Board of Directors
Kelly Illum, Board Chair
Kelly Illum is a wife and mother. She is proud to serve the board of directors for Guiding Star Marshalltown. With her nursing and human services background she is eager to educate and assist in women’s health care using a wholistic approach in teaching natural family planning and fertility education using the FEMM method. Guiding Star has an excellent vision for serving families, women, and children with faith and God’s natural will for our bodies as its main focus.
Rebecca Driscoll, Vice Chair
Shelby Dolash , Secretary
Shelby Dolash is a wife and mother of 4 girls and has several grandchildren. She is supportive of the Guiding Star philosophy serving as the Board Secretary and Volunteer Coordinator.
Roger Groteluschen, Treasurer
After graduating from Northwest Missouri State University with a BS in accounting Roger served two years in the US Army. He was Business Manager for Audubon Schools before moving to Marshalltown and eventually retired from IVCCD as CFO. He and his wife Rosemary have four children and enjoy being able to share experiences with grandchildren. He feels every life is precious and serving as treasurer of Guiding Star allows him to assist in a process which provides a needed alternative to abortion.
Marta Smigowska, Board Member at Large
Marta Smigowska is a wife and mother of 6 children. In 2006 she moved to the USA from Poland, lived in Illinois for 11 years and moved to Marshalltown in 2017. She has a Master Degree in Economics and years of work experience in the Finance especially Banking. Currently she is a stay at home mom and enjoys serving her family. She is very passionate about her Catholic faith and church teaching about dignity of a human person, marriage and family life. The mission of Guiding Star is very close to her heart as she believes that all young people and families deserve true education about sexuality, fertility, and healthy relationships that are in line with nature and God’s will.
Mark Mauk, Board Member at Large
Mark became aware of Guiding Star Project though activities associated with the Marshall County Culture of Life Committee. He was inspired by how Guiding Star Project services support women, men, and families in living out their lives in the way God intended. As a relatively new Catholic (he joined the Church in 2001) he was happy to see that the Guiding Star Project mission is in alignment with the Catholic Church’s teachings on family and fertility. Looking at this community and finding no organization that is focused on assisting women and families, Mark felt this was a way to actively bring these teachings to the community by helping others to live them, something that he wished he had access to earlier in his life. Although starting a non-profit like this is a little out of his comfort zone, it also became a calling as he found that both his wife, Mary and he was drawn toward the formation of Guiding Star Marshalltown. We know that those who become involved with Guiding Star Marshalltown will be blessed just as many others have been by the Guiding Star Project Affiliates who provide these services in their communities.
Partners
Donna Adelmund, Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)
Donna Adelmund is a wife, mother of 3 boys and a Master Educator. She has experience not only with being a mom but being an educator of children all the way from birth through 13 years old. As an Early Childhood Specialist, Donna holds a BA in Elementary Education, a BA in Early Childhood Education and a MA in Early Childhood Education. She most recently completed her certification as a Lactation Counselor. At Guiding Star, Donna will be leading a breastfeeding support group called Mama Mingle. She is also available for one-on-one counseling.
Dawn Bollhoefer CD, SBD, Childbirth Education and Support
Dawn is a Certified Birth Doula (BAI) and Birth & Bereavement Doula (SBD). She is a wife, mother, and grandmother and is passionate about helping women through pregnancy and birth. At Guiding Star Marshalltown, Dawn will be helping women to know their rights during their pregnancies, teaching about doula care and informed consent. Come and visit with Dawn during our Great Expectations group time, or schedule an appointment.
Jenny Butler – Infant Loss and Miscarriage Support Group
Jenny Butler lives in Marshalltown with her husband and children. She received her elementary education degree from the University of Northern Iowa and her Master’s degree from Viterbo University. Early in her marriage, she and her husband lost their infant son at 22 weeks gestation. Several years later she had another miscarriage. At Guiding Star, Jenny will work with Holly to provide support through an infant loss and miscarriage support group.
Holly Erbes, Infant Loss and Miscarriage Support Group
Holly Erbes is a wife, mother of 2, and educator of seven years. When she first learned about Guiding Star, it was after some personal struggles and loss within the last two years and searching for a purpose and meaning behind it all. She knew she wanted to get involved with Guiding Star and be able to give back to others in the community who have experienced infant loss or miscarriage.
Dawna Heil, LMHC Family Life Services
Dawna is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). Her practice at Center Associates serves both children and adults where she provides individual, marriage/relationship and family counseling. At Guiding Star Marshalltown, Dawna offers a very informative marriage enrichment workshop based on the Five Love Languages. She is also available for referral and support in the areas of fertility, postpartum, parenting and family relationships.
James Hogan, Father and Son Inspirational Speaker James is a husband and father of two children. He grew up in CA and went to college at the US Merchant Marine Academy. There he studied Marine Engineering and traveled the world as a cadet visiting more than two dozen other countries and five continents, and then he earned his BS in 2001. After graduation he worked in Washington DC for seven years before meeting his wife, Heidi. After he and Heidi were married, they moved to the Midwest to be closer to her family and made Marshalltown his new home.
In his many travels and experiences both aboard and in DC, James discovered his faith through trials and friendships. Since becoming a father, he was inspired to share his love of fatherhood and inspire other boys and fathers in the Masculine Journey.
Carrie Lippincott, Post Abortion Healing
Carrie Lippincott is a wife and mother living in State Center. All her children are grown and married. She has 9 grandchildren so far. She became involved in After Abortion Care a couple of years ago. Her Church had invited a couple of women to speak about abortion. This really struck home, and she knew it was time to do something about this issue. Through her time with some Godly women and men, she has decided to help others. Carrie offers time each month to counsel women and men who have experienced this kind of loss. She wishes that other women, like herself, can find hope and healing after abortion.
Karen Mussig, MSW Postpartum and Family Life Services
Karen is passionate about helping children and families. She understands many of the emotions and changes that come with childbirth. This mother of 6 wants to help other families get on the right start after the baby, and is a great resource for support in the postpartum time period. Karen holds a B.A. in social work from the University of Northern Iowa and a master’s degree from Drake University in school counseling. At Guiding Star, Karen offers valuable advice for parents in her class called “Daring to Parent”.
Amy Snyder, Photographer
Amy and her husband Ron (also who enjoys photography) have raised three children that are all adults now. Amy has a B.S. degree from Iowa State University in Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Management. She is also a 4th Degree Master in Tae Kwon Do. While being involved in all these activities Amy has always had a love and passion for photography that dates back to her elementary school days. In 2014 she joined the Central Iowa Camera Club here in Marshalltown and by the next year had taken on the role of the Secretary which she still holds that office to this day. She has earned Photographer of the Year for 3 years in a row. She had a photo used in KWWL’s weather calendar and had one accepted to be displayed at the Iowa State Fair 2 years ago. Although she doesn’t have her own in-home studio, she has photographed a couple weddings, taken several peoples’ Senior Photos, and in 2019 started a business called “Have Camera Must Travel”. She is looking forward to taking photos of you and your families, because she encourages preserving memories that will last a lifetime.
Angela Swieter, RN, BSN, IBCLC, ICCE, Lactation Services and Educator in Mom and Baby Care
Angela E. Bigler Swieter is the owner of Basking Babies, LLC. She is a wife of over 40 years and a proud mom and grandmother. She supports moms and families through birth, breastfeeding, baby, and beyond with over 35 years of experience. She is a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor’s degree, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), an International Certified Birth Doula (ICBD) and an International Certified Childbirth Educator (ICBD). She offers prenatal and postnatal breastfeeding and baby-care support.
Toni Whannel, ARNP, PNP, Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
Toni Whannel has been serving children and families in the Marshalltown area for the past 35 years. Toni loves learning and has earned degrees from the University of Nebraska, Iowa State University and the University of Iowa.
She believes children are a gift from the Lord. At Guiding Star, Toni will spend one on one time listening to concerns, offering support, weighing babies, and answering questions. Parental relationships are essential for children to succeed.
Toni is excited to be available to families to meet their needs as their children grow and develop. She supports the four core service areas of Guiding Star: natural fertility and family planning, pregnancy and childbirth services, breastfeeding and postpartum services, and family life services.
Jody Wunsch, Certified Health and Life Coach
Jody is a wife and mother of 3 children. She received her BA degree in Social Work from the University of Northern Iowa. In 2011 she began counseling others how to lose weight by stabilizing their blood sugars. Early 2017 she became certified as a Health coach continuing into Advanced Transformation Coaching Methods (TCM) and Mastery TCM certifications while recently completing Life Coach certification. She is founder of Inner Peace Health Coach Services and uses a holistic approach to help others change habits for a healthier life.