Leadership

Christine Landa President - Leadership

About me
I have spent over three decades learning and leading at Junior Achievement and I am excited about our organization's next chapter. I love spending time with my family, I'm the biggest fan at my children's sporting events, and I love the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Are you a JA alumni?
No

What is your favorite program or event that JAEI does, and why?
My favorite Junior Achievement program is the one that I am teaching. I really don't have a personal favorite as I have found enjoyment with each one.

Why did you choose to work for JA?
After volunteering in a classroom, I fell in love with the mission of the organization.

Do you have any "hidden" talents?
I am a certified scuba diver.

What's your favorite weekend activity in Eastern Iowa?
I'm a bleacher mom! I love watching my kiddos compete in sports.

Erin Kurt Executive Vice President - Leadership

Email
LinkedIn Profile
(319) 862-1100

About me
I have been at JAEI since 2005 but previously I worked in college admissions. I am an Iowa gal, born and raised but have had the opportunity to travel the US and Europe. My husband, Robert, and I live in rural Coggon and we are having fun making some changes to our forever home. Three of our four kids are already out of high school so we are finding more time to get things done. When we aren't in the middle of a home improvement project, you will find me gardening, cooking or reading.

Are you a JA alumni?
No

What is your favorite program or event that JAEI does, and why?
I love how the Career Inspire event creates the opportunity for students to discover careers that they never knew about or had never had the chance to explore hands on. And seeing the volunteers working with the students and getting energized about their careers is awesome!

Why did you choose to work for JA?
I love the variety that working at Junior Achievement provides for me. Working with the board members, classroom volunteers, educators is so fulfilling while also getting to work on trend-setting projects like longitudinal study design, the launch of 3DE and JA BizTown Mobile, and working with the talented staff keeps me on my toes.

Do you have any "hidden" talents?
Maybe home improvements? I can tile a kitchen floor using a wet saw, I consider myself an expert painter, and can sew curtains and pillows to complete a remodel. I love making a home unique and personal.

What's your favorite weekend activity in Eastern Iowa?
Anything that includes spending time with family and friends.

Nate Klein Vice President- Education - Leadership

Email
LinkedIn Profile
(319) 862-1100

Nate Klein serves as the Vice President for Education at Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, where he supports the content & curriculum, experiential learning, 3DE, and workforce initiative teams. His work centers around partnering with educators and community leaders to inspire students to lead choice-filled lives.

Nate’s JA journey began as a student and later as a college volunteer teaching the JA Company Program at Metro High School. This experience sparked a deep passion for the JA mission, eventually leading to an internship where he supported programming and accounting during a regional office consolidation. After earning his degree from Mount Mercy, Nate held leadership roles at Aflac headquarters in Georgia before returning to Eastern Iowa as a business professor and Vice President for Student Success at Mount Mercy University. In 2023, he officially joined the JAEI team full-time—nearly two decades after his first JA classroom visit.

Nate holds a business degree from Mount Mercy University, an MBA from Emory University, and a Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Leadership from Creighton University. He’s also earned a Six Sigma green belt from the American Society for Quality.

What keeps Nate motivated? The students, of course—but also the dedicated colleagues, volunteers, and educators he collaborates with daily. He finds particular joy in bringing JA to life for his own kids and recalls one of his most rewarding experiences: helping students run a real business through the JA Company Program, which sold handmade candles in a downtown storefront.

Outside of work, Nate and his wife Jenny have explored over 35 countries and visited all seven wonders of the world. He’s a proud dad of four, a youth sports coach, an Amazon #1 best-selling children’s book author, and an active community volunteer. Nate currently serves as the leadership facilitator for the Metro Economic Alliance’s Leadership for Five Seasons program, is a member of several local boards and councils, and stays engaged as a leadership coach.

Whitney Schreder Vice President - Finance - Leadership

Email
LinkedIn Profile
(319) 862-1100

Pronouns: She/her

About me:
Ive been with JAEI since 2012. I am an Eastern Iowa native (Mount Vernon) and a University of Iowa alum (Go Hawks!). I live with my family in Sutliff and enjoy traveling in our camper van, music festivals, boating, cheering on our kids at their music/theater/sporting events and being outside when we can!

Are you a JA alumni?:
No

What is your favorite program or event that JAEI does, and why?
JA Our Nation - I love talking to the students about aligning their interests and skills with a possible career path as early as 5th grade. It's fun to hear their ideas and help them identify their own unique skillsets.

Why did you choose to work for JA?
My role has morphed over the years and I love learning and growing with each new challenge! I love the opportunity to be in the classroom with the students and I think I learn just as much from them as they do from JA! We are a tight-knit team and work well together to problem-solve but also know how to have a good time together!

What's your favorite weekend activity in Eastern Iowa?
Love all the seasonal farmer's markets in the area and the live music opportunities!

Michelle Waldron Vice President- Operations - Leadership

Email
(319) 862-1100

Hello! My name is Michelle Waldron and I am the Vice President of Operations at Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa. August of 2023 will mark my 12th year with JAEI! I have lived in Cedar Rapids for most of my life and graduated from The University of Iowa. My husband Mike and I have three children, Annah will be a senior and Sam will be a freshman, both at the University of Iowa. My youngest, Sophie, will be in ninth grade at Prairie in Cedar Rapids. All three of them have had Junior Achievement in school and I am thankful that I was able to teach a lot of their classes!

My favorite

Part of my job: The JAEI Team! I feel very lucky to work with a team that is so passionate and works so hard to make Junior Achievement successful in Eastern Iowa.

Spot in Eastern Iowa: My house! I love spending time with my family.

Quote: Choose to be optimistic, it feels better. Dalai Lama

Things to do after 5pm: Take my dogs for a walk or catch up with my family about their day.