Board Members
Sabrina Shields-Cook, President
Sabrina Shields-Cook has lived in Ames since 1989 and is a 1996 graduate of Ames High School. She received her B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Iowa and M.A. in Rhetoric and Professional Communication from Iowa State University. Sabrina is currently an Academic Adviser at Iowa State and previously worked in communications for a research institute on campus. She and her husband Nathan have four children in the Ames Community School District.
Committees: Policy, Audit and Budget, Mental Health, SIAC
Email: sabrina.shields-cook@ames.k12.ia.us
Elected to the Board: 2019
Michelle Lenkaitis, Vice President
Michelle Lenkaitis has lived in Ames since 2008. She has a BS in Economics from Northern Illinois University and an MS in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois. She has worked for Iowa State since 2012 and is currently the Manager of Custodial Services for Facilities Planning and Management. Lenkaitis also worked with the US Department of Labor for over 20 years in Illinois, multiple states. She and husband, Vic, have four children: Charlotte, Oscar, Sadie and Zach.
Committees: Audit and Budget, Teaching and Learning, Mental Health, SIAC
Email: michelle.lenkaitis@ames.k12.ia.us
Elected to the Board: 2019
Brett Becker, Director
Brett Becker graduated from college with a degree in Philosophy/Religious Studies, followed by earning his Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Seminary in Pasadena and his Doctor of Ministry at San Francisco Seminary. Brett and his wife, Anita, have been in Ames since 2018. Brett is currently the pastor/head of staff at Collegiate Presbyterian Church in Ames. Brett and Anita have one daughter, Leah, a Ph.D candidate at the University of Illinois who is studying Early American Literature with the aim of teaching college students.
Committees: Teaching and Learning, Facilities, Mental Health
Email: brett.becker@ames.k12.ia.us
Elected to the Board: 2021
Allen Bierbaum, Director
Allen Bierbaum has lived in Ames since 1994, and is currently the Chief Technology Officer at Priority 5. He received his Masters and PhD in Computer Engineering from Iowa State University and has remained engaged in the community through a variety of groups. He currently serves as the vice-chair of the Ames Parks and Recreation Commission, and has been a member of Iowa Innovation Council, and Leadership Ames Class 29. Allen and his wife Lora have three children in the Ames school system.
Committees: Equity, Facilities, Ames Education Foundation
Email: allen.bierbaum@ames.k12.ia.us
Elected to the Board: 2019
Alisa Frandsen, Director
Alisa Frandsen is an Ames resident since 1999. Currently a stay-at-home mother, Frandsen is the former Assistant Dean of Students/Director of Greek Affairs at Iowa State University. Frandsen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics, Secondary Education Certificate (1997) and a Master of Higher Education degree (2001) from Iowa State University. She and her husband Matt have four children: Ali, Meredith, Joey, and Grant.
Committees: Equity, Policy, Facilities, Legislative Representative
Email: alisa.frandsen@ames.k12.ia.us
Elected to the Board: 2015
Amy Erica Smith, Director
Amy Erica Smith has been an Ames resident since 2012. Amy Erica is an associate professor of political science at ISU, and a Carnegie Fellow. She holds a PhD in political science from the University of Pittsburgh, an MA in community and regional planning from Cornell University, and a BA in Latin American Studies from the University of Texas Austin. She and her husband, Tibi, have two children.
Committees: Teaching and Learning, Audit and Budget, Ames Education Foundation, County Conference Board
Email: amy-erica.smith@ames.k12.ia.us
Elected to the Board: 2021
Kelly Winfrey, Director
Kelly received her Ph.D. in communication studies from the University of Kansas. She joined Iowa State University in 2014 and currently serves as an assistant professor in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication. Kelly also teaches in the Leadership Studies program and works as coordinator of research and outreach at the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics.
Committees: Equity, Policy, SIAC, City Conference Board
Email: kelly.winfrey@ames.k12.ia.us
Elected to the Board: 2021
Communicating With The Board
The Ames CSD Board of Directors values your input. There are several ways to communicate with your school board members.
Email Communication
Contact information for individual board members is listed beneath their information on this page. However, you may also reach all members of the school board by emailing acsdboard@ames.k12.ia.us.
Speak at a Board Meeting
There are three options available as outlined in Board Policy 213 – Public Participation at Board Meetings:
- A public forum is included in the agenda of regular meeting. Public forum is limited to current residents of the District, students attending the District, parent(s)/guardian(s) of students attending the District, and District staff members. Those who wish to speak must sign up at the beginning of the meeting when attending in-person, however they may not sign up any other individuals. If you are attending via Zoom, please scan the QR code shown at the beginning of the meeting that takes you to a form to fill out to speak.
- The public may comment on Discussion Item(s) after presentation and Board discussion. Those who wish to speak must sign up before the meeting begins. Participants are limited to speaking once per item.
- By law the Board can act on an item presented to it only if that item is included in the posted agenda, which must be announced at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting. To have an item placed on the agenda, a person should notify the Superintendent or Board President a minimum of seven work days in advance of the regular Board meeting at which the item could be considered.