Speakers

Reminder:  Meeting will be at The Outing Club

Reminder: Meeting will be at The Outing Club.

Amy Thoreson is the Director of the Scott County Health Department, a role she has held
since 2021 after being appointed Interim Director earlier that year. She oversees the
department’s operations and led the initiative to achieve national accreditation through the
Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) in 2018. Amy also played a pivotal role in
guiding Scott County’s COVID-19 response and planning efforts.
Amy began her public health career in 1999 as a Community Health Consultant and Public
Information Officer for the Scott County Health Department. She was promoted to
Community Health Coordinator in 2003, managing the Community Relations, Information,
and Planning Service Area, and later served as Deputy Director from 2008 to 2021.
Amy holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Wartburg College and a Master’s in Public
Health from Northern Illinois University. She served on the Iowa Department of Public
Health’s Public Health Advisory Council from 2010 to 2019 and is an active member of
both the Iowa Public Health Association and the American Public Health Association.
Additionally, Amy served as the department’s Accreditation Coordinator, successfully
leading the effort to achieve national accreditation through PHAB.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Amy is a dedicated Girl Scout leader and
actively participates in youth and leadership programs at St. Paul Lutheran Church. She
resides in Bettendorf with her husband and is nearing an empty-nest phase, with her son in
college and her daughter completing high school.

Dave Markward has dedicated his professional life to public education, serving as a trusted source of knowledge for five decades. After graduating from Dubuque Senior High School (Iowa) and Augustana College (Illinois), Dave earned two advanced degrees from Western Illinois University and a doctorate from Illinois State University. He started his career as a junior high school science teacher, then served as a coach, principal, school district superintendent (including the Cedar Rapids Community School District), college instructor and educational consultant. His first book, Free the Teachers: A Guide to Joyful Teaching and Learning, is dedicated to productive education reform. In his latest work, From Dubuque to Selma and Beyond: My Journey to Understand Racism in America, Dave delves into the complex world of racism. His memoir is a testament to his unwavering belief in humanity and the power of education to effect change.

Opportunity for committees to come together to plan and discuss important Davenport Rotary topics.

Celebrate the arrival of spring: It's a time to celebrate the departure of winter and arrival of spring and growth of new life.

Program Details to Come!

Davenport High School Scholarship Presentation

NO NOON MEETING

Juneteenth is a time to remember, commemorate, and reflect on the long road to freedom.

Passing the gavel ceremony allows us to thank current President Dana Nelson Holstein and welcome incoming 2025-26 Davenport Rotary President Holly Cochran.