About — I-Renew

Meet the Board of Directors.

Carrie Lane
carrie@irenew.org
Board Member

Carrie Lane has been on the I-Renew board since January 2019. She grew up on a farm near Cascade, Iowa, then received her Bachelor’s degree at The University of Iowa. She is married, has two kids, and is an art teacher in Cedar Rapids. Carrie loves the idea of making it easier for busy people and companies to make good environmental choices, which will benefit future generations. She believes renewable energy is one of the most effective solutions for a sustainable future.

Carrie represents I-Renew as a board member for Iowa Shares.

Grace Ballesteros
Board Member

Grace Ballesteros is one of the newest board members of I-Renew joining in November of 2025. She was born in California but moved to Iowa at a young age and currently lives inDes Moines with her boyfriend Noah and their two cats. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Sustainability with a Minor in Sustainable Food Systems, and works in agricultural research.

She is passionate about creating a sustainable future for the agricultural sector and helping Iowa operate solely on renewables. Grace is a firm believer in community organization and making an impact on a local level. She is excited to be working with an organization like I-Renew to move Iowa further in the renewable direction.

Outside of work and volunteering, Grace loves to read and write, enjoys sewing and garment construction, as well as other crafts like painting and collaging.

Donna Suchy
Board Member

Donna Suchy has been on the I-Renew board since January of 2022. She is from Tama County, an Iowa farm girl who comes from a family of farmers who have farmed in Iowa for over 150 years in a sustainable manner, windmill and all! With degrees in science, alternative and environmental engineering, including a master’s project centered around alternative energy for a village in Egypt and another on bioremediation and the environment, Donna has seen alternative energy projects succeed for over 30 years. She was part of a team that remediated the soil under an old refinery that is now part of the River Walk in Oklahoma City. Donna most recently worked for Kodak and Collins. Donna was one of the founding members of the Blooming Prairie in Iowa City. She helped organize the first solar energy day in Iowa City modeled after Earth Day, where a mock solar cooker was constructed on the mall. Donna believes that sustainable and renewable energy is critical to our future. She believes that we can do anything together and that today is the day to start. I-Renew is here to help you with any questions, or just to talk, and we would love to have you join us as a volunteer and member.

Sonita Van Der Leeuw
Board Member

Sonita van der Leeuw has been on the I-Renew board since January of 2021. She is from Saint Paul Minnesota and recently graduated from Drake University with a degree in Environmental Sustainability and Resilience. Sonita believes in renewable energy being one of the solutions to our ongoing question on how to handle the future impacts of climate change. She also believes that renewable energy is a source that everyone deserves, she is a firm believer in fighting for the planet and all people that inhabit it, no habitat, plant, creature, or person should be left out.

John Root
Board Member

John Root brings over 40 years of experience in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and

sustainable living to the I-Renew board. He moved to Dubuque, Iowa, in 1970, where he began

farming organically and building a traditional root cellar to preserve produce, which inspired the

name of his business, The RootCellar. In the early 1980s, as interest in organic farming waned,

John pivoted to renewable energy, founding The RootCellar to provide consulting and advocacy

services.

As Energy Services Advisor for Muscatine Power and Water (MP&W), John led the Energize

Muscatine program, the first citywide energy-efficiency initiative in the U.S. His work helped

reduce the city’s electrical consumption by 25% and earned national recognition. John was also

honored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Iowa House of Representatives for his

contributions to energy efficiency.

Earlier in his career, John served as Energy Educator at the University of Northern Iowa, where

he designed renewable energy curricula and led energy projects statewide. He has served on

numerous boards, including I-Renew, where he was Vice President, as well as the Iowa

Heat-Pump Association and the Illinois Renewable Energy Association.

Since retiring, John has continued his commitment to sustainability by volunteering with the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service, where he educates the public on solar

energy and sustainable living. His lifelong dedication to renewable energy and

community-based solutions aligns with I-Renew’s mission to promote sustainable energy

practices across Iowa.

Greg Barnett
Board Member

Greg Barnett joined the board in December of 2023. He is a retired software engineer and spent most of his career developing software for flight simulators (for new aircraft development) or training simulators (for training pilots on existing aircraft) or avionics for real aircraft. After retirement he worked for a solar company helping people reduce their carbon footprint and monthly utility bill by making their own electricity.

He lives with his wife Teresa and two active and lovable cats. He has two adult children and a grandson. Part time he works at Northtowne Cycling and Fitness, helping people reduce their carbon footprint, get some exercise and have fun on a new bike.

Greg has always been concerned with what humans are doing to the planet. When he was young, it was pollution but now he is focused on climate change. To that end, he helped design his all electric, net-zero house. His solar panels produce enough electricity to power his house, lawn equipment and two electric vehicles.
Greg has a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue; a Masters of Engineering in Systems Engineering from ISU and an MBA from Iowa.

Desi Beckmann
Board Member

Desi, a graphic designer and marketer, is passionate about creating content that inspires sustainable choices. She focuses on promoting renewable energy—especially solar power—as the key to a brighter future for Iowa.

Believing that everyone can make a difference, Desi encourages investment in renewable energy, support for local projects, and small eco-friendly lifestyle changes. She’s eager to connect with communities and empower Iowans to take action for a sustainable tomorrow.

When she’s not crafting marketing campaigns, Desi enjoys the outdoors, soaking up the sun, and caring for animals as a full-time pet sitter.