James Albert, serves as Chair of the Board. First appointed in 1997, Albert holds the distinction of being the longest serving chair of any ethics or campaign board in the United States. Currently serving his fifth term, Albert has been appointed to the Board by every governor, Republican and Democrat, since 1997. He is a tenured Professor of Law at Drake University Law School in Des Moines.
Residence: Urbandale
Term Expires: April 30, 2027
Elaine Olson, serves as Vice Chair of the Board. Olson was first appointed in 2018, is in her second term (first full-term) on the Board, and has served as Vice Chair since 2021 She is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and previously worked for Wartburg College and the University of Illinois before retiring.
Residence: Bettendorf
Term Expires: April 30, 2027
Jonathan Roos, serves as a Member of the Board. Roos was first appointed in 2011 and is serving his third term on the Board. He is a retired journalist who worked nearly three decades for the Des Moines Register covering state government, including the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, and serving as chief writer of the Iowa Poll, the oldest statewide poll in the United States.
Residence: Polk City
Term Expires: April 30, 2029
Daniel Jessop, serves as a Member of the Board. Jessop was first appointed in 2022 and is serving his first term on the Board. He is a graduate of Hastings College, the Columbia Theological Seminary, and currently serves as Pastor for the First Presbyterian Church of Williamsburg, Iowa.
Residence: Williamsburg
Term Expires: April 30, 2028
Leah Rodenberg, serves as a Member of the Board. Rodenberg was first appointed in 2022 and is serving her first term on the Board. She is a graduate of Iowa State University and currently serves as Senior Community Affairs Program Manager for Alliant Energy, where she has worked for over 25 years.
Residence: Marion
Term Expires: April 30, 2028
Serving on the Board
Members of the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board are appointed by the Governor to six-year terms, subject to confirmation by the Iowa Senate. The Board consists of six members and is politically balanced by law to ensure a majority of members do not belong to the same political party.
The Board serves as a quasi-judicial body and is responsible for reviewing and issuing rulings in matters involving investigations, formal discipline, and complaints, determines whether or not civil penalty waiver requests are granted, conducts hearings to determine if the law was violated, and is responsible for appointing the agency's director. The Board meets as needed and typically no less than four times a year.
If you are interested in serving on the Board applications can be submitted via the Iowa Talent Bank website. Contact us at ethicsboard@iowa.gov for more information.