Faces of YWRC Archives

Who I am My name is Duha Kowa. I am 13 years old, and I joined the YWRC when I was 10 and in the 5th grade. My elementary school counselor, Mrs. Howe, came into my classroom and talked to all the girls in my class about the groups at the YWRC and what they […]

This blog’s purpose is to share raw, unfiltered language used by clients to describe their lives and experiences at the Young Women’s Resource Center. I asked girls a variety of questions, and I quickly typed all of their answers as they spouted them out. It is important to note that it is impossible to capture […]

My name is Amy Tiefenthaler, and I am the therapist at the Young Women’s Resource Center. I am a mother to two beautiful little girls who are always on my mind and provide me with more joy than I could ever put into words.  I have a husband of 7 years who reminds me frequently through his […]

I am Katie McCune, a Prevention Program Specialist at the Young Women’s Resource Center. I grew up right here in the Des Moines area with my parents and five siblings. I enjoy many activities such as yoga, Zumba, hula hooping and going to concerts. However, some of my favorite things are long hugs, big smiles, […]

When I was eighteen, I got pregnant with my daughter. While I was still with her dad until she reached 6 months, he was on drugs and completely unsupportive. I started attending the Young Women’s Resource Center’s Young Moms group at my high school then transitioned to the programs offered on-site after graduating.  I participated […]

I am Emily Fichter, a Prevention Program Specialist at the Young Women’s Resource Center. I grew up on a farm in Shenandoah, Iowa with my mom, dad, and two older brothers. Like many young girls I wanted to be an astronaut. Living on a farm you can look up at the sky and see forever. […]

This is me: My name is Shelbie Hill, and my official title is the Office Manager/HR Coordinator of the Young Women’s Resource Center. My unofficial title is “whatever I need to be that day” as I am fortunate to get to wear many different hats here at the YWRC. I have worked at the YWRC now […]

My name is Keith Karpinske. I have been a member of the YWRC Board for the last 2.5 years, and I work for Wells Fargo. More importantly, I have been married for 18+ years, and we have two wonderful sons – age 13 and 17. I currently live in Polk City but have lived in […]

Who I am: Kahara Hunafa – Prevention Outreach Specialist at the Young Women’s Resource Center Why I chose this career path: This was the only subject in college (sociology/human services) where my heart felt that it would be fulfilled. I had a lot of great opportunities growing up where I was able to participate in […]

My name is Jennifer Mesecher Ogg, and I am the Finance Manager of the Young Women’s Resource Center (YWRC). I have been with the YWRC for 14 years. I am a Des Moines native and graduate of Lincoln High School. I attended Upper Iowa University where I received both a BS in Accounting and a […]