Iowa House of Representatives

Mary Gaskill is serving her third term in the Iowa House. She serves as Chair of the Local Government committee and serves on the Environmental Protection and State Government and Transportation Committees as well as the Administration and Regulation Budget Subcommittee.

Mary grew up on a small family farm in Northwest Missouri. She is the daughter of Andrew and Lucile Meyer, Mary moved to Iowa in 1962 and has lived in Ottumwa since 1966.

After graduation from high school in 1959, Mary attended Business School at Gard University in St. Joseph, Missouri. In addition to her State Representative service Mary enjoys doing community volunteer work in Ottumwa. Previously, Mary completed twenty-two years of dedicated service to Wapello County, sixteen as County Auditor and six as clerk to the County Auditor. (more…)

Marcie Frevert is serving her sixth term in the Iowa House. She is Vice Chair of the Environmental Protection Committee and serves on the Agriculture, and Ways and Means committees, as well as the Education Appropriations Subcommittee. She is also a member of the Administrative Rules Review Committee.

Marcie received an AA degree from Emmetsburg Community College, a Bachelors of Science in Education from Mankato State University, and a master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Northern Iowa. She earned reading specialist certification at the University of Iowa. (more…)

Wayne Ford is serving his sixth term in the Iowa House. He is Vice Chair of the Government Oversight Committee and also serves on the Appropriations, Economic Growth, and Human Resources Committees.

Wayne was born on December 21, 1951 in Washington, D.C., the son of Sarah and the late Wiley Ford. He was raised in Washington’s inner city and graduated from Ballou High School in 1969.

His skill as a football player led to a scholarship at Rochester Junior College in Minnesota (he is a member of the school’s Alumni Hall of Fame). He continued his education at Drake University, playing football and graduating in 1974 with a degree in education. Wayne has also done graduate work in public administration at Drake and in social work through the University of Iowa. (more…)

Romaine (Ro) Foege is serving his 6th term in the Iowa House. He is Chair of the Health & Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee and also serves on Education, Human Resources, Administration and Rules, and Appropriations committees.

Ro was born in George, Iowa on September 1, 1938. At the time of his birth, his parents, the Reverend Henry and Frieda Foege, had just returned to Northwest Iowa following their service as pioneer Lutheran missionaries in Papua New Guinea.

After the second grade, Ro attended Pocahontas Community School where he graduated from high school in 1956. He attended Wartburg College in Waverly, earning a B.A. degree with a Social Work major in 1960. His part-time college job at a residential treatment center for children sparked his life-long interest in working with children and families. (more…)

Mark, serving his third term, serves as Chair of the Ethics Committee and also serves on the Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Ways & Means Committees as well as the Education Budget Subcommittee.

Mark Davitt was born in Winterset and grew up in Warren County. His father, Phil, was a farmer, railroad engineer, insurance representative, worked at Firestone, and co-owned and operated three flower shops. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives. His mother, Theo, was a homemaker and co-owned and operated the flower shops. (more…)

Dennis Cohoon is serving his 11th term in the Iowa House. He is Co-Chair of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Capitals Appropriations Subcommittee and also serves on Education, Transportation, Appropriations, and Local Government committees.

Dennis was born March 29, 1953 in Burlington, the son of Meril and Marie Cohoon. His father was a railroad worker for the Burlington Northern and his mother a homemaker. Dennis has two sisters, Judy and Sally, who both live in Burlington.

Dennis is a lifelong Burlington resident. He attended Burlington High School where he ran track and graduated in 1971. He then attended Southeastern Community College, earning an associate’s degree in 1974 in business. From 1973-79, Dennis served in the Iowa Army National Guard, assigned to the 224th Engineer Battalion based in Burlington. (more…)

Polly Bukta is serving her 6th term in the Iowa House. She is the speaker Pro Tempore of the Iowa House. She serves on the Education, Local Government, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs Committee.

Polly was born on April 3, 1937 in Pennsylvania, the fifth of eight children of Mary Marquis and Paul Bresnan. She was raised in the small town of Greenville where she graduated from St. Michael’s High School in 1955.

Polly grew up with six brothers and one sister and learned at an early age the importance of expressing her strong opinions. These six brothers also taught her how to play baseball, basketball and tackle football and expected her to show up at every neighborhood pickup game. This was the start of Polly’s lifelong interest and participation in all sports. She excelled in softball, basketball and volleyball in high school and intramural teams at Mercyhurst College, Erie, PA. (more…)

Representative Deborah Berry is serving her 3rd term in the Iowa House. She serves on the Appropriations, Commerce, Government Oversight, and Public Safety (Vice Chair) Committees.

Representative Berry, 48, was born and raised in Waterloo, IA. She is the daughter of Johnnie and Barbara Berry, and has one son, Roshawn.

Representative Berry graduated from Central High School in Waterloo. She earned a Bachelors of Arts from Upper Iowa University and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Mass Communications at the University of Iowa. (more…)

Paul Bell is serving his 8th term in the Iowa House. He is Chair of the Natural Resources Committee and also serves on Transportation, Public Safety, Ethics, Agriculture and Natural Resources Appropriations Subcommittee.

Paul Bell was born October 3, 1950 in Algona, Iowa, one of three children of Alfred and Luellna Bell of nearby Whittemore.

Paul attended St. Paul Lutheran School in Whittemore through the 8th grade, and then attended Algona High School, where he played sports and graduated in 1968. He attended Des Moines Area Community College and earned a degree in political science from the University of Northern Iowa in 1973. (more…)

McKinley is serving his first term in the House of Representatives and serves on the Commerce Committee, Economic Growth Committee, Natural Resources Committee, Veterans Affairs Committee, and is Vice Chair of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Budget Subcommittee.

McKinley resides in Webster City. He serves on the executive committee of American Legion Post 191, Webster City; and is a member of VFW; Disabled Veterans of America and Hamilton County League of Women Voters. He has been active in Webster City Community Theatre productions and is a member of Faith United Methodist Church, also in Webster City. He plans to pursue a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Iowa State University. (more…)