Summer Brings Merged AEA & New Chiefs to Four AEAs
Exciting changes have come to Iowa’s AEA system this summer.
On July 1, Green Valley AEA and Loess Hills AEA officially merged to become Green Hills AEA, which will be centered in Council Bluffs. Visit the Green Hills AEA website at www.ghaea.org to learn more about the newly formed agency. This voluntary merger between Green Valley and Loess Hills brings the total number of AEAs to nine from the 15 that were originally founded in 1974.
Four AEAs also have new chief administrators this summer. These administrators bring leadership skills and a depth of knowledge of education to their positions that will positively impact their AEAs and the AEA system for years to come.
 Roark Horn AEA 267 |
Roark Horn comes to AEA 267 after being the superintendent of the Hudson Community School District near Waterloo. Prior to being hired as the superintendent at Hudson, Horn held positions as superintendent at Northeast Hamilton Community Schools in Blairsburg, principal at Jesup High School in Jesup and language arts teacher and coach in the Jesup Schools. He is in the process of completing his doctorate degree in education from the University of Northern Iowa. |
 Lane PluggeGreen Hills AEA |
Dr. Lane Plugge comes to Green Hills AEA after being the superintendent of the Iowa City Community School District, a position he held for 11 years. His prior experience includes seven years as the superintendent of the Grand Island (Nebr.) Public Schools as well as five years as the assistant superintendent in the same district. He was also the superintendent of the Fairbury (Nebr.) Public Schools for two years. Dr. Plugge earned his bachelor’s degree at Dana College, his master's degree in education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and his doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. |
 Paula Vincent Heartland AEA |
Dr. Paula Vincent comes to Heartland AEA after being the superintendent of the Clear Creek Amana Community School District near Iowa City. Prior to her superintendentship, she was the associate superintendent of the Cedar Rapids Community School District, director of special education at Grant Wood AEA and a classroom teacher in suburban Kansas City and rural Iowa. Dr. Vincent received her bachelor’s degree from McPherson College and her master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Iowa. |
 Jeff Herzberg Prairie Lakes AEA |
Jeff Herzberg comes to Prairie Lakes AEA after being the superintendent of the Sibley-Ocheyedan Community School District in northwest Iowa. He has previously held positions as high school principal at Iowa Falls-Alden High School, junior/senior high principal at Anita High School and associate high school principal at Webster City High School. He received his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern College in Orange City and his master’s degree from Iowa State University. He is in the process of completing his doctorate degree at Iowa State. He will begin his tenure at Prairie Lakes later this summer. |
