Agency Planning Council
The Agency Planning Council is comprised of Heartland AEA’s senior administrators. The Council meets weekly to discuss issues and make decisions about the Agency’s overall operation.
Jon Sheldahl
Chief Administrator
Joined the Agency: 2017
Jon Sheldahl serves as Heartland AEA’s chief administrator. In this role, he serves as the Agency’s chief executive officer with responsibility for overseeing the Agency’s day-to-day operation and strategic planning in conjunction with the Board of Directors.
Prior to joining Heartland AEA, Dr. Sheldahl was the chief administrator at Great Prairie AEA, serving the students and educators of southeastern Iowa for six years. Prior to this position, he served the Ottumwa Schools for five years as superintendent as well as associate superintendent. His career also includes experience as superintendent of the Stuart-Menlo Schools and West Central Valley Schools in Stuart and principal at Oak Street Middle School in Burlington.
Degrees:
Ed.D. degree, Northern Arizona University
Master’s degree, Northern Arizona University
Bachelor’s degree, University of Iowa
Kevin Fangman
Chief Academic Officer
Joined the Agency: 2012
Kevin Fangman is the Chief Academic Officer at Heartland AEA. He coordinates work around the Agency’s priority service areas to ensure equitable and efficient allocation and alignment of agency resources, programs and services with our districts’ and agency’s identified needs. He also provides supervision to a number of the Agency’s regional directors. He is a member of Heartland AEA’s Agency Planning Council and a facilitator of the Learning & Leadership Planning Council.
Prior to coming to Heartland AEA, Kevin was the Deputy Director of the Division of PK-12 Education at the Iowa Department of Education. In this capacity, he provided leadership and oversight for the implementation of all federal programs, Iowa Core, Response to Intervention, school accreditation, practitioner preparation and Iowa Learning Online. He also served eight months as Acting Director of the Department, providing oversight of all agency functions. Kevin also has experience as an elementary principal, a reading consultant at the Department of Education and an elementary teacher.
Degrees:
Master’s degree, educational administration, Iowa State University
Bachelor’s degree, elementary education, University of Northern Iowa
Sheila King
Chief Information Officer
Joined the Agency: 2006
Sheila King serves as Heartland AEA’s Chief Information Officer and has oversight for the Agency’s library, creative services, internal technology, information systems, professional learning and communications departments. She is a member of Heartland AEA’s Agency Planning Council and a facilitator of the Shared Services Planning Council. She also represents the Agency in the statewide AEA Media Directors’ Network.
Prior to this position, she served as Executive Director of Instructional Services at Heartland AEA. In this role, she provided oversight for the design and delivery of instructional programs and services to area schools. She also supervised the Agency’s regional directors and worked closely with them to ensure schools received equitable and district-focused services.
Sheila began her service at Heartland AEA as the Supervisor of School Improvement Services, supporting the team of school improvement consultants. In January 2007 she was named the Executive Director of District Partnerships. In this position, Sheila was involved in the Agency’s reorganization process and had a lead role in redesigning the Agency’s regional service delivery model. From July 2009 to July 2010, she served as the Agency’s Interim Chief Administrator, overseeing the overall operation of the Agency.
Prior to coming to Heartland AEA, Sheila spent 15 years working in the Collins-Maxwell school district as a middle school language arts, speech and drama teacher; an assistant 6-12 principal; and the middle school principal and K-12 director of curriculum and assessment. She has also taught high school English and graduate courses for Drake University and Viterbo University.
Degrees:
Specialist degree, educational leadership, Drake University
Master’s degree, educational leadership, Drake University
Bachelor’s degree, English and speech, Coe College
Kurt Subra
Chief Financial Officer
Joined the Agency: 2012
Kurt Subra is the Chief Financial Officer at Heartland AEA with responsibility for all areas of finance and business operations. He also provides oversight for agency facilities and for the van delivery services provided to area school districts. He is a member of Heartland AEA’s Agency Planning Council and is a facilitator of the Shared Services Planning Council.
Prior to joining Heartland AEA, Kurt served as the Chief Financial Officer/Board Treasurer for the West Des Moines Community Schools and as the Chief Financial Officer/Board Secretary & Treasurer for the Ames Community Schools. He also served in various financial roles at Pioneer Hi-Bred International in Johnston and KPMG L.L.P. in Minneapolis.
He serves as an instructor at the Iowa School Business Management Academy and at the Iowa Superintendents’ Finance and Leadership Consortium. He is a past president of the Iowa Association of School Business Officials and was the recipient of the 2013 Iowa Association of School Business Officials’ Professional Leadership Award, which is given in recognition of school business officials who have demonstrated excellence in service to their school district, communities and the profession.
Kurt is also a certified public accountant and a graduate of the Iowa School Business Management Academy.
Degrees:
Master’s degree, business administration, Iowa State University
Bachelor’s degree, accounting, University of Northern Iowa
Kristi Upah
Chief Student Services Officer
Joined the Agency: 1992
Kristi Upah is the Chief Student Services Officer at Heartland AEA. As the Chief Student Services Officer, Kristi advocates for an appropriate and effective education for all children and youth while fulfilling the responsibilities of the Heartland AEA Director of Special Education. She collaborates with all agency workgroups and with the families, schools and communities Heartland AEA serves. She is also the Agency’s liaison to the Iowa Department of Education for special education and related services and represents Heartland AEA in the statewide AEA Special Education Directors’ Network. She is a member of Heartland AEA’s Agency Planning Council and a facilitator of the Leadership & Learning Planning Council.
Kristi has devoted her career to serving students and educators in the Heartland AEA service area. She has served as a school psychologist, Staff Development Specialist for School Psychology, Supervisor of School Psychological Services, Assistant Director of Innovation & Accountability and most recently as a regional Director serving districts in Boone and Story counties.
Degrees & Endorsements:
PK-12 Administrator/Supervisor of Special Education Endorsement, Drake University
Ph.D., psychology with a school psychology emphasis, Iowa State University
Specialist degree, school psychology, Iowa State University
Bachelor’s degree, psychology, Iowa State University
Important Contacts
Jenny Ugolini
- Board Secretary/Executive Assistant