Meet INHF's New Volunteer Coordinator

Posted on February 24, 2025 in Blog

Kayleen Leetch joins the INHF team as a Volunteer Coordinator, bringing eight years of experience in volunteer management. Since moving back to Iowa in 2014, working for INHF has been a longtime dream of hers. Her career has always been driven by a passion for the outdoors and a love for sharing the stories of those who care about it. 

Originally, Kayleen aspired to become a travel wildlife photographer, leading her to pursue a degree in mass communications at Northwest Missouri State University. After graduating, she interned in Portland, Oregon with freelance environmental photographer Mark Gamba, an experience that deepened her appreciation for conservation. The more she learned, the stronger her desire grew to return home and contribute to an organization like INHF, dedicated to protecting and restoring Iowa’s prairies, wetlands, and woodlands. 

“Later in life, I want to be able to say that I took every opportunity to help increase Iowa’s wild spaces beyond the meager 0.01%. Iowans deserve to experience the state’s natural beauty and enjoy clean water.” 

After moving back to Iowa, Kayleen found her calling in the nonprofit world as a volunteer manager. She fell in love with working alongside passionate volunteers and knew this was the path she wanted to pursue, eventually earning her Certified Volunteer Administrator credential. 

“When I saw the Volunteer Coordinator position open at INHF, I knew I had to try for this opportunity. I’m so thrilled to work with a team of passionate staff and volunteers and use my expertise to further INHF’s mission.” 

Outside of work, Kayleen enjoys hiking, canoeing, camping, gardening, and knitting. Her greatest joy is doing all these activities (except knitting) with her family—though if her boys ever take an interest in knitting, she’d gleefully teach them.