As president and CEO of Lutheran Services in Iowa, Renee will lead the organization and oversee one of Iowa’s largest human services agencies, with more than 400 employees and an operating budget of $28 million.
“I am honored and humbled to lead an organization that does such good work throughout the state for families, children, immigrants, refugees, persons with disabilities, DEI, and so many more, said Ms. Hardman “Serving my community and all 99 Iowa counties is my lifelong passion, and I am so excited to lift up our collective work while transforming and positively enhancing LSI’s brand.”
Renee has received numerous accolades recognized by the Des Moines Business Record as the Forty Under 40 Alumna of the Year (2023), a Woman of Influence, and named as one of the Top 25 Des Moines Business Leaders. She has also received a Lifetime Volunteer Award from President Biden and was recently awarded the Louise Rosenfield Noun Visionary Award. She is an Iowa Women Hall of Fame Inductee and a past Remarkable Woman Honoree by WHO 13.
Renee earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master’s in Business Administration from Drake University in Des Moines.
As a resident of West Des Moines, Renee is currently serving her second term as a City Councilwoman for the City of West Des Moines. She recently served as Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer for Broadlawns Medical Center in Des Moines. Renee has a passion for helping to make the community a better place than she found it. She has served over 20 nonprofits as either a volunteer, board member, and CEO.
Renee can be reached at:
Renee.Hardman@LSIowa.org
Lutheran Services in Iowa
3125 Cottage Grove Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50311
Roni Knief is LSI’s Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer.
Roni has been with LSI since 2019, when she started as a budget and financial analyst and was later promoted to service line support and budget manager. In addition to many other tasks, Roni has overseen LSI’s annual budget development process, as well as financial analysis and contract reporting.
Prior to LSI, Roni has served in executive roles, including at American Enterprise Group and Etrema Products, where she has overseen finance, sales, and customer service. She has also owned a small business. In her free time, Roni enjoys golf, Crossfit, boating, spending time with her family, and watching sports — especially the Iowa Hawkeyes.
“I am grateful to be a partner with LSI’s service lines, providing financial insight and analysis so they can focus on providing life-changing care to the Iowans we are privileged to serve,” Roni says.
Roni can be reached at:
Roni.Knief@LSIowa.org
Lutheran Services in Iowa
3125 Cottage Grove Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50311
As Chief Development Officer, Maschka leads LSI’s statewide fundraising and development strategy, guiding a team of philanthropy directors and strengthening donor, corporate, and foundation partnerships to expand support for vital services across Iowa. Andrea helps build and boosts the future of LSI, shaping a forward-looking philanthropic vision that leverages data-driven insights, meaningful relationships, and equity-centered fundraising practices to ensure sustainable growth.
Maschka joined LSI in 2025 from Hope Ministries, where she served as Major Gifts Officer and helped drive transformational giving by building deep, mission-aligned relationships with donors. She also brought her leadership to Mosaic Homes of Iowa, expanding donor networks and community partnerships, and to her role as a Business Restructuring Consultant, where she collaborated with nonprofits and small businesses to design sustainable growth strategies powered by innovation and purpose.
Earlier in her career, Maschka spent a decade in pharmaceutical sales and leadership, earning multiple national and divisional awards for excellence, including Platinum Cluband Top 10% National Performance distinctions with Astellas Pharma US and Forest Pharmaceuticals. Her success in this sector refined her expertise in relationship management, strategic growth, and team development—skills that now inform her philanthropic leadership approach.
Maschka holds a Bachelor of Science in Marketing with a Minor in German from Iowa State University. She is certified in Virtuous Responsive Fundraising and recognized for her commitment to integrating technology and data analytics into donor engagement strategy.
A dedicated community leader, Maschka has actively volunteered with Lutheran Church of Hope, Special Olympics Iowa, Mosaic Homes of Iowa, and Above & Beyond Cancer, championing causes that empower individuals and strengthen community connections.
Andrea and her husband, Brian, have been married for nearly 25 years and have three children, Creighton, Berkley and Drake.
Andrea can be reached at:
Andrea.Maschka@LSIowa.org
Lutheran Services in Iowa
3125 Cottage Grove Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50311
As vice president of capacity and strategy development, Dan Dean directs LSI’s personnel, quality improvement and compliance programs across the state. He is also responsible for strategic planning, development, measurement and the oversight of operations at all sites.
Dan joined LSI in 1997, first as resident manager for LSI’s Beloit Residential Treatment Center in Ames. He later served as statewide director in areas of quality and capacity development.
In 2017, Dan steered LSI through its most recent national accreditation process with the Council on Accreditation (COA), an intensive assessment that occurs every three years. LSI achieved a near perfect score, acing a rigorous review of more than 1,400 national best practice standards.
“We take a very strategic approach to quality at LSI, and it sets us apart,” Dan says. “It gives our funders confidence that their resources are well spent and that we deliver real and lasting results. Quality is an important part of fulfilling our promises – both to the people we support and the other agencies with whom we partner.”
An active member of Lutheran Services in America’s (LSA) Council of Human Resource Management, Dan currently serves on the Council’s board of directors. Since 2006, Dan has served as a COA national peer reviewer, traveling the country to review other human services agencies.
Dan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in recreation education from the University of Iowa and his Master’s degree in Public Administration from Drake University in Des Moines.
A resident of West Des Moines, Dan and his wife Vicki have two children, Jordan and Ashley. They are active members of Lutheran Church of Hope. Dan stays busy with his family at church, school and the YMCA youth swim program.
Dan can be reached at:
Dan.Dean@LSIowa.org
Lutheran Services in Iowa
3125 Cottage Grove Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50311