See the program staff for the National Farmworker Jobs Program and the Agricultural Health Program.
NATIONAL FARMWORKER JOBS PROGRAM
Julianna Dubin-Barz
Database Coordinator
JuliannaDB@proteusinc.net
(515) 227-7060
What do you like to do in your free time?
When I’m not at work, you’ll usually find me with my wife, my friends, and/or my dogs. I am a stained glass artist, I love to create beautiful things.
What is your favorite produce item and why?
Hard to choose, they’re all delicious in their own way. I’ll say apples – I have happy memories of apple picking with my family as a kid, I love eating apples alone or baked into sweets, and apples with honey every fall as a special Rosh Hashanah treat.
Anahí Douglas
Project Coordinator
AnahiD@proteusinc.net
(515) 348-6644
Des Moines, Iowa
Carlos García Rodríguez
Regional Director
CarlosG@proteusinc.net
(515) 348-6645
Favorite Produce Item: Dates, sweet and nutritious. Especially if they are sourced locally from my hometown in Spain.
Favorite Things to Do: I love hiking and spend time in nature. I’m also an avid gamer and spend way more time than I should playing. I enjoy my free time with my wife and two pugs.
María Belismelis
Program Specialist
MariaB@proteusinc.net
(515) 351-2407
Hero/Heroes: My grandma used to spoil me all the time.
Favorite Produce Item: Lime! I pretty much use it for everything in my life.
Amelia Garber
Career Coach
AmeliaG@proteusinc.net
(515) 322-7068
Terianne Marsh
Career Coach
TerianneM@proteusinc.net
(515) 851-0228
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Matt Winkel
Regional Director
MattW@proteusinc.net
(515) 227-7056
Favorite Proteus Memory: I’ve enjoyed each participant that I’ve been able to help pursue a new and successful career. I enjoy seeing updates from them on the great changes they have made.
Favorite Produce Item: The vegetables used in a pot roast (carrots, potatoes, onions) always remind me of weekends at my Grandparents’ house.
Catalina Perry
Program Specialist
CatalinaP@proteusinc.net
(515) 336-2008
Favorite Proteus Memory: Connecting a young patient to a community resource that assisted her with cleft palate revision. The young patient’s mother was overjoyed knowing her daughter would finally get the help she needed to lift her out of her depression.
Favorite Produce Item: Cilantro, it’s versatile and adds pizazz to many dishes. I have fond memories of cooking with my mom rolling up taquitos filled with chicken, cilantro, and onions! Yum!
Melissa Rude
Senior Career Coach
MelissaR@proteusinc.net
(515) 227-7058
Brittanie Van Reese
Career Coach BrittanieVR@proteusinc.net
(515) 227-7059
Iowa City, Iowa
Diana Moncada
Regional Director
DianaM@proteusinc.net
(319) 800-1918
Who is your hero: My mother is a heroic figure, exemplifying courage, selflessness, empathy, and justice. She prioritizes others’ needs over her own and remains steadfast in her values.
Favorite Produce: Arugula is my favorite. Arugula is spicy and delicious and has a very interesting shape. It belongs to the superfood’s family. Do you know that arugula is the cousin of kale, cabbage and broccoli?
Tyler Black
Program Specialist
TylerB@proteusinc.net
(515) 499-6008
What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy making music and playing video games!
What is your favorite produce item and why?
Tomatoes – they are so delicious and mingle well in a lot of dishes!
Amberai Sindlinger
Career Coach
AmberaiS@proteusinc.net
(563) 920-6850
Lynne Lange
Career Coach
LynneL@proteusinc.net
(641) 206-1042
Alejandra Aquino
Career Coach
AlejandraA@proteusinc.net
641-451-0657
Eastern Nebraska
Jennifer Lewis
Regional Director
JenniferL@proteusinc.net
(308) 379-6914
What you do in your spare time: bike, hike, and/or work out.
Favorite Produce Item: Watermelon is my favorite produce item. A neighbor grew watermelons and then would invite all of the neighborhood families over for a watermelon feed.
Kim Parnell
Career Coach
KimP@proteusinc.net
(531) 220-1720
Maria Schinstock
Career Coach
MSchinstock@proteusinc.net
(402) 705-1969
Diana Bueno
Career Coach
DianaB@proteusinc.net
(531) 220-6193
Anahissa Limon
Program Specialist
AnahissaL@proteusinc.net
(531) 510-6396
During Free Time: In my free time I like to go thrifting, try out new coffee shops and spend time with family and friends.
Favorite Produce: Mangos and watermelon are my favorite! I especially enjoy them with lime and tajin. They remind me of my times in Mexico, walking down the streets with a cup of fresh fruit.
Western Nebraska
Jody Stutzman
Regional Director
JodyS@proteusinc.net
(402) 462-0356
Favorite Proteus Memory: My favorite memory is when I was at a health and safety training. I had been working with this particular group of workers from Mexico for several years. One of the workers came up to me at the start of the presentation and told me he only spoke English. I panicked for a minute because the training was in Spanish and frantically started explaining this to him in English. The man and group of 100 workers started laughing and that was when I realized they were all playing a joke on me. I have appreciated all of the relationships with workers I have developed throughout the years.
Favorite Produce Item: My favorite produce item is the avocado because it’s the most universal produce item. It literally goes with everything from toast to tacos. Plus, when an item is full of fat but is considered a healthy item it has to have a special place on my table.
Chris Miotke
Career Coach
ChristinaM@proteusinc.net
(402) 705-1964
Mandy Puente
Career Coach
MandyP@proteusinc.net
(402) 902-0682
VACANT
Program Specialist
info@proteusinc.net
1 (800) 372-6031
Indiana
Randall Collins
Regional Director
RandallC@proteusinc.net
(765) 243-1622
Hero/Heroes: My Mother – She never gave up on anyone. She was bold, smart, and strong. No matter what she would say, “It was a good day.”
Favorite Produce Item: Tomato – My Father was a small vegetable farmer and My mother would work, when I was little, in the summers sorting tomatoes at a local cannery before she went to nursing school.
Vacant
Career Coach
info@proteusinc.net
Melynda Stutsman
Career Coach
MelyndaP@proteusinc.net
(812) 350-2152
Miriam C. Chavarria-Tungate
Career Coach
MiriamS@proteusinc.net
(812) 350-1618
Jesusa Rivera
Senior Career Coach
JesusaR@proteusinc.net
(574) 413-8020
Laurie Ransom
Career Coach
LaurieR@proteusinc.net
(812) 379-3057
Maira Vásquez
Career Coach
MairaV@proteusinc.net
(765) 438-4035
Lorena Garcilazo-Coria
Program Specialist – South Bend
LorenaG@proteusinc.net
(574) 710-0462
What do you enjoy to do during your free time? Spend time with my family, cook out shopping.
Favorite Produce? Lettuce and tomatoes!
Carolina Larios Ortiz
Program Specialist – Kokomo
CarolinaLO@proteusinc.net
1 (800) 372-6031
Favorite Produce: Sautéed onions, reminds me of polish food.
Who is your hero? My Uncle (Amador) showed me hard work dedication and the meaning of family.
AGRICULTURAL HEALTH PROGRAM
Des Moines, Iowa
Vilma Bramasco
Health Clinical Director, Des Moines, IA
VilmaB@proteusinc.net
(515) 348-6642
What do you like to do in your free time: I enjoy spending time with my family. We love to go watch our son participate in sporting activities and have two dachshunds, that keep us entertained.
What is your favorite produce item and why: Edamame- It is great prepared spicy or steamed for a simple snack with lots of fiber and protein.
Melissa Copper
Agricultural Health Program Assistant, Des Moines, IA
MelissaC@proteusinc.net
(515) 348-6654
What you do in your spare time: Spend it with family and friends
Favorite Produce Item: Garlic, it makes just about any dish taste great.
Cristina DePriest
Referral Coordinator/RN, Des Moines, IA
CristinaD@proteusinc.net
(515) 348-6657
What you do in your spare time: Spend time with my husband and baby
Laura Meza
Health Care Team Lead, Des Moines, IA
LauraM@proteusinc.net
(515) 348-6641
Enjoy during Free Time: Hiking and go for a walk to the parks. Last summer I learn kayaking, and I will do it again this year.
Favorite Produce: Oranges and mandarins. My mom just to have orange’s trees in our backyard in Mexico. Those oranges were sour, and we must add some salt. That is my favorite memory because my little brothers and I we sit all together with my mom and had a good time.
Jesmy Tabora
Bilingual Health Aide, Des Moines, IA
JesmyT@proteusinc.net
(515) 348-6641
Iowa City, Iowa
Naomi Marroquín
Bilingual Health Team Lead, Iowa City, IA
NaomiM@proteusinc.net
(319) 499-9162
Favorite Proteus Memory: Going to Conesville with Dr. Claudia Corwin and experiencing and watching our first “round” of farmworkers being vaccinated in mid-March 2021.
Favorite Produce Item: Cucumber (with lime, salt, and sometimes Tapatio) – a snack my mom used to make us grow up and one of the produce items my dad would grow in his mini-garden.
Betty Garnica
Bilingual Health Aide, Iowa City, IA
BeatrizG@proteusinc.net
(319) 499-9162
Who is a hero of yours and why? My mom and my dad are my heroes because they have gone above and beyond to make sure I take advantage of the opportunities they never had, and they have always been my support system.
Favorite Produce Item: My dad grows his own strawberries and cucumbers (and other vegetables) at home so those are two of my favorites. Although I also love mangos and jicama because they’re very refreshing in the summertime (with lime and tajin).
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Helen Retleff
Family Nurse Practitioner, Fort Dodge, IA
HelenR@proteusinc.net
(515) 348-6646
Favorite Proteus Memory: There are so many already! Having a patient bring a warm chocolate flan cake to us during the clinic.
Favorite Produce Item: I love all veg and fruit. A favorite is sweet red pepper- I love the flavor and will eat them like an apple.
Vacant
Bilingual Health Team Lead, Fort Dodge, IA
info@proteusinc.net
1 (800) 372-6031
Alex Carrillo
Bilingual Health Aide, Fort Dodge, IA
AlexC@proteusinc.net
(515) 348-6646
Favorite Produce: Oranges – they remind me of my Abuelito’s orchard, and it is my mom’s favorite color.
Who is your hero? My mom, she is my #1 supporter and has provided for my siblings and I as a single parent.