The Team
Applications will be kept on file for consideration as volunteer board positions become available.
Shawn Camp
Co-Founder
Executive Director
Shawn was born and raised right here in Eastern Iowa. Her love for animals of all shapes and sizes started early in her life. Her dad regularly brought injured wildlife into their home for rehabilitation, and she recalls fond memories of this first-hand experience helping to care for a variety of animals. Shawn attended Kirkwood Community College and the University of Iowa, where she primarily studied human services and communication. It was not until her late 20s that she discovered her true calling in animal rescue. After reading My Gentle Barn by Ellie Laks, Shawn finally realized what it was she needed to do: quit her job and rescue farm animals! On a typical day, Shawn can be found anywhere between the barn and the veterinary hospital. Her life is farm animal rescue, and she wouldn’t have it any other way.
Jered Camp
Co-Founder
President, Board of Directors
Jered was raised in Utah, where he grew up around farm animals. He was a member of 4-H and has always had a love for animals. Jered moved to Atlanta when he was 18 to pursue a career in EMS, where he enrolled in a paramedic program. He worked in Atlanta for 12 years before moving to Iowa in 2011. Within a few years of his move to Iowa, Jered found his next calling in life: to help farm animals by co-founding Iowa’s first farm animal sanctuary. Since Iowa Farm Sanctuary opened, Jered has balanced helping people through emergencies and helping and rescuing animals. He is grateful to be able to provide Iowa Farm Sanctuary’s rescued residents with a safe, loving home while also helping people to reevaluate their beliefs about the sentience of farm animals.
Sarah Hansen
Chair, Board of Directors
Sarah has been involved in IFS since early 2021, first discovering it by attending a Sanctuary Stroll. Immediately interested in volunteering, she has assisted with routine chores, events, and bedtime chores. An animal lover all her life, at age 8, she talked her mother into adopting a goat kid (a male named Buster she kept as a pet). Having been a vegetarian for years, Sarah became vegan after learning more about factory farming through IFS. Sarah works at the University of Iowa and spends her spare time on her family, pets, yoga, hiking, and, of course, IFS. She is honored to be able to support IFS as a volunteer, sponsor, and now, a Board member.
Katie Valentine
Assistant Director of Operations
Katie joined the team at Iowa Farm Sanctuary in May 2019 when she became the Sanctuary’s first intern. 300 hours and a busy summer later, she completed her internship, which was the capstone to earning her AAS in Humane Officer Training from Kirkwood Community College. She then continued as a regular volunteer and loved every second of it. In March 2021, Katie became the sanctuary’s Assistant Director of Operations. Katie finds caring for the residents and working to ensure their health to be very rewarding. She frequently assists with animal rescues in addition to animal care and her many other duties. Some of her interests include staying active, being a dog/horse/bun mom, and eating good vegan food.
Amy Holcomb
Secretary, Board of Directors
Amy grew up on a cattle and pig farm in northwest Iowa, where her love for all animals began. She attended the University of Iowa and settled in the area upon graduation. When she became involved in animal rescue, including volunteering at a shelter for cats in need of specialized care, she began to understand that she could no longer love and cherish some animals while eating other animals, so she became vegan. She started volunteering at Iowa Farm Sanctuary with her daughter in March 2021 after attending a few events and realizing that IFS is a magical place where farmed animals are loved and cherished, and she found this to be her true calling in animal rescue. Amy also loves vegan baking, especially baking for the IFS volunteers and running the IFS Valentine's Day Bake Sale. Outside of the sanctuary, Amy is a supported community living counselor, assisting individuals with disabilities with gaining independent living skills. She enjoys spending time with her daughter Cynthia and their cats, traveling, reading, and walking.
Chandler Pendleton
Treasurer, Board of Directors
Chandler was born and raised in Arkansas and moved to Iowa in 2018. She first learned about Iowa Farm Sanctuary in 2021 through watching the Dodo video featuring Auggie and Lazlo’s story. After coming to a Sanctuary Stroll, meeting the residents, and talking to volunteers, she felt compelled to go vegan. She also knew she wanted to get more involved, so she started volunteering not long after that. Deciding to go vegan and volunteer at IFS has been one of the best decisions she’s ever made. She loves getting to spend time with the residents and help with their care. Although volunteering can be hard work, it’s also incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. Outside of volunteering at IFS, Chandler works as a biostatistician. In her free time, she enjoys going to parks with her husband and rescued greyhound, reading, and baking and eating vegan desserts.
Kevin Recknor
Lead Volunteer and Educator
Kevin is a retired teacher living in North Liberty with his dog, Lola, and cats, Levi and Red. After retiring, Kevin’s passion was to become involved in animal rescue. When Iowa Farm Sanctuary was established, he signed up for the very first volunteer orientation. Through his work at the sanctuary, Kevin quickly learned that farmed animals are sentient, loving, emotional beings who have best friends, love their families, enjoy cuddles and belly rubs, and form strong emotional bonds with humans. After that, he was hooked! Kevin likes to say that sanctuary work is the hardest work he’s ever loved. He feels honored to help provide a safe and happy forever home for the rescued residents at Iowa Farm Sanctuary.
If you want to make Kevin’s day, just ask him about Molly Brown!
Rachel Peterson
Social Media and Communications Coordinator
Rachel was hired as the Communications Coordinator in March of 2024, shortly before she graduated from the University of Iowa. Although she hadn’t heard of Iowa Farm Sanctuary before applying, she always knew she wanted to work for a nonprofit, and she is so excited that she gets to raise awareness about this amazing organization. When at the sanctuary, you can usually find her following Sheldon and Herbie around. When not at the sanctuary, she likes to crochet, cuddle with her cat Scooter (Scooby), and watch YouTube, preferably all at the same time.
Growing up, Rachel spent a lot of time on her grandpa’s and uncle’s farms. Ever a city girl, swore she would never follow in their footsteps. She hopes they’re happy now 😂
Keith Wangler
Website Assistant
Keith started volunteering at Iowa Farm Sanctuary in 2020. Keith had been vegetarian for several years prior, but was moved to become vegan after learning more about the animal agriculture industry through IFS. While he loves volunteering, Keith also loves technology and helping with the website was a natural fit. Whether it’s mucking the Man Cave for Buddy and Harpo or patching up a web page, he’s happy to help!
You can always email suggestions or bug reports to dev.kwangler@gmail.com!