Iowa City, IA – Thais Winkleblack, ICFRC’s Board President, announced today that Dr. Peter Gerlach has been appointed Executive Director of ICFRC effective January 1, 2023. He succeeds Kathryn Wittneben who has served as Executive Director since April 2021. Ms. Winkleblack states that she and the ICFRC Board are delighted to welcome Dr. Gerlach as Executive Director. She commented, “This is a terrific opportunity to build on our momentum by hiring a talented individual who is already passionate about the ICFRC and has great relationships with many of our strategic partners.”

Dr. Peter Gerlach is visiting assistant professor in the International Studies Program at The University of Iowa. He received his BA and MA degrees in English from Ripon College and the University of Northern Colorado, respectively. After serving in the US Peace Corps in Mongolia, he earned a PhD in Cultural Foundations of Education from Syracuse University where he conducted dissertation research on the lived experiences of international students at Grinnell College. His teaching areas include international studies, international education, refugee and immigrant studies, and community engaged learning. Dr. Gerlach serves on the International Studies Academic Advisory Board and the Fulbright Committee at The University of Iowa and on the board of directors at the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council (ICFRC), Global Ties Iowa, and the Refugee and Immigrant Association. He was Project Director for ICFRC’s program series on “Refugees and Immigrants in Iowa” from December 2021 to September 2022, summarized in a report at Refugees & Immigrants in Iowa - Iowa City Foreign Relations Council (icfrc.org). 

Peter Gerlach states, “I could not be more excited to assume leadership of this excellent organization! Together, with the staff and board, I am committed to furthering the ICFRC’s growth and to expanding our reach, similarly to what we did with the ‘Refugees and Immigrants in Iowa’ series, through programs and partnerships here in the Iowa City area and across the state. Exciting times are ahead.”

The Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Iowa City, seeks to promote understanding of international issues. It carries out free weekly educational programs during the academic year through a hybrid model of in-person and online. For information on its upcoming programs, see: Events Calendar - Iowa City Foreign Relations Council (icfrc.org). All its programs are available online through City Channel 4 or on its website.