Iowa Care Community Board of Directors and Affiliations

Administration

Chief Executive Officer Karla Kamal became the executive director of Iowa City Hospice in 2015. In that role, she led the affiliation of Iowa City Hospice and VNA of Johnson County, and the establishment of Iowa Care Community in 2021. Karla holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Graduate Certificate in Public Health, and has been a nurse for more than 30 years. She serves on the executive committee of the Board of Directors of the Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Iowa (HPCAI), and is active in the palliative care work group focused on standardizing and promoting a home- and community-based palliative care benefit for Iowa Medicaid.

Chief Operations Officer Sara Krieger, RN, BSN, CHPN, joined Iowa City Hospice in 2005, and oversees all the clinical and direct care aspects of both Iowa City Hospice and VNA of Johnson County. Sara earned a BS in Nursing and certification in Nonprofit Management from Iowa State University, and a Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Iowa.

Chief Financial Officer Karen DeGroot joined Iowa City Hospice in 2018, after tenure as executive director at a non-profit serving children with behavioral, intellectual, and physical disabilities. Karen has served on multiple boards, including Johnson County Area Women’s Network (JCAWN), Noon Pilot Club, and Noon Kiwanis. She holds a BBA in Finance and an MBA from the University of Iowa.

Chief Marketing and Development Officer Barbara Barrows has 30 years of marketing, fundraising, and management experience, primarily in health care and higher education. Prior to joining Iowa City Hospice in 2018, she was the Manager of Internal Communications for University of Iowa Health Care. She received a BA in English from the University of California, and a Master of Nonprofit Management from Regis University.