Staff

Linda Gobberdiel, Executive Director (West Des Moines)

Linda moved to Des Moines 20 years ago from St. Louis, Missouri where she was born. She has been working in non-profit organizations throughout her career. Linda has a B.S. in Nutrition, and a M.A. in Management. She is also a graduate of the Coro Foundation, Women in Leadership program.  In St. Louis she worked in the healthcare field both at Barnes Hospital then at the Hospital Association of Metropolitan St. Louis. Linda and her husband were both involved in community development work in the Shaw Historical Neighborhood. After moving to Des Moines, Linda worked in Montessori education both as a teacher and as a director of a Montessori school. Linda has served on several boards and is a founding member and board member of the Iowa Food Cooperative. She enjoys staying physically active, running marathons and recently began competing in triathlons. Linda also enjoys cooking, gardening, and traveling. Her interest in working with 1000 Friends of Iowa is to build the membership and the organization to support the growing concerns that center around agriculture and our environment, which ultimately impact our quality of life. Contact Linda at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 515-288-5364.

Crystal Leto, Office Manager (Ankeny)

Crystal was born and raised on the north side of Des Moines. She first became acquainted with 1000 Friends of Iowa while working on a statewide political campaign in 2003. In January 2008, she began consulting for the organization and in November 2008, joined the 1000 Friends of Iowa staff. Her duties include updating and maintaining the 1000 Friends website and she encourages anyone with ideas, suggestions for additional content, links, or other comments/concerns regarding the website to email her at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or by calling 515-288-5364. Crystal lives in Ankeny with her three fantastic daughters and one spoiled dog.