Hometown Alumni Award Recipient: Doug Horstmann

Raised in Dubuque, Doug attended Irving, Washington and Senior High Schools graduating in the Class of 1971. He graduated from the University of Dubuque in 1975 and received his MBA from Drake University in 1977. He then joined Dubuque Bank and Trust Company as a commercial banker in 1980 and retired from there as President and CEO in 2017.

He has served on numerous community non-profit Boards over his career and currently serves on the Board of Trustees at the University of Dubuque, the Board of Capra Bank and is active at St Peter Lutheran Church.

He has been married to his wife Karen for 48 years and they have two adult daughters and four grandsons.

Friend of Dubuque Public Schools Award Recipient: Debi Butler

Debi has been passionate about ending the stigma of mental illness for many years. Her interest in ending stigma grew out of her work in advocating for her brother Steve, who in 1985 was diagnosed with schizophrenia, with the goal of improving understanding and awareness of brain health issues. 

She earned an M.A. – Psychology from Loras College after returning to Augustana College to earn a second BA in Psychology.  She works with governmental officials in the State of Iowa to improve both the awareness of and funding for brain health issues.

Debi sat on the board of Hillcrest Family Services for over 6 years and is an active member of the Dubuque Community Brain Health Task Force.  She also sat on the board of NAMI in 2014 & 2015 and was actively involved as both a volunteer and advocate for victims of domestic violence through Family Resources from 2002-2012.

In 2015, Debi initiated Starry Nights with a like minded group of women to create an awareness event to end the stigma of “mental health and mental illness” featuring Patrick Kennedy and his story.

Combining all of these passions was the catalyst for Brain Health Now, a nonprofit organization focused on Ending The Stigma of mental illness by changing the words people use. Out of Brain Health Now the innovative initiative of Brain Health Retreat Rooms in Iowa and Wisconsin High Schools have taken root and flourished, providing emotional regulation and care to students in their time of need.

Young Philanthropist: Saanvi Ram, President of Lives through Letters

Saanvi Ram, a junior at Hempstead High School, is deeply committed to making a difference in her community. She founded Lives Through Letters as a seventh grader after noticing the increasing isolation among seniors living in senior living homes. This initiative reflects her passion for writing and public service, values that also drive her leadership roles as captain of her school’s debate team, co-chair of the counselor ratio committee in the Iowa Youth Congress, and co-president of Hempstead’s Key Club. Saanvi finds joy in playing her cello and cherishes moments with her friends and family. Her life philosophy centers on prioritizing “courage over comfort.”

Young Philanthropist: Jillian Maiers, Vice President of Lives through Letters

 Jillian Maiers is a junior at Hempstead High School. She has a passion for singing and has auditioned for Opus Honor Choir once and All-State Honor Choir twice. She was nominated & attended the Meistersinger Honor Choir at Wartburg College this January. Jillian is actively involved in several after-school activities, including cross country, theater (both plays and the musical), and the Lives through Letters club. As the vice president of Lives through Letters, Jillian played a key role in starting the club at Hempstead and has worked with Saanvi to expand its reach to other schools. Outside of school, Jillian enjoys reading and spending time with her family and animals. Additionally, she is currently in the process of writing a book that has been in development for a couple of years. After high school, Jillian plans to pursue a major in Elementary Education.