The World Food Prize Foundation

2020 Speaker | Linda Gorkow

Linda Gorkow
Executive Director, Iowa Food Bank Association

Linda Gorkow is the executive director of the Iowa Food Bank Association. The Iowa Food Bank Association (IFBA) is a collaboration of the six Feeding America member food banks and partner agencies that serve each of Iowa’s 99 counties. Together, the food banks serve more than 1,000 non-profit organizations serving children, adults, veterans, and seniors. These partner agencies/organizations include food pantries, emergency meal sites, congregational meal sites, emergency shelters, and other sites that provide food to clients. As an association, IFBA is coordinating efforts through food banks and their affiliates serving Iowa to alleviate hunger to ensure that sufficient food is accessible to all. Linda has also served as the Iowa Hunger Coalition Director and is the former executive director of the HACAP Food Reservoir in Hiawatha. Linda was a member of the Iowa Food Bank Association Board of Directors several years prior to serving as director of IFBA.  Throughout her career Linda has held numerous marketing and community relations positions for a number of nom-profits such Mercy Medical Center and Tanager Place (a social service non-profit serving children and families) in CR  and served as vice president of marketing at Marketing & Communication Strategies, Inc., as well as marketing director at an Iowa shopping center.  

Linda is an Iowa native and graduate of the University of Northern Iowa. She is a Leadership for Five Seasons participant, former Junior League of Cedar Rapids, Professional Womens Network and has served on numerous community groups, boards and initiatives including the Linn County Food Insecurity Council. Linda resides in Cedar Rapids with her husband and is proud to be the mother of two adult children, Alexandra and Alyssa.

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