Dani Gehr
Talk Show ProducerExpertise: Finding, booking, preparing and connecting guests with listeners on IPR's two talk shows: <i>Talk of Iowa</i> and <i>River to River</i>
Education: Bachelors degree from Iowa State University
Favorite Iowa Destination: Pike's Peak State Park
Experience:
- Audio, talk show production and writing across various topic areas for IPR as a talk show producer
- Has reported and written features on local government in Story County for the Ames Tribune and Des Moines Register
- Is a multi-award-winning producer and reporter, including an Eric Sevareid award for her work on "50 years since Title IX, Iowa women share how the law impacted them" and Iowa Newspaper Association awards for best breaking news story, government reporting, best news story and best news feature story
- Served as a mentor for NPR’s Next Generation Radio in Iowa
My Favorite Stories
-
The 108th annual Meskwaki Powwow takes place this weekend. It’s a four-day celebration of Meskwaki culture and tradition where everyone is welcome. -
Some parents struggle to see their children leave the home, while others see it as a new and exciting phase of their life. Empty nesters share their experiences
-
In the 1980s, an Iowa City art teacher wrote to Keith Haring not expecting a response. This resulted in a friendship and two visits by Haring to Horn Elementary.
-
A now retired school principal, Iowa's own Kittie Weston-Knauer picked up BMX racing at 40, when she was one of two women in the country racing in her age group.
My Latest Stories
-
Ben Kieffer talks with Rep. Ashley Hinson, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate. She discusses affordability, national security, healthcare and other key issues. The contest with Democratic nominee Josh Turek is one of the most competitive Senate races in the country. -
Our sense of community is tied to economic opportunity, and according to CBS News, wealth inequality hit its widest gap in three decades. Not only that, discrimination and segregation have created more inequality for people of color. -
In 1926, Ruth Suckow published Iowa Interiors, the short story collection that put her on the map. A centennial reissue aims to keep her legacy alive.
My Latest Podcasts
-
On this episode, we learn about some of Iowa's early conservationists — Theodore Parvin, Thomas MacBride, Bohumil Shimek, Louis Pammel and Ada Hayden. We discuss their important contributions with University of Northern Iowa historian Kevin Mason and Mary Skopec, director of Lakeside Laboratory. We also talk with Alexa DiNicola, curator at the Ada Hayden Herbarium.
-
The drone of cicadas has always been one of the sounds of summer in Iowa. Annual cicada populations are holding their own, but periodical cicadas are in trouble. On this episode, we talk with University of Iowa biologist Andrew Forbes about a study that uses GIS technology to show how habitat loss has impacted cicada populations. We also hear from GIS experts Susan Meerdink and Adam Skibbe and discuss what the future holds for these cicadas.
-
Sports betting can elevate a sports fan's connection to the game, but can lead to corruption and decimate savings. Des Moines resident Caleb Tessmer shares his positive experience casually sports betting. Then, Justin Balthrop joins the program. He gambles in the low seven figures each year, but his research reveals the harmful nature of online sports betting. Later in the hour, Dave Bluder, author of The Great Gamble, dove into the world of sports betting corruption for his novel and shares how the gambling industry continues to alter his view on sports. (This episode was originally produced March 27, 2025.)