Leslie Kaufman Named Next Executive Vice President of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives

After an extensive executive search, the Board of the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives (IAEC) is pleased to announce Leslie Kaufman of Topeka, Kansas, as the association's next executive vice president and general manager.

"Leslie is a visionary leader and seasoned executive," said Kenny VandenBerg, IAEC board president. "She brings a unique combination of skills and experience to lead the association into a new era."

Kaufman will start on July 29 as IAEC's current EVP/GM Chuck Soderberg retires on August 1 after an impressive electric cooperative career spanning 45 years. "I am extremely honored by the confidence the Board has placed in me to continue advancing IAEC's mission and vision," remarked Kaufman.

Kaufman's extensive cooperative experience will be invaluable in this new role. She has worked for Kansas Electric Cooperatives (KEC) since 2017, where she most recently served as the vice president of government relations and legal counsel. In this role, Kaufman led the association's government relations team, actively engaged in advocacy efforts at the state and federal levels, managed KEC's grassroots program to increase member engagement, and served as executive director for the Kansas Committee for Rural Electrification political action committee. She also served as coordinating counsel for the association and its outside advisors.

Prior to her time at KEC, she held lobbying and executive positions at the Kansas Cooperative Council for 14 years and served in the public policy department for the Kansas Farm Bureau for 8 years. A licensed attorney, Kaufman earned her Juris Doctorate at Washburn University School of Law (Topeka, Kansas) and is a member of the Electric Cooperative Bar Association and the Kansas Bar Association. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in History and Business Administration from Mid America Nazarene University in Olathe, Kansas.

Kaufman and her husband Michael look forward to relocating to Iowa.

For More Information:

Erin Campbell
IAEC Director of Communications
[email protected]