Meet Our Team
Meet Our Leadership and Support Staff
Iowa Virtual Academy (IAVA) leadership and support staff are dedicated to delivering the best education possible to ensure our students have opportunities for a bright future.
Steven Hoff | Head of School
Mr. Hoff has been with K12 since 2010 and has been the head of school at IAVA since it opened in 2012. He brings a wealth of expertise from his past experiences in education. He is originally from Minnesota but has called Iowa his home since 2012. Mr. Hoff holds a bachelor’s degree from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Viterbo University in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He enjoys spending time with his wife, sons, and daughter, as well as hunting, fishing, being a river rat, and just being outdoors. Mr. Hoff is an avid Minnesota Vikings fan! He enjoys interacting with his students and staff and loves seeing how quality socialization happens in IAVA’s online environment.
Amanda Braverman | Academic Administrator
Ms. Braverman began her role as academic administrator in 2019. She was previously the family academic support liaison for three years. Before that, she taught music for IAVA for many years. She was also a learning coach to some of her children and has used that experience to help in her role of supporting students. Ms. Braverman received her undergraduate degree in education from Wartburg College and her graduate degree in educational leadership from Drake University. Her past work experiences include teaching preschool through high school and college and even supervising and teaching professional development for college teachers. Ms. Braverman is passionate about education! She enjoys traveling and learning about the United States and other countries around the world—but she also enjoys walking and jogging around her neighborhood and spending time with her family. Her favorite part about online education is that it can meet the individual needs of diverse students.
Stephanie Willenborg | Academic Administrator, 9–12
Ms. Willenborg has had the privilege of working as a school administrator for K12 since 2014. Before becoming an online principal, she was a science teacher for six years and taught in Iowa, Hawaii, and Washington while her husband served in the Air Force. She returned to Iowa with her family in 2022 and loves being back in Hawkeye Country. Ms. Willenborg enjoys spending her free time outdoors with her family and dogs. However, hiking in Iowa is different than it was in Washington!
Judy Tepper | School Operations Manager
Ms. Tepper joined the IAVA team in August of 2017. She received her BA in journalism and mass communications at Iowa State University. After graduation, she moved to the East Coast, where she worked in advertising and exhibit sales as well as customer service. After returning to Iowa, Ms. Tepper worked at the Clayton Ridge School District as a member of their library staff for 12 years before joining IAVA. She is happy to be back in Iowa and a member of the IAVA team. The families and students are her favorite part of working at IAVA. They are so appreciative and are simply great to work with.
Molly Mellon | Operations Associate
Ms. Mellon joined IAVA in 2019. She graduated from Loras College with a degree in biology. Her interests include, but aren’t limited to, reading, anything outdoors, and attending her nephews’ sporting events.
Nikki Gerling | Community Engagement Specialist
Ms. Gerling joined the IAVA team in July of 2023 as the community engagement specialist. Before starting at IAVA, she was a high school English/language arts teacher for 17 years. And she spent time as the director of career development, internships, and service learning at a local university. Ms. Gerling earned her Bachelor of Arts in English and her grades 5–12 English/language arts teaching certification from Iowa Wesleyan University. She earned her Master of Education in curriculum and instruction with a minor in adolescent literacy from Concordia University. Outside of spending time with her family and pets, Ms. Gerling likes to read, bake, and travel. She is excited to be part of the IAVA team and to work with our staff and families.
Mrs. Kramer | K-8th grade Professional Counselor
Mrs. Kramer is the 9th–10th grade professional counselor. She graduated from Buena Vista University with her Master of Science in education in K–12 professional school counseling. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from the University of Northern Iowa. Mrs. Kramer is from the Des Moines area, where she lives with her husband, dog, kitten, and two gerbils! In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and hiking. She also is a big fan of the Cowboys! Mrs. Kramer has spent the past several years as a special education teacher and comes with 10+ years of knowledge and experience working with children. She has a passion for helping all children learn and grow. Her focus is to encourage students to understand more about themselves and their needs, to build strong relationships, and to promote happiness!
Luci Wulfekuhle | Grades 9-12 Professional Counselor
Ms. Wulfekuhle is the professional school counselor for grades 11–12 and has been with IAVA since 2016. She earned her Bachelor of Science in health, wellness, and recreation from the University of Dubuque. Her teaching certification is in K–12 physical education, K–12 health education, and K–12 athletic coaching from Clarke University. Mrs. Wulfekuhle’s Master of Science in Education is in professional school counseling for grades K–12 from Buena Vista University. She spent her first six years in education as a health and physical education teacher at a brick-and-mortar school. Mrs. Wulfekuhle has spent several years as a professional school counselor in brick-and-mortar and virtual school settings. What she likes best about working in the online environment is the ability to support her students’ social, emotional, and educational needs individually.