Meet our Speakers
Iowa Firearms Coalition and the NRA are proud to have the following speakers at our 2nd Amendment Rally.
- Governor Bobby Jindal
- House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer
- Assistant Majority Leader Matt Windschitl
- Jan Mickelson
Bobby entered public service in 1996 when he was appointed secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH), relinquishing admissions to Harvard and Yale University medical and law schools.
With more than 12,000 employees, a $4 billion budget and hundreds of facilities, DHH is Louisiana's largest department. Bobby was successful in turning DHH's $400 million budget deficit he inherited into a surplus of $220 million.
In 1998, Bobby was appointed executive director of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare, whose recommendations continue to be the driving force behind much of the ongoing debate on how to strengthen and improve Medicare.
Bobby returned to Louisiana state government in 1999, when he became president of the University of Louisiana System - the 16th largest higher education system in the country which oversees the education of around 80,000 students a year.
In March 2001, Bobby was nominated by President George W. Bush, and later unanimously confirmed by a bipartisan vote of the U.S. Senate, as the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In that position, he served as the principal policy advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
In 2004, Bobby was elected as Congressman for the First Congressional District in Louisiana. He was re-elected to a second term in 2006.
He was sworn in as Governor of Louisiana in January 2008.
- Earned A+ NRA rating and NRA-PVF endorsements for his commitment to Second Amendment rights both as Governor and as a member of the US House of Representatives.
- As a member of the U.S. House, he introduced and led the passage of the "Disaster Recovery Personal Protection Act," prohibiting gun confiscation during states of emergency as occurred after Hurricane Katrina.
- In 2012, endorsed and supported the passage of the strongest state constitutional right to keep and bear arms provision.
House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer
Linda Upmeyer was first elected in 2002. Linda is a cardiology nurse practitioner. Linda was born on July 23, 1952, in Mason City, Iowa.
She grew up in Garner on the family farm. She graduated from Garner High School in 1970. Following high school, she attended NIACC and the University of Iowa, where she received her BS in Nursing. She received her Master's in Nursing from Drake University.
Linda and her husband Doug farm near Garner. They have five children, all of whom live in Iowa. Linda and Doug have two grandsons, Colin and Carter.
She attends Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church of Garner, where she has been a Sunday school teacher, choir member and bible school teacher.
Linda is a member of Farm Bureau, Prof. Cardiovascular Nurses Assn., and Iowa/American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Signa Theta Tau Int'l Nursing Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa Nat'l Leadership Honor Society, and Phi Theta Kappa.
She is a former trustee for North Iowa Area Community College and a former board member of both the National and Iowa Association of Community College Trustees.
As a legislator, she serves on the Health and Human Services Task Force for the American Legislative Exchange Council, and currently serves on their Board of Directors. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the Midwest Conference of State Governments.
In the House, Linda serves in the Republican Leadership as the Republican Whip. She serves on the Human Resources, Natural Resources, Economic Growth, and Administrative Rules Review Committees. Linda also serves on the Leadership Council and International Relations committees.
- Earned A+ NRA rating and NRA-PVF endorsements for her commitment to Second Amendment rights.
- As House Majority Leader she has worked hard for advancing Second Amendment rights in Iowa most recently helping pass a RKBA Constitutional Amendment bill and Stand Your Ground bill through the Iowa House.
Assistant Majority Leader Matt Windschitl (R)
Matt was born on December 30, 1983, in Marshalltown, Iowa. His father, Christopher, works for Union Pacific Railroad, and his mother, Jody, runs the family business Double Barrel Shooters Supply.
Matt received his formal education at home before attending college for gunsmithing. Matt is a trained gunsmith and works at the family owned gun store in Missouri Valley. He also works full time as a switchman for the Union Pacific Railroad when not in session.
Matt and Ivy Windschitl were married in July of 2003 and together they have two daughters, Anna who is 5 and Addy who is 3.
Matt was first elected in 2006 at the age of 22 becoming the youngest legislator currently serving in the General Assembly. He was re-elected in November of 2008 and was then elected to serve as an Assistant Minority Leader by his Republican colleagues in the Iowa House in 2009.
Matt Joined the United States Marine Corps in June of 2001 at the age of 17. He proudly served 8 years in the United States Marine Corps Reserves as a mechanic with the Engineer Maintenance Company, 4th Marine Logistics Group, 4th Maintenance Battalion. He served a tour of duty in Iraq in 2005, and was Honorably Discharged from the Marine Corps Reserves as a Sergeant in June of 2009.
- Earned A+ NRA rating and NRA-PVF endorsements for his commitment to Second Amendment rights.
- As Assistant Majority Leader and a member of the public safety committee he has worked hard for advancing Second Amendment rights in Iowa most recently helping pass a RKBA Constitutional Amendment bill and Stand Your Ground bill through the Iowa House.
- He introduced and lead passage for Iowa's Shall Issue law, the RKBA bill, the Stand Your Ground bill and other pro-Second Amendment bills.
Since 1988 Jan Mickelson has been commenting on on 1040 AM WHO Radio about government, politics, education, hi-tech gadgets and other issues.
Mickelson's a Harlan native and graduated from high school there. He lives in Ankeny with his wife Susanne and they have a son, Scott, who's pursuing a business career here.
He is also an enthusiast for Second Amendment rights, recently interested in building and shooting AR-15.
