DES MOINES, Iowa — The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement at Drake University has appointed Sue Mattison, PhD, as interim director of nutrition and wellness policy and senior research fellow, beginning July 9, 2026. Mattison, who has served as the University’s provost for the last decade, announced her plans in March to step down from her current role, effective July 1, 2026. She will be succeeded by incoming provost, Joseph M. Valenzano III.
“Sue is the ideal person to take on this role. As a cancer epidemiologist whose career-long grounding in healthcare, justice, and citizen awareness is well known, she brings a wealth of professional experience and scientific expertise to our work in public health and environmental policy,” said Craig Owens, executive director of The Harkin Institute. “Her optimism, energy, and commitment to ethical leadership will make her a welcome addition to the Harkin Institute team. We are very fortunate to have her on board.”
Mattison’s post-provost plans had always included a role within The Harkin Institute and the Iowa Environmental Council to serve as a researcher focused on environmental risks related to cancer in Iowa. With an open role left behind by The Harkin Institute’s former nutrition and wellness policy director, Mattison will step in as interim director while a national search commences for a permanent director to be announced, tentatively in the fall of 2026.
Advancing public health
Wellness and nutrition is one of the four key policy areas focused on by the Harkin Institute, which also include labor and employment, people with disabilities, and retirement security—all building upon the legacy and work of former Iowa Senator Tom Harkin. Much of the Institute’s work in nutrition and wellness over the last year has focused on conducting nonpartisan research related to the water quality crisis in Iowa and its impact on public health, including links to cancer. Mattison contributed extensively to these efforts, serving as a co-author on the Environmental Risk Factors and Iowa’s Cancer Crisis 2026 report developed by the Iowa Environmental Council and The Harkin Institute. Her decades-long experience as a cancer epidemiologist and recent contributions to the Institute’s research make her exactly the right person to continue advancing the vital work of the Institute and its vision of a world in which public health and wellbeing are prioritized in all relevant policy decisions.
“It is an absolute honor to join The Harkin Institute,” said Mattison. “Senator Tom and Ruth Harkin’s legacy of championing public service and equity has long inspired me, and I look forward to contributing to initiatives that advance their values and vision.”
About The Harkin Institute
The Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement at Drake University exists to inform citizens, inspire creative cooperation, and catalyze change on issues of social justice, fairness, and opportunity. Founded on the premise that good public policy is best achieved when policymakers have access to high quality information, political processes are open and well-understood, and citizens are informed and active participants, The Harkin Institute offers programming, experiences, research, and connectivity focused on the areas that defined Senator Harkin’s career: people with disabilities, retirement security, labor and employment, and wellness and nutrition.
About Drake University
Drake University is recognized as one of the finest national liberal arts universities. A distinctive and distinguished private university in Des Moines, Iowa, Drake enrolls nearly 3,000 undergraduate and more than 1,800 graduate students. Students choose from more than 70 majors, minors, and concentrations and 20 graduate degrees offered through seven colleges and schools. In addition, Drake offers a range of continuing education programs serving working professionals, community members, and area businesses. Drake recognizes the importance of its location in Iowa’s capital city and seeks to connect its teaching and learning to the wealth of cultural, recreational, and business resources it provides. At the same time, it weaves global thinking and intercultural learning into everything it does, preparing students to lead in an increasingly interconnected world.
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Media Contact
Ashton Hockman, Associate Director of Communications, Drake University
T: 515–271–2833