Hall of Fame
Do you know a worthy candidate for the Mount Mercy Athletic Hall of Fame? Former coaches, administrators, and student-athletes can be nominated.
Every year, Mount Mercy University will spotlight its very own outstanding alumni leaders for their professional accomplishments and service to the community.
Mary Hagen served as the Chief Nursing Executive at UnityPoint Health–Waterloo from 2013-2021. In her role, she focused on enhancing the patient’s and employee’s experience as well as leadership development. She served as an executive sponsor for a cross-system UnityPoint health team in the development of Values and Standards of Behavior which was critical in the enhancement of the culture at UnityPoint Health. Mary led several workforce initiatives and capacity expansion in response to disasters in the Waterloo area such as floods, tornadoes, and COVID-19.
Prior to this, Mary served a variety of roles at UnityPoint Health-Cedar Rapids. Her major accomplishments were leading the building and operationalization of the Helen G. Nassif Women and Children’s Center as well as the achievement of the initial Magnet Designation and first Redesignation. Magnet designation reflects the professional nursing practice environment, the outstanding clinical outcomes at St. Luke’s Hospital, and the rigor of redesignation assuring sustainable high performance.
Recognition
Mount Mercy Alumni Professional Achievement Award
UnityPoint Health FOCUS Luminary Award
Top 100 Iowa Nurse Lifetime Achievement Award
Kathy Enstrom began her career with IRS Criminal Investigation (CI) in Cedar Rapids while she was still a student at Mount Mercy. After graduation, she was sworn in as a special agent and was assigned to the Chicago office. In this role, she investigated complex federal tax and financial crimes. She was promoted into management, eventually rising to the executive level. She was the First Female Special Agent in Charge in two CI field offices and had the honor of being the Deputy Chief of Staff to the IRS Commissioner, Charles Rettig. Kathy’s time in federal law enforcement concluded with her role as Chicago’s Special Agent in Charge of FDIC-Office of Inspector General.
Kathy is currently the Director of Investigations for the Moore Tax Law Group based in Chicago and New York. She assists clients facing governmental investigations and civil matters involving all manner of alleged tax, financial, and economic fraud.
Stefanie Munsterman (she/her) serves as Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Civil Rights Commission. The Commission works to eliminate discrimination and disparities and increase equity by responding to the needs of the community; investigating and mediating complaints of discrimination; and providing education and outreach to the community. Stefanie leads the strategic direction, community engagement, policy, vision, and operations of the Commission. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor with Mount Mercy University graduate programs.
Stefanie is passionate about equity and civil and human rights and believes it is our individual and collective responsibility to work towards building a community of belonging. She puts this passion into action in her professional and volunteer roles and serves on several boards and advisory councils, including the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights - Iowa Advisory Board; National League of Cities - Council on Youth, Education, and Families; IPR Sounding Board; Co-Chair of Inclusive ICR; President of the ACLU of Iowa; College Community School District - Equity Advisory Council; President of the League of Iowa Civil and Human Rights Agencies; Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance - Innovation Council; Cedar Rapids Affordable Housing Commission; Government Alliance on Racial Equity; Catherine McAuley Center; and Downtown Rotary. Stefanie also volunteers as a Sexual Assault Advocate for Riverview Center.
For her service to the community, Stefanie was honored with awards. Most notably, she was named as a Woman of Influence from the Corridor Business Journal, received the Woman of the Year Award from the Women’s Equality Coalition of Linn County, Forty Under 40 from the Corridor Business Journal, an Outstanding Service Award from the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, selected for the Louise Noun Award from the ACLU of Iowa, and the Spirit of the ADA Award from Great Plains ADA Center.
Stefanie originates from Kansas City, Missouri and her formal education includes a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Strategic Leadership from Mount Mercy University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Missouri Western State University.
She loves spending time with her two children, Alexandria (29, she/her) and Jules (17, they/them) and her pets. Stefanie also enjoys reading, music, theater, and being outdoors.
Amazing-Grace Ighedo came to Mount Mercy University as a non-traditional student and mother. Throughout her time on the Hill, she made the dean’s list and received several scholarships including the Presidential Scholarship, Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future, and the National Council of State Boards Nursing and Minority Nurse Awards. She received the Sister Mary Edward McConohy Nursing Award and Sister Mary Frances Warde Award upon graduation.
She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia at the University of Pennsylvania. At the prestigious Ivy-League School of Nursing, she has been recognized with The Goldie Brangman Award, Natalia Martin Endowed Fellowship, and was selected as an Amy Gutmann Leadership Scholar.
Prior to her anesthesia studies, Amazing-Grace worked in the Cardiac ICU, Surgical ICU, and the Surgical Neuroscience ICU. She’s received the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.