About this user
Rep. Sharon Steckman is a longtime resident, educator, and Iowa State Congresswoman of Mason City (District 13). She was born in Chicago, IL and grew up in Arizona, Colorado, and Nebraska. As an adult, before choosing to settle in Mason City, she lived in Ithaca, NY, Detroit, MI, and Cedar Rapids, IA. Mason City has been her home since 1976, where she raised her two boys, Jon and Matthew Pete. To Sharon involvement and support in their community activities was always paramount, with activities such as serving on the board of the Mason City Swim Club and the Mason City Youth Hockey Association.
While involved in those activities Sharon decided to finish the degree she had started at Kearney State College in Kearney, Nebraska and began a 2 year, 3 day a week commute to ISU in Ames, Iowa. She graduated with honors and was the first in the education department at ISU to student teach in Mason City. She did this by working out an agreement with the ISU and UNI. In 1980 she began working for the Mason City Community School District, teaching in grades 2, 4, 5 and Title I Reading Specialist. While teaching for the Mason City School District she went on to earn her Masters in Education from Morningside College.
Sharon has always enjoyed challenges. She spent a summer in Yellowstone Park working for the park service. She also accepted a teaching assignment overseas in Portugal, working with children from 19 different countries, who spoke almost as many languages. She was a RAGBRAI participant for 6 years. Also, she and her husband Alan are raising their granddaughter, Rachel Steckman.
The challenges she enjoys the most are bringing people together, listening and solving problems. While living in Cedar Rapids she was a member of the Marion Planning and Zoning Commission. While a member of the Mason City Education Association she served as President and later served six years as Chief Negotiator. After retiring from the Mason City School District, Sharon ran for and won her first term as the Representative from Mason City to the Iowa State Legislature, where she relishes the challenge of representing Mason City and the State of Iowa, helping both to prosper and grow, and enjoys being be a part of the legislative process.
In her freshman term in the Iowa Legislature Sharon has served on six committees: Human Resources, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Economic Growth, Education, and Education Appropriations. In October, 2009 she was elected to be the Assistant Majority Leader, taking the place of Rep. Mike Reanor, and left the Education Appropriations committee in order to devote her energies to her new role, though she will continue to serve on her other five committees.
Sharon and her husband Alan of 14 years, have four children, Jon &, Matthew Pete and, Lisa & Aaron Steckman, and nine grandchildren. She is a member of Trinity Lutheran Church and helps with the Trinity God Squad. In her spare time she enjoys golf, gardening, hiking, and traveling.
Hometown
Mason City, Iowa
Country
United States
Occupation
Educator, Legislator
Companies
State of Iowa, Representative, District 13 - Mason City
Mason City, Iowa School District
National Parks Service - Yellowstone
Schools
Kearney State College - Kearney, Nebraska
ISU - Iowa State University - Ames, Iowa
UNI - University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls/Watterloo. Iowa
Interests
What I'm most interested in are ways to help the people of the Mason City community, and all over Iowa - not to mention our great nation, and all over the world.
