LifeServe Team

Abbie Arneson South Dakota

I was raised in North Platte, NE and attended the University of Nebraska, so I truly do bleed red; GO HUSKERS!  I have been with LifeServe since March of 2022, but I have 17 years of experience coordinating lifesaving blood drives in South Dakota. I am very passionate about our mission and feel blessed to work with such amazing communities, volunteers, and donors.  Blood donors are just wonderful people!!  When I am not working you will find me watching my 21-year-old daughter, Caroline, playing college soccer, and keeping up with my 17-year-old son, Sam, who will be heading into his senior at Mitchell High School.

Alexandria Jackson Western Iowa

I am originally from Iowa City, Iowa before moving to Sioux City in 2018. I joined the Army Reserves and served for 9 years in Cedar Rapids and Sioux City before I got out in 2023. I joined LifeServe in 2019 in Donor Services as a Phlebotomist. When I transitioned roles, I got to see and serve the communities I traveled when drawing blood in a new way. When I am not at work, I am spending time with my husband and two sons… and a house full of cats and dogs.

Allison Brumels Western Iowa

I was born and raised right here in Sioux City, IA which makes my job all the more rewarding as it involves giving back to the community I grew up in. Although I’ve been here my whole life, my husband and I love to travel! While we would normally be busy planning our next trip, we're instead planning a whole new kind of adventure as we look forward to welcoming our first child this Summer.

Carrie Johnson Central Iowa

I love being in the healthcare field, as I find it incredibly rewarding to be able to make a difference and have an impact in my community. I’ve lived in central Iowa my entire life and currently live in a small town with my wonderful husband and daughter. Outside of work I enjoy a wide variety of hobbies, including: riding motorcycles, snowmobiling, fishing, painting, and most recently I picked up knitting!

Jana Huegerich Central Iowa

I’ve been at LifeServe since 2018, and the mission means a lot to my family. My son Harrison received many IVIG treatments due to an autoimmune disease. Those infusions are created through the generous help of the LifeServe blood donors, using the plasma part of the blood. He also had a blood transfusion when he was 6 months old after getting an infection that landed him at Blanks Children’s Hospital. My second son is a Leap Day baby and keeps us entertained. My husband and I, enjoy playing golf and attending our kids’ activities. I love a good cup of coffee and vacationing at the Lake of the Ozarks. My heart bleeds cardinal and gold for my Iowa State Cyclones!

Kally Kirk Central Iowa

Kathie Gayther North Iowa/East Iowa

It was my passion for helping people that drove me to apply to LifeServe Blood Center in the summer of 2017. I started out as a Phlebotomist, and quickly moved through the training to learn additional skills and became an Alyx and Trima operator. In 2018, I became a team lead. In February of 2019, I became the Territory Representative of the North and East Iowa regions. This role has allowed me to work closely with our volunteer chairpeople, the members of the communities that we serve, as well as many families that have been recipients of LifeServe blood products. Seeing the “complete picture” of collection to recipient is not only heartwarming but continues to remind me why we do the work that we do. We save lives!

Keirra McFadden Eastern Iowa

Born and raised in Iowa, community has always been at the core of who I am. I knew very early in life I wanted to work for an organization that made a tangible difference in people’s lives. My drive for impact brought me to the LifeServe draw floor where I created meaningful connections with donors, staff, and volunteers. Now as field recruiter, I am excited to continue those connections while also discovering new communities and their people! When I’m not working, you’ll often find me reading, baking, or attending one of my sibling’s events. I am the oldest of five, which makes my weekends quite busy, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Kim Jensen Dietrich South East South Dakota and Nebraska

I was born and raised on a farm outside Meckling, SD, attended USD, then moved to Nebraska - Would you be surprised that my favorite color is RED!?! I got my start with LifeServe and the blood industry in 2016 and am excited to be making a difference in the communities we serve. I think of my job as a party planner - doing all the behind the scenes work that is needed to make the blood drive a success - then celebrating the number of lives saved with the volunteers, communities, and donors! On my days off, I enjoy spending time on the river or traveling, but my most favorite thing ever is NanaTime!

Mikala Niemeier East Iowa and Pella

I am thrilled to be a part of the dedicated team at LifeServe Blood Center. With a degree in Advertising from Iowa State University, I honed my skills in creative thinking and strategic communication. Prior to joining LifeServe, I had the privilege of working at the University of Iowa Hospital. Having seen firsthand the critical role of blood donation in saving lives, I'm passionate about our mission. Outside of work, I enjoy traveling, live music, and theater. It's a privilege to contribute to an organization that prioritizes compassion and excellence, and I look forward to continuing to make a meaningful impact here

Stacy Sime President and CEO

Stacy is currently the President and Chief Executive Officer of LifeServe Blood Center. In addition to her undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Microbiology from North Dakota State University, Stacy has a Masters Degree from Drake University. Stacy’s career in transfusion medicine started at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa where she worked in an active transfusion service for six years. Her blood center career began at The Blood Center of Iowa. During her time in the organization, Stacy worked her way through Quality, Donor Services, Recruitment, and Hospital Services, including the testing laboratory. 

Stacy is committed to developing tomorrow’s leaders. She has served as the Educational Coordinator for the Mercy School of Clinical Laboratory Science and now is an active member of the Advisory Board for the school. She actively mentors young leaders in her community. She is a member of the LEAD Advisory Board for Drake University, which is committed to creating an under graduate leadership curriculum.  Stacy believes the success of any community is connected to the vitality of its workforce. Stacy currently sits on the Regional Workforce Board.  

Stacy is active in her industry. She is currently on the Board of Blood Centers of America and the National Blood Collaborative. She has been active in AABB and Blood Group Alliance. She served as the chair of Blood Centers of America for 4 years. She currently sits on the National Hospital Contracts Committee and the Executive Committee. Stacy was honored to participate in an Administrative Think Tank for the American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), a national organization dedicated to furthering transfusion medicine. Through her work on the Think Tank, Stacy actually published work on changes that needed to be made to strengthen the relationship between blood centers and hospitals. 

Christine Hayes Chief Operating Officer

In her role as Chief Operating Officer for LifeServe Blood Center, Christine’s responsibilities include oversight of all of LifeServe Blood Center’s operational business units throughout the tri-state region of Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska. These business units include Recruitment/Marketing, Donor Services, and Hospital Services (which includes donor and reference testing, component manufacturing, and blood distribution functions).

Christine has more than 30 years of experience with LifeServe Blood Center. Prior to joining the blood banking industry, her experience focused on the medical insurance industry.  Her wealth of industry experience and knowledge of operational functions ensures the organization is primed to meet and exceed the needs of the customer.  She has been a featured contributor/speaker at many blood banking industry meetings.    

Cheryl Ritter Chief Financial Officer

As the Chief Financial Officer for LifeServe Blood Center, Cheryl’s vast experience in finance, tax, treasury, accounting practices, and strategic planning ensures that LifeServe Blood Center is a financially strong organization that is planning for the future. Cheryl has had more than 30 years of executive and senior level financial experience throughout her career in both manufacturing and healthcare organizations. 

Cheryl has been a member of the LifeServe executive team for over ten years and is responsible for all finance and accounting practices within the organization as well as oversight for the Information Technology and Purchasing/Facility departments.

I was born and raised on a farm outside Meckling, SD, attended USD, then moved to Nebraska - Would you be surprised that my favorite color is RED!?! I got my start with LifeServe and the blood industry in 2016 and am excited to be making a difference in the communities we serve. I think of my job as a party planner - doing all the behind the scenes work that is needed to make the blood drive a success - then celebrating the number of lives saved with the volunteers, communities, and donors! On my days off, I enjoy spending time on the river or traveling, but my most favorite thing ever is NanaTime!