Vince Gotera was appointed Poet Laureate of Iowa in 2024. He has served as a professor of English at the University of Northern Iowa since 1995. He was Editor of the North American Review, the nation’s longest-lived literary journal, 2000-2016, and also of Star*Line, the print journal of the international Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association, 2017-2020.

Gotera has published over 300 poems and is the author of four poetry collections: Dragonfly, Ghost Wars, Fighting Kite, and The Coolest Month. He has a book of poetry forthcoming in 2024: Dragons and Rayguns.

Daniel Somotochukwu Umemezie is the 2025 Iowa Student Poet Ambassador and a two-time Scholastic award winner who believes poetry is just magic in disguise. Whether scribbling on the pages of homework or performing under bright stage lights, Daniel is always chasing the next spark of inspiration in science or the arts. With a deep love for rhythm, wordplay, and the occasional unexpected metaphor, he hopes to make poetry feel less like homework and more like a heartbeat.

When not writing, Daniel can usually be found at the piano, improvising jazz solos that dance just like his verses. He attends Cedar Falls High School in Cedar Falls, IA.

Tanya Rastogi is a junior at Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, Iowa. Her art and writing are published or forthcoming in several literary magazines including Gone Lawn, The Adroit Journal, Kalopsia Literary, and others. She is the founding editor of online journal The Seraphic Review. In 2023, she received a national Scholastic gold medal for her poem 'Three Generations'. 

In school, Tanya is heavily involved in the music department--she plays flute in band and is a member of choir and jazz choir. When she isn't participating in some form of the arts, Tanya enjoys watching video essays and visiting cafes with her friends.

Lola Nakashima-Brooke was a junior at Central High School in Davenport, IA when she became the Iowa Student Poet Ambassador. In 2021 and 2022, she was an intern in the Midwest Writing Center’s Young Emerging Writers Program and had published in the Atlas literary magazine as well as her school literary magazine, Indigo Ink.

When not writing or reading, she's either playing piano, trombone, or marching baritone. A veteran of marching band and show choir, she enjoys listening to music, eating soup, and collecting photos of romance-era paintings. She plans to attend college for teaching and creative writing. 

Johnnie Each was a senior at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids, IA when she became the Iowa Student Poet Ambassador. In addition to her passion for writing poetry, she enjoys reading old books, watching movies, having philosophical discussions and spending time with her friends. She describes herself as someone who likes listening to Christmas music in September and who laughs unabashedly at her own jokes. She loves music with poetic lyrics, Indian food, her church and her family. She’ll be attending the University of Iowa in the fall to study Journalism and Creative Writing. 

“Being the ISPA has meant so much to me; it showed me that words have a beautiful power and poetry even more so. It has inspired me to keep writing, because I know that my work reaches those around me.”

"When I first became the ISPA it was a completely new program, shaping and molding itself while simultaneously being one of the most formative experiences of my high school career. As it grew with me, I was able to speak with young writers, librarians, and other literary enthusiasts, without whom I would have never gained the confidence to share my work or pursue literature outside of the closed walls of my bedroom. It has shown me the power of language and moreso, the power of voice to enact positive change. I am forever grateful for this program and its mission to spread the beauty and importance of poetry!"