2024 Beautiful Bulldog Contest Judges

April Lawrence

April Lawrence, owner of Bone-A-Patreat and devoted Drake Bulldog fan. April has been a passionate advocate for pet health and nutrition since opening the first Bone-A-Patreat location in Des Moines, Iowa in 2004. Last year, she proudly celebrated 20 years of providing high-quality, all-natural pet food, treats, and supplies to the community. Now with four Des Moines metro locations, April remains dedicated to helping pet parents find the best for their furry (and feathered) family members. If you stop by and visit the stores, you might even get to meet Bone-A-Patreat’s adorable mascot, Cotter!

Jodi Long

Jodi Long, anchor with KCCI 8 News. Jodi has worked on television in Central Iowa for a decade. She is an Emmy-nominated and award-winning journalist for her stories about women impacted by human trafficking in the state, the lack of insurance coverage for Iowans seeking treatment for eating disorders, and her effort to diversify Iowa’s birth workers with the goal of improving birth outcomes of women of color. While she wasn’t born in Iowa, Jodi likes to say Iowa raised her. She is a graduate of Ankeny High School. She was a high school track athlete who ran at the Drake Relays and state track meets every year (her relay team’s record still stands today!). Working in her hometown has provided her with valuable connections and relationships. She finds great importance in giving back to the community that gave her so much in her formative years.

John Martin

John Martin, co-founder and head brewer at Confluence Brewing Company in Des Moines, Iowa. John was born and raised in Iowa. He met his wife, Katie, at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota where they both studied physics. John and Katie moved to Des Moines in 2001 with their growing family. They now have seven wonderful children, and a German Shepard named Markie. In addition to brewing beer, John enjoys spending time with his family (summer vacations!), making sourdough bread, and reading. In 2023, Confluence partnered with Drake Athletics to launch the University’s first officially licensed, Drake-branded craft beer, named Bulldog.

Joe Woodley

Joe Woodley, new head football coach at Drake University. A native of Clive, Iowa, Woodley comes to Drake after spending the last 17 years across town at Grand View University. Woodley guided the Vikings to an undefeated season in 2024, punctuated by winning Grand View's second NAIA national championship last season. Woodley was an assistant coach with the 2013 Vikings team that capped an undefeated season with the school's first football title. Individually, Woodley was named North Division Conference Head Coach of the Year in 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, and 2024. In 2024, Woodley was one of 30 coaches identified by ESPN as coaches who will "define the next decade of college football." He was one of only four non-FBS coaches selected and the only coach from the NAIA.

 

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