Dr. Dianne Bystrom has served as director of the Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics at Iowa State University since July 1996. She is a frequent commentator about political adn women's issues for state, national and international media. Bystrom is a contributor, co-author or co-editor of 15 books and has written journal articles on women in politics and youth voters.

She has taught courses on leadership, women and politics, and political campaigns for Women's Studies, Political Science and Communication. Bystrom earned a B.A. in Journalism from Kearney (NE) State College and an M.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication and a Ph.D. in Communication from University of Oklahoma.