Patti Fields has been event coordinator in the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center since October of 2023.

With more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit work and 16 years in a senior leadership position, Fields has been a leader in community development, capacity building, events, and volunteer engagement at the local and state level. She has developed continuing education curriculum and presented numerous trainings, workshops, and webinars for nonprofit professionals. Fields has written successful grants at the local, state, and federal levels. She collaborated and built relationships with local governmental entities, businesses, and nonprofit agencies in the areas of education, financial stability, health and wellness, and disaster preparedness, response and recovery.

Appointed by Governor Chet Culver to the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service in 2008, Fields served on the commission for seven years and chaired the commission for three years.

Fields served on the Iowa City Community School District Board of Education from 2005-15 and served on the Board of Directors of the Iowa Association of School Boards from 2011-15 (She was president from 2012-14).

Fields received a bachelor of arts degree in Spanish from the University of Iowa in 1995. She earned a volunteer management certificate from Kirkwood Community College, a nonprofit management certificate from Iowa State University, a diversity, equity and inclusion in workplace certificate from University of South Florida, and a certified valuation analyst (CVA) accreditation from the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration.

A native of Solon, Iowa, Fields has two grown children: Xavier and Autumn.