W2W Board Member - Hailee Sandberg

Born and raised in Independence, Iowa, Hailee Sandberg is knowledgeable and passionate about “farm life” in the state. Although she grew up in town, “farming is a big part of my history,” she says. Her father farmed, and now she lives on the very farm that her husband grew up on. In Buchanan and Linn counties, “we have about 2000 acres of corn and soybeans that we farm.”

For 20-some years, Sandberg worked in social work, non-profit work, and human sciences. Ultimately though, she “wanted to do something more leadership focused” and completed her master’s degree in strategic leadership.

In 2021, a position became available with Iowa State Extension and Outreach that encompassed Sandberg’s experience, education, and farming interests. “Everything sort of fell into place and fit,” she says about taking on a role in Linn County. “I’m very interested in and passionate about farming. Obviously it’s important in Iowa, our society, and our economy. So when this role came up, I was excited about being able to use my skills and knowledge.”

ISU Extension and Outreach is known for having experts in agriculture in the state. Everything is research-based and scientific. Sandberg says there’s also extensive work in human sciences, 4-H and youth development (which she has a background in), and community and economic development. Plus, Iowa State University is continually doing research to “help farmers make better informed decisions in how they farm their land,” she says.

It wasn’t long after she started that Sandberg was connected with Wings2Water (W2W) as an advisor. Partnering ISU Extension with W2W was and is multifaceted. First, ISU Extension plays a vital role in reviewing the information that W2W sends out and ensuring that the projects they approve are research-based. 

Furthermore, the partnership between W2W and ISU Extension has the potential to build trust between farmers and conservationists; historically, that’s been an antagonistic relationship. “I love that W2W is committed to creating a partnership…and I know that W2W is going to continue to work on bridging the gaps with farmers and agriculture. It’s needed when you’re talking about conservation,” Sandberg explains.

That’s personal for Sandberg, too. Growing up around farms and now living on one, she has seen how conservation and conservationists can be seen as adversarial in the agricultural world. “I love that I can sit in a room [with the W2W board] and hear from people who are passionate about conservation, and they do it in a way that doesn’t look at farmers as an enemy,” she says.

In 2025, after leaving ISU Extension and Outreach to focus full-time on the family farming and trucking companies, Sandberg transitioned from advisor to W2W board member, to continue improving communication between W2W, conservationists, and farmers. Sandberg is particularly excited to see W2W continue supporting farmers with their conservation efforts through the W2W grants. In some instances, conservation can be costly, and “W2W can be that potential resource for a farmer. It’s a funding source and an organization that wants to support farms, and we need more of that.”