Woman of the Year: Pam Jochum

Pam Jochum didn’t initially feel called to politics.

“It was a journey that started when I was maybe about 20 years old,” she said. “It wasn’t until Tom Jochum and I started going to caucus. The next thing you know, Tom is elected and we’re going to conventions. I just found that I was so moved by some of the speeches of the candidates. It really sparked my interest in terms of a commitment to advocating for the important issues. And there are so many important issues.”

Jochum, 70, serves as the Iowa State Senator from the 36th District and is the former President of the Iowa Senate.

A Democrat, she became a member of the Iowa House of Representatives in 1993 until being elected to the Iowa Senate in 2008.

She serves on the Appropriations, Judiciary, Rebuild Iowa, State Government and the Ways and Means committees, in addition to being the vice chair of the Labor and Business Relations, Rules & Administration and state committees and the Administration and Regulations Appropriations subcommittee.

Locally, she worked in securing state aid for projects such as the Port of Dubuque, Crescent Community Health Center and the Bee Branch, in addition to launching statewide programs including the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan and the Iowa Public Information Board.

Prior to venturing into her political career, Jochum worked with her late

ex-husband, Tom, in his political endeavors. He served as a member of the Iowa House of Representatives from 1977 until 1991, encouraging Jochum to campaign for his seat.

It was in the interest of representing the couple’s daughter, Sarah, who had, at a young age, been diagnosed with ring 22 syndrome, a rare genetic condition that occurs when a chromosome 22 forms a ring shape, resulting in developmental delays, intellectual disability, autistic spectrum disorder other behavioral impacts.

“I still remember the day we had her tested at the University of Iowa (Hospitals & Clinics), and the doctors told us they didn’t expect to find anything,” Jochum said. “They had never seen it in Iowa before.”

Further testing revealed that, at the time, Sarah was one of only 40 other Americans who had been diagnosed.

“Sarah became our example and our burning passion to advocate for the voices that needed it more strongly when it came to health care,” Jochum said. “It exposed us to another side of life. All people have something of value to offer. Whether or not a person can receive health care should not be limited to whether or not they can afford it. I’m often reminded of what Ted Kennedy so eloquently said, that health care is a right, not a privilege. No person should be denied care.”

A Wahlert Catholic High School and Loras College graduate in speech communication, prior to running for a seat in the Iowa House of Representatives, Jochum was amassing political experience.

She served as Chair of the Dubuque County Democratic Central Committee in 1982, as well as a floor whip at the Democratic National Convention in 1984.

In 1992, she made history by becoming the first woman elected to the Iowa Legislature from Dubuque County.

“The fact that I would become the first female in Iowa who would hold a position like that,” Jochum said. “I had been involved in politics for 18 years, but I really had to ponder that. And it took me a long time to decide. It was shortly after the cross burnings at Comiskey Park in Dubuque. I remember people telling me, ‘I don’t know if Dubuque is ready for a woman.’ But you don’t know until you try. I got there. I was one of the youngest women serving at the time, but luckily, there were other women there who were really great mentors to me and who helped me learn the process in a deeper way — the way you need to for a complex process like writing a law.”

In 2008, Jochum was elected to the Senate. And in 2012 — less than two weeks after winning her second term — she was named President of the Iowa Senate.

Throughout her political career, Jochum has collected accolades recognizing her efforts.

In 1994, she was named Legislature of the Year from the Mental Health Association. The following year, she received the Jamie Barwick Award for Excellence for her contributions to the lives of children with disabilities. In 1996, she was honored with the Leadership Award from the Public Policy Institute for her efforts as Chair of the Dubuque County Democratic Party. And in 2018, she received the Uncommon Public Service Award from the Hoover Presidential Foundation, presented annually to a member of the Iowa House and a member of the Iowa Senate and named for Iowa native Herbert Hoover.

Jochum announced in January, after 30 years working for the Iowa Legislature, that she would not run for re-election.

But the ripple effects from her work will continue to be seen, according to Mary Rose Corrigan, public health director for the City of Dubuque.

“Her adult life has been defined by public service,” Corrigan said. “She has played a leading role in expanding affordable health insurance coverage to thousands of working Iowans and has continually worked to expand early childhood education and ensure that our private colleges, state universities and community colleges remain affordable. For five years, Pam worked to establish the Iowa Public Information Board to ensure government transparency and access to public information and records. Her influence in Iowa law is noted in revitalizing manufacturing along with legislation in ethanol production, wind energy, solar energy and flood mitigation programs. Close to my heart is her strong advocacy for health care and public health, as demonstrated by her support for the Crescent Community Health Center through state funding, prior to their status as a Federally Qualified Health Center, and creating the HAWK-I children’s insurance program.

“As an elected leader, Pam has always sought consensus with her colleagues across the aisle. Her success happened because she worked in a bipartisan effort for all of Iowa.”

That is key in navigating any political climate successfully, Jochum said.

“Working in politics, your job is to build relationships and alliances, even if you disagree, and it’s OK if you do,” she said. “Maybe you disagree today. But maybe tomorrow, you’re on the same page, working toward the same thing. You never want to burn a bridge.”

While continuing to maintain an active schedule throughout the state, when at home in Dubuque, Jochum takes opportunities to get out in nature, biking on the Bee Branch, Heritage Trail and spending time by the Mississippi River.

“It helps bring down the stress levels,” she said. “I also just enjoy the beauty of the town we live in.”

She also encourages the next generation of women stepping into leadership roles.

“Women tend to underestimate their knowledge,” Jochum said. “You always hear women say they’re not sure they’re qualified. You almost never hear men say that. Women have to start saying to themselves, ‘Yes, you are.’ You have the life experience, the skills, you know what it takes. The doors are open wider for women now than they were for me. I hope I was a part of helping with that so that women today can look and say, ‘Look what you can accomplish.’”

Megan Gloss writes for the Telegraph Herald.