Robert Brownell brings extensive private and public sector experience to the Broadlawns Board of Trustees. A Cedar Rapids native, he earned degrees in English and Education from the University of Northern Iowa and pursued graduate work at Drake University. His early career was in management roles with major transportation companies Roadway Express and Yellow Transportation.
Brownell entered public service in 1985 as a Clive City Council member, later serving seven years as Mayor of Clive and 24 years on the Polk County Board of Supervisors focusing on issues such as mental health, housing, refugees, workforce development, and food insecurity. He retired in 2025. Brownell is an author with published works on Alzheimer’s disease and has also authored a novel about baseball, Our Father’s Day.
Brownell considers his position at Broadlawns among the most important elected roles in Iowa and is dedicated to tackling the challenges faced by safety net hospitals and the patients they care for.