Mary Ann Reiter, of Ottumwa, holds a B.S. degree from Iowa State University and a M.S. from University of Iowa. Trained as a nutritionist and home economist, she managed the Muscatine Coronary Risk Factor Project in the Department of Pediatric Cardiology for seven years. After moving to Ottumwa, she became an active community volunteer and over the last 25 years served on several state and local committees which promoted art and historic preservation as well as cultural diversity and social justice issues.

She served as a board member of Ottumwa Area Arts Council for 20 years. She was involved in several Humanities Iowa projects and was the program director for “Discover India” and Barn Again! Celebrating an American Icon. She was the Co-Chair of the Wapello County Sesquicentennial Commission and Co-Directed the commission's award winning history research and exhibit project entitled, “To Invent Is Human- Work in Progress.” Among other awards, this project won the American Association for State and Local History Award of Merit in 1997.

She is currently serving as a member on the Wapello County Historic Preservation Commission, Ottumwa Diversity Network, Ottumwa Multicultural Ministry and the Advisory group for New Iowan Center in Ottumwa. She is the chairperson of Ottumwa Housing Inspection board of Review and Lay Director for St. Mary of the Visitation Parish. She is the 2003 recipient of the Ottumwa Area Chamber of Commerce "Gene Schultz" Community Service Award.

She is married to Peter J. Reiter, a physician with Iowa Health Physicians, and they have a son and a daughter.