Contact The Greater Des Moines Partnership

Jay Byers, CCE, IOM

President and Chief Executive Officer

(515) 286-4933

jbyers@DSMpartnership.com

Jay Byers serves as President and CEO of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Additionally, he is the current Chair of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), and serves on the Executive Committee of the Iowa Chamber Alliance, the General Council of the World Chambers Federation (WCF) and U.S. Chamber of Commerce Committee of 100. He is a member of the Professional Developers of Iowa, Iowa Association of Business and Industry, International Economic Development Council and Young Presidents’ Organization. Byers also serves on the boards of Simpson College, Catch Des Moines, Greater Des Moines Committee, Blank Park Zoo, Iowa Healthiest State Initiative and ChildServe.

Byers was named to the ACCE 2009 “40 Under 40 Rising Stars of the Chamber World,” Des Moines Business Record’s “Forty Under 40” Class of 2006 and Business Record’s “Forty Under 40” Alum of the Year in 2012. He received the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau Community Champion Award in 2014 and the Simpson College Alumni Achievement Award in 2015.

Prior to his current role, Byers served as The Partnership’s Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy. Before joining The Partnership, he worked as District Director for Iowa Congressman Leonard Boswell and as an attorney at the Ice Miller Law Firm in Indianapolis, Indiana. Byers is a graduate of Simpson College and the University of Iowa College of Law. He also is a Certified Chamber Executive (CCE), graduate of the U.S Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organization Management (IOM), graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute (OUEDI) and graduate of Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ (ACCE) Ford Foundation Regionalism and Sustainable Development Fellowship. Byers resides in Des Moines with his wife, Katie, and two daughters, Sophie and Charlotte.

Kirk Irwin, CPA, MBA

Chief Administrative Officer

(515) 286-4955

kirwin@DSMpartnership.com

Tiffany Tauscheck, CCE, CDME, IOM

Chief Operations Officer

(515) 286-4954

ttauscheck@DSMpartnership.com

Tiffany Tauscheck, CCE, IOM & CDME, is the Chief Operations Officer at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, leading organizational strategic planning and culture, Investor Relations, Downtown Development and high-profile regional initiatives. Prior to her current role at The Partnership, Tauscheck served as the organization’s Chief Strategy Officer, and before that was Chief Communications Officer. Before joining the economic development and community development organization, Tauscheck was the Vice President of Marketing and Development at Catch Des Moines, served as Director of Marketing at the Des Moines Radio Group and was a TV reporter and producer for FOX in Des Moines and KGAN (CBS Affiliate) in Cedar Rapids.

Tauscheck is passionate about community-building, working on large regional projects and initiatives that impact her community’s quality of life for years to come. Tauscheck and her husband, Mark, have two children, Ty and Tenny, and two long-haired chihuahuas, Smidget and Winnie. She is an alum of Drake University, Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and Drake University’s Executive Leadership program. Tauscheck is a Certified Chamber Executive (CCE), a graduate of the Institute of Organizational Management (IOM) and a Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME).

Brian Crowe

Executive Vice President of Economic Development

(515) 286-4958

bcrowe@DSMpartnership.com

Dr. Marvin DeJear, Ph.D, MBA

Senior Vice President of Talent Development

(515) 286-4957

mdejear@DSMpartnership.com

Meg Schneider, IOM

Senior Vice President of Business Resources and Community Development

(515) 286-4934

mschneider@DSMpartnership.com

Courtney Shaw, APR

Senior Vice President of Communications

(515) 286-4919

cshaw@DSMpartnership.com

Courtney Shaw is the Senior Vice President of Communications at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, leading public relations strategy and media relations to tell the DSM USA story loud, bold and broad. Previously, Shaw was the Director of Communications at Strategic America and executed public awareness campaigns for government and non-profit clients. She serves on several boards and committees including Healthy Birth Day & Count the Kicks, Waukee APEX, United Way of Central Iowa, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, and is a member of the Public Relations Society of America.

Shaw and her husband, Bret, have three children, Beck, Barrett and Blaine. She was named a Des Moines Business Record Forty Under 40 and has received the Governor’s Volunteer Award. Shaw is an alum of Oklahoma State University, Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and Drake University’s Executive Leadership program.

Angie Stepsis

Executive Assistant to the CEO

(515) 286-4933

astepsis@DSMpartnership.com

Andrea Woodard

Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy

(515) 286-4924

awoodard@DSMpartnership.com

Andrea Woodward serves as the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, leading The Partnership’s Government Policy Council, lobbying on behalf of The Partnership at the federal and state levels and guiding policy and political strategy for the organization. Prior to The Partnership, Woodward’s career included roles in government affairs in the private sector and working in the Iowa Legislature. She has bee recognized as a 2020 40 Under 40 honoree by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and will complete her fourth and final year of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Organizational Management in 2022.

Woodward is a Past President of the Junior League of Des Moines and currently serves on the boards of the University of Iowa Political Science Department Advisory Board, On With Life Foundation, Orchard Place Foundation, City of Des Moines Parks and Recreation and Iowa State Carrie Chapman Catt Center for Women and Politics Ready to Run Advisory Board. Woodward was named Juice YP of the Year and received the Community Service Award from the Junior League of Des Moines in 2014 and was a member of the 2013 Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and 2018-2019 class of Leadership Iowa.

A graduate of the University of Iowa, Cedar Rapids native and avid runner, Woodward has lived in Des Moines since 2008 and is married to Grant Woodard.

Marlena M. Bandurski

Research Manager for Economic Development

(515) 286-4953

mbandurski@DSMpartnership.com

Lia Brown

Administrative Assistant

(515) 286-4965

lbrown@DSMpartnership.com

Pam Bull

Director of Human Resources and Information Technology

(515) 286-4975

pbull@DSMpartnership.com

Josie Burgett

Downtown Activation Manager

(515) 286-4946

jburgett@downtownDSMUSA.com

Josie Burgett is the Downtown Activation Manager at the Greater Des Moines Partnership. In this role, Burgett works to ensure that Downtown DSM is a vibrant destination for employees, residents and visitors by creating unique attractions and pop-up activations throughout the year that encourage visitation and support the economic and cultural vitality of Downtown DSM. Prior to working at The Partnership, Burgett was the Customer Success Lead at AgriSync, an ag-tech company based in Greater Des Moines (DSM). She has been involved in the Young Professionals in Agriculture Board, Young Professionals Connection, National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA), the Pleasantville FFA Alumni Board and more. Burgett is a graduate of Iowa State University, where she earned a degree in Agricultural Business and International Agriculture.

Burgett enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors, especially camping and boating with her family. Summer is her favorite time of the year, so don’t be surprised if you catch her meandering around the Downtown Farmers’ Market or partaking in happy hour with friends at one of her favorite patios in DSM. While Burgett doesn’t consider herself an avid sports fan, she does stay true to the Iowa State Cyclones and looks forward to football season.

Ryan Carroll

Project Manager of Economic Development and International Trade Manager

(515) 286-4998

rcarroll@DSMpartnership.com

Stacy Cox

Accountant

(515) 286-4930

scox@DSMpartnership.com

Molli Davis

Administrative Assistant of Business Resources and Community Development | Talent Development

(515) 286-4901

mdavis@DSMpartnership.com

Kara DeVenney

Communications and Marketing Project Coordinator

(515) 286-4987

kdevenney@DSMpartnership.com

Daphne Dickens

Production and Program Manager of the Des Moines Arts Festival®

(515) 286-4956

ddickens@desmoinesartsfestival.org

Missy Farni

PR & Marketing Specialist

(515) 286-4982

mfarni@DSMpartnership.com

Kelly Foss

Director of Downtown Farmers' Market

(515) 286-4928

kfoss@downtownDSMUSA.com

Billi Hunt

Executive Director of America's Cultivation Corridor

(515) 294-2227

bhunt@cultivationcorridor.org

Mike Jefferson

Project Manager of Business Resources and Community Development | Talent Development

(515) 286-4913

mjefferson@DSMpartnership.com

Amy Jennings

Executive Director of the Greater Des Moines Leadership

(515) 286-4980

director@gdmli.com

Stephen King, CFEE

Executive Director of the Des Moines Arts Festival®

(515) 286-4927

sking@desmoinesartsfestival.com

Stephen M. King, CFEE, is the executive director of the Des Moines Arts Festival® in Des Moines, Iowa and currently serves on the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) World Board of Directors. He chaired the organization in 2017. Projects throughout his career in events have garnered more than 300 industry awards from organizations like the IFEA, Texas Festivals and Events Association and the International Downtown Association. Before turning his full attention in July of 2011 to the Des Moines Arts Festival, King led the Downtown Events Group from 2006-2011 producing the World Food Festival, Holiday Lights Des Moines, Skywalk Golf, and ImaginEve! Before arriving in Des Moines, King served as president/CEO of Celebrate Fairfax, Inc. in northern Virginia. Prior to that he was the Director of Festivals and Events for the Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. division in Fort Worth, Texas, where he produced the MAIN ST. Fort Worth Arts Festival. King is an active member within the festivals and events industry. In addition to serving as Director of IFEA, he serves on the IFEA World President’s Council, Bravo Greater Des Moines Board of Directors and recently served as Chair of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Arts & Culture Reopening Festivals and Live Music Venues Task Force. King is a past director of the National Association of Independent Artists, IFEA Foundation Board of Directors and is a founding member of ZAPPlication™, the art fair industry’s universal online application system. King is a regular speaker and contributor to various festival, event and sponsorship conferences and conventions and faculty member of the IFEA/NRPA Event Management School.

Amelia Klatt

Special Events and Project Manager

(515) 286-4917

aklatt@downtownDSMUSA.com

Tim Leach, CEcD

Senior Vice President of Downtown Development

(515) 286-4944

tleach@downtownDSMUSA.com

Amy Lego

Executive Director of Operation Downtown

(515) 286-4962

alego@downtownDSMUSA.com

Amy Lego is the Executive Director of Operation Downtown, Downtown Des Moines’ Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District (SSMID) and has been with the organization for over twenty years. She works with the Board of Directors, non-profit and private sector partners and local government to strengthen the business environment and quality of life in Downtown Des Moines (DSM). With a budget over $3 million, Lego oversees programs and services provided within the 150+ square block district, including safe and clean operations, aesthetic improvements, research, special projects (including placemaking) and public space maintenance (including Downtown park maintenance). She has conducted multiple successful petition campaigns to ensure the continuation of Downtown DSM’s improvement district. Amy works closely with property owners and managers, contractors and local government officials on streetscape and public space improvement projects, including a unique collaborative effort to keep major Downtown public parks and streetscapes like the Principal Riverwalk, John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park and Brenton Skating Plaza safe, clean and well-maintained.

Derek Lippincott

Digital Media Specialist

(515) 286-4969

dlippincott@DSMpartnership.com

Stacie LoVan

Vice President of Economic Development

(515) 286-4971

slovan@DSMpartnership.com

Christina Moffatt

Director of Small Business Development

(515) 286-4904

cmoffatt@DSMpartnership.com

Christina Moffatt, CBA serves as the Director of Small Business Resources for the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Around 90 percent of The Partnership’s 6,000 Members are small businesses. Using her experience as a small business owner, Moffatt makes sure that business growth continues by helping small businesses and entrepreneurs be as strong as they can be by building connections to resources in the area and creating programming for existing businesses.

A graduate of DMACC, Iowa State University and University of Toledo CBA Program, Moffatt not only owns a small business and works for The Partnership, but she also devotes her time and talents to many local boards including the Iowa Restaurant Association, Winefest Des Moines and Pivotal Business Partners. She has won several awards for her business including Business Record’s Forty Under 40, 2012 Deb Dalziel Woman Entrepreneur Achievement Award by the Iowa Small Business Development Center for the State of Iowa, 2013 Woman of the Year by the Metro Women’s Network, 2015 Women Business Owner of the Year by National Association of Women Business Owners Iowa Chapter, 2016 Finalist for Iowa Women Entrepreneurial Innovation and Leadership Award by Technology Association of Iowa, 2017 Outstanding Alumni of the Year by DMACC, 2018 Ivy Women in Business Inspiration Award by Iowa State University, 2018 Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Distinguished Leaders Community Vision Inspiration Award, 2019 40 Women To Watch by the Iowa Restaurant Association and Winner of the Character Award for 2020 Inspiring Women of Iowa by the Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa.

Christina enjoying exploring the Greater Des Moines (DSM) area with her son Evan. They love to hike, hit the trails on their bikes, take in a baseball game and most importantly, have a double stuffed cookie from the Downtown Farmers Market.

Ryan Moon

Public Policy Manager

(515) 286-4912

rmoon@DSMpartnership.com

Ryan Moon, a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, is the Public Policy Manager at the Greater Des Moines Partnership. In this role, he helps support engagement with local, state and federal officials to create public policy that generates economic growth, business prosperity and talent development in Greater Des Moines (DSM). He also helps lead policy related events from the Legislative Reception to the annual Washington, D.C. fly-in 'DMDC' event. Prior to this role, he served as the Membership Director at the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce. Moon currently serves on the Board of Directors for MS Moments, a nonprofit that serves Iowa families living with Multiple Sclerosis. Moon, a native of Casey, resides in West Des Moines with his wife Haley, their son Holden and two dogs Hilton and Stark. Ryan's ideal night is cheering for one of his favorite sport teams with his family and friends and with a bourbon in hand.

Melissa Moyer

Economic Development Coordinator

(515) 286-4929

mmoyer@DSMpartnership.com

Colleen Murphy

Downtown Events Director

(515) 286-4915

cmurphy@DSMpartnership.com

Colleen Murphy is the Downtown Events Director for the Greater Des Moines Partnership in Des Moines, Iowa. Murphy is responsible for producing community events such as the World Food & Music Festival, the DSM Book Festival and the Holiday Promenade in the Historic East Village while playing support roles for numerous other events and administering the Downtown Banner Program. Murphy has over 20 years’ of professional experience in the event industry with prior work experience at Travel Iowa and the Blank Park Zoo. Murphy is an alum of Iowa State University and the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute.

Kyle Oppenhuizen

Director of Communications

(515) 286-4972

koppenhuizen@DSMpartnership.com

Kyle Oppenhuizen is the Director of Communications at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, where is has worked since 2014. In this role, he helps lead and support public relations and marketing projects including newsletters, organizational and regional announcements, internal communications, communications to Partnership stakeholders and more. Prior to working at The Partnership, Oppenhuizen was a reporter at the Des Moines Business Record, where he covered economic development among other areas of focus for the publication. He has been involved in the Young Professionals Connection, Young Professionals of Iowa, the Iowa State Daily Publication Board and more. Oppenhuizen was a Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree in 2020, a 2018 graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute’s Community Leadership Program and was named the 2016 Juice Young Professional of the Year. Oppenhuizen is a graduate of Iowa State University, where he earned a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications.

Oppenhuizen and his wife, Paige, enjoy experiencing the many festivals and attractions of Greater Des Moines (DSM), traveling and spending time with their dog, Oliver, and two cats, Winston and Rizzo. An avid sports fan, Oppenhuizen attends countless Iowa State Cyclone sporting events and closely follows the Chicago Cubs and Tottenham Hotspur, among many other teams.

Sidney Pezley

Program Manager

(515) 286-4937

spezley@DSMpartnership.com

Sanjita Pradhan

Director of Diversity and Inclusion

(515) 286-4988

spradhan@DSMpartnership.com

Sanjita Pradhan is the Director of Diversity and Inclusion for the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

In this role Pradhan provides one on one consultation to The Partnership Investors on creating comprehensive DEI plans with measurable goals and outcomes, leads an internal DEI initiative and coordinates regular DEI events and webinars to share best practices and inspire action. She also provides in-depth trainings on various DEI topics to member organizations. Pradhan is a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE)® and has a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in India. Previously she worked as the Resettlement Director of the Refugee Resettlement Program at Catholic Charities where she helped resettle and integrate thousands of refugees from Nepal, Iraq, Burma, Eritrean, Sudan, Liberia, Tunisia, Pakistan and many other countries.

Pradhan also worked at the Office of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs. Her role at the Department of Human Rights was to serve as the central agency to advocate for Asian and Pacific Islanders (API) in the state, coordinate and cooperate with the efforts of the state departments and agencies to serve the needs of API persons and assist them in building a full economic, social, and cultural life of the state.

Kelly Royal

Program Coordinator of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute

(515) 286-4990

kroyal@gdmli.com

Mike Swesey

Senior Vice President of Economic Development

(515) 286-4997

mswesey@DSMpartnership.com

Diana Wright

Startup Community Builder

(515) 286-4949

dwright@DSMpartnership.com

Joany Yi

Website Administrator

(515) 286-4966

jyi@DSMpartnership.com