Sophia Ahmad Named Partnership's Vice President of Public Relations
Sophia Ahmad has been named Vice President of Public Relations at the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Ahmad has served as Director of Marketing & Public Relations at the Des Moines Symphony & Academy since 2011.
Ahmad brings with her a wealth of communications knowledge and high-level performance in public and media relations. She accomplished much while at the Des Moines Symphony & Academy, including co-producing Symphony In Sculpture, a groundbreaking DVD that depicts in music nine sculptures from the John and Mary Pappajohn Sculpture Park. She also worked to secure national placements in Playbill.com, The Hub and Midwest Living, and she launched a seven-video series for the Des Moines Symphony & Academy to preview each Masterworks concert, along with pioneering many other initiatives that positioned the organization for increased brand awareness and revenue.
“Sophia’s success gaining national media placements while building relationships with the media will serve our region well,” said Tiffany Tauscheck, Greater Des Moines Partnership Chief Communications Officer. “Her talent and passion for our mission will further maximize the Partnership’s reach. We are thrilled to have her on our team to help share stories from Greater Des Moines globally.”
Ahmad’s award-winning writing has been syndicated in the Chicago Sun-Times and USA Today. She is a freelance writer for dsm Magazine, ia Magazine and The Des Moines Register.
Prior to her time with the Des Moines Symphony & Academy, Ahmad became the first digital reporter for The Des Moines Register and spearheaded live coverage of Central Iowa’s arts and entertainment scene while establishing herself as an active media personality. During her time at The Register, she led social media efforts to track and analyze trends for the company, garnering her two Sirius Awards for innovation and web traffic and national recognition for Twitter IQ among newspaper reporters.
Ahmad received her Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance at Gordon College, a Master of Music in Piano Performance & Literature and an arts leadership certificate from the Eastman School of Music, and she studied marketing and accounting through the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania’s Coursera offerings. She is a past National Endowment for the Arts Journalism Institute fellow at Columbia University.
A graduate of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute’s Community Leadership Program (2015), Ahmad volunteers in the community through the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and the Children’s Cancer Connection, and she serves on the piano faculty at the Des Moines Symphony Academy. Ahmad resides in Urbandale with her husband, John. She is a highly accomplished classical pianist and educator. She begins her role at the Greater Des Moines Partnership on September 30.
Media inquiries should be directed to Kyle Oppenhuizen at (515) 286-4972 or koppenhuizen@DSMpartnership.com.
About the Greater Des Moines Partnership
The Greater Des Moines Partnership is the economic and community development organization that serves Greater Des Moines (DSM), Iowa. Together with 23 Affiliate Chambers of Commerce, more than 6,100 Regional Business Members and more than 330 Investors, The Partnership drives economic growth with one voice, one mission and as one region. Through innovation, strategic planning and global collaboration, The Partnership grows opportunity, helps create jobs and promotes DSM as the best place to build a business, a career and a future. Learn more at DSMpartnership.com.