WDMHS Selected for Culture Leadership Cohort

The West Des Moines Historical Society has been selected for Iowa Culture Leadership Cohort program! Executive Director Gale Brubaker and board member Allison Ullestad will represent the WDMHS over the next two years for this amazing opportunity.

Launched in 2022, the program helps participants build leadership skills and increase their organizational capacity in areas including operations, sustainability and programming. Participants attend workshops and learn from experts in their field, take part in peer learning and mentorship opportunities, and can apply for financial support to help advance identified goals over the course of two years.
The program is jointly administered by the State Historical Society of Iowa and the Iowa Arts Council.

“We created the Iowa Culture Leadership Cohort a year ago to identify and support Iowa’s next generation of cultural arts and history leaders,” State Historical Society of Iowa Administrator Susan Kloewer said. “The program gives participants opportunities to sharpen their skills as their organizations look to the future.”

“This program addresses an important need that Iowans brought forward in our last strategic planning process,” Iowa Arts Council Director David Schmitz said. “Through the emphasis on capacity building and peer learning, we hope that participants are better empowered and equipped to continue strengthening the missions of their organizations.”