Today on Legacy Leavers, I’m honored to sit down with a leader whose career has been defined by service, advocacy and a deep commitment to expanding opportunity for others - Sally Pederson.

Sally served as Iowa’s 44th Lieutenant Governor from 1999 to 2007, alongside Governor Tom Vilsack, helping lead our state during a time of significant focus on education, economic development, equity and access in healthcare and quality of life.

Before her time in public office, Sally built a successful career in the private sector as an editor and executive with Meredith Corporation, bringing a strong foundation in communication and leadership to her public service.

But what makes Sally’s story especially powerful is how personal experience shaped her public impact. As the parent of a child with autism, she became a tireless, and effective, advocate for individuals with disabilities - work that ultimately led her to help create one of the most innovative programs in the country. Sally initiated the vision for what would become the REACH program at the University of Iowa, a program designed to provide a true college experience for young adults with intellectual and learning disabilities and to prepare them for independent, meaningful lives.

Today, hundreds of students have graduated from the REACH program and are living, working and contributing in communities across the country - a lasting testament to Sally’s vision and legacy.

Sally’s life reminds us that some of the most meaningful legacies come from seeing a gap and choosing to fill it.

Links from the episode

Sally Pederson’s bio

Better Homes and Gardens

The Homestead

UI REACH

Today on Legacy Leavers, we're honored to sit down with a leader whose name is deeply woven into the history—and the future—of Des Moines: Fred Hubbell.

Fred is a businessman, a committed civic leader, and strategic philanthropist whose impact spans decades. A Des Moines native, Fred built his career leading major organizations, including serving as president of Equitable of Iowa and chair of its Younkers retail division, helping guide the company through periods of significant growth and transformation.

But Fred’s leadership extends well beyond business. He has played a key role in shaping public policy and community investment in Iowa—serving as acting director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development and chairing the Iowa Power Fund, helping guide investments in renewable energy and economic growth across the state.

Fred and his wife, Charlotte, have also been extraordinary champions of philanthropy—supporting causes across health care, education, the environment, and the arts, and helping lead major community efforts, including disaster recovery following the 2008 floods.

And in 2018, Fred stepped into the public arena in a new way, running for governor of Iowa and engaging Iowans across all 99 counties in conversations about the future of our state.

At the heart of Fred’s story is a deep belief in community; that success is not just about what you build, but what and how you give back.

Links from the Episode :

Fred Hubbell Bio

Equitable of Iowa

Younkers

Iowa Department of Economic Development

2008 Flooding

Hostage situation Pakistani Airlines Boeing 720

Today we’re joined by Karla Jones, the Chief Financial & Administrative Officer of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines — a member of the Community Foundation leadership team for over two decades. Under Karla’s financial leadership the organization grew dramatically, from a small foundation with big dreams to one of the largest Community Foundations in the nation with more than $1B in assets under administration. Karla also helped lead the Foundation through major initiatives including the development of the Community Foundation’s Campus and C3 Center.

Karla flexed her innovation and visionary muscle building the financial infrastructure for instrumental philanthropic programs such as the Community Foundation’s affiliate program, Endow Iowa Tax Credit program, the Charitable Investment Partners program and ImpactDSM, the Community Foundation’s impact investing program. She lives the better together spirit and she will most certainly be missed.

Links from the episode:

Community Foundation Campus and C3 Center

Community Foundation Affiliate Program

Endow Iowa Tax Credit Program

Charitable Investment Partners

Arizona Community Foundation

Today on Legacy Leavers, we're excited to sit down with a true journalistic icon and committed civic steward, Michael Gartner. Born and raised right here in Des Moines, Michael’s professional story began when he was just 15 years old in the sports department of The Des Moines Register and has since spanned the highest echelons of national media, public service and community building.

Over decades, Michael served as Page-One Editor at The Wall Street Journal, led The Des Moines Register as editor and president, oversaw NBC News as its president, and was editor of The Daily Tribune in Ames—where he earned a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing.

His passion for civic life is just as impressive. Michael chaired Vision Iowa, which revitalized the state’s infrastructure, he served as president of the Iowa Board of Regents, and was owner of the Iowa Cubs, demonstrating his spirit of generosity by distributing proceeds from the sale of the team among the Iowa Cubs’ staff.

Michael’s life reminds us that legacy is built through stories, community and the people we lift up along the way.

Links from the Episode:

The Des Moines Register

The Wall Street Journal

NBC News

The Ames Daily Tribune

Pulitzer Prize

Vision Iowa

Iowa Cubs

Today on the Legacy Leavers podcast, we're pleased to have Ambassador Mary E. Kramer join us to tell her story as an Iowa trailblazer whose remarkable career spans classrooms, boardrooms, the Iowa capitol and even international diplomacy.

An Iowa native, Ambassador Kramer spent twenty years teaching and serving as a school administrator. In 1975, she transitioned into the corporate world—first as personnel director at Younkers, then as Vice President of Human Resources and Community Investments at Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield.

Mary entered politics in 1990 as an Iowa State Senator, ultimately becoming the first woman independently elected President of the Iowa Senate in 1997.

In 2002, she chaired the White House Commission on Presidential Scholars, and in 2004, was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean. She’s written two books and is an inspiring advocate and promoter of civility in life, work and politics.

Mary Kramer embodies the wisdom that legacy isn’t given—it’s earned, moment by moment.

Links from the Episode:

Younkers

Political Career

More Than A Walk On The Beach: Confessions of an Unlikely Diplomat

An Unlikely Ambassador and Her Diplomatic Daughter: Stories & Recipes for the Life You Want

Today on Legacy Leavers, we're welcoming Joe Gonzalez — a retired Des Moines Police Department leader whose 42-year career helped build lasting bridges between law enforcement and the community. As a trusted liaison, Joe championed outreach and trust-building and mentored many who came up behind him both at the police department but also in the community.

Born in Mexico and raised in Des Moines from 1957, Joe was the eldest of seven, often translating for his parents — an early lesson in responsibility that shaped a lifetime of public service. He joined DMPD at the age of 18 and for years was the department’s only Latino officer, paving the way for others.

After a 2013 on-duty accident ended his policing career, Joe turned resilience into service—stepping in as executive director of Iowa’s Latino Heritage Festival, a two-day celebration representing cultures from across Latin America.

Joe’s story embodies our belief that we’re simply better together.

Links from the Episode:

• Saint Anthony’s Catholic Church

• Des Moines Police Department

• Iowa Latino Heritage Festival

• Des Moines Technical High School (now Des Moines Central Campus)

Today on Legacy Leavers, we welcome Martha Willits, a lifelong educator, public servant, and community leader whose influence has touched nearly every corner of Greater Des Moines. She began her career as a teacher, shaping young minds and instilling the value of learning, before stepping into public service as the first woman elected to the Polk County Board of Supervisors. That groundbreaking role paved the way for other women in local government and underscored her commitment to making sure every voice had a place at the table.

Martha went on to lead the Des Moines Partnership during a time of transformative growth, helping unite business, civic, and community interests around a shared vision for Central Iowa’s future. Along the way, she has served on countless boards, mentored rising leaders, and championed initiatives that continue to strengthen the cultural, educational, and economic fabric of our community.

Through every phase, Martha has fused kindness with impact, always guided by her teaching spirit, and believing that we are, as our own tagline says, better together.

Links from the Episode:

• Des Moines Partnership

• Prairie Meadows

• Project Destiny

• United Way of Central Iowa

We’re kicking off season 2 with an inspiring conversation featuring Ambassador Terry Branstad! Ambassador Branstad is a tremendously skilled and respected political leader whose life’s work reflects deep public service on a truly historic scale.

An Iowa native, his journey began in the Iowa House of Representatives, continued through service as lieutenant governor and ascended to his record-breaking tenure as the longest-serving governor in U.S. history, spanning over 22 years. He was appointed by the president as the US Ambassador to China, leveraging a decades-long friendship with the Chinese President to advance key initiatives on behalf of the United States.

Following his political path, Ambassador Branstad continued to leave a legacy by leading both Des Moines University and the World Food Prize Foundation both of which flourished under his leadership.

Beyond politics, Terry Branstad is a deeply committed husband, father and grandfather, ensuring his legacy transcends his professional accolades and lives on through his family.

His lifetime of leadership—spanning local, state, national, and global stages—embodies what it means to leave a lasting legacy, indeed.

Links from the Episode:

• Iowa's Record Setting Governor: The Terry Branstad Story

• Branstad-Reynolds Agriculture Scholarship

• Des Moines University

• World Food Prize