Legacy Leavers

Today we get to hear from a leader whose life has been defined by service, resilience and an unwavering commitment to community - Ako Abdul-Samad.  

Ako is a lifelong resident of Des Moines and one of the most impactful voices in our state’s recent history. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives for nearly two decades, representing Des Moines and advocating for equity, justice and opportunity for all Iowans.

But his leadership began long before being elected for office. In the 1960s, Ako was part of the movement for civil rights and social justice, including his time as a leader in the Black Panther Party here in Des Moines.

That early commitment to justice evolved into a lifetime of service. Ako founded Creative Visions, an organization still serving Des Moines and dedicated to supporting at-risk youth and helping them build paths toward stability and success.   

Ako also served on the Des Moines School Board and has been a consistent advocate for our youth, families, and underserved communities across our community and state.  

What makes Ako’s story especially powerful is that it is not only shaped by leadership, but by personal loss, faith, and a deep belief in the potential of every human being. 

Links from the episode 

Ako’s Bio 

Black Panther Party Des Moines Chapter 

Black Panther Party Reflections 

Creative Visions 

Ako’s book - A DEEPER TRUTH: Revelations of the Soul 

Today on Legacy Leavers, we are excited to sit down with someone who has helped shape the Des Moines we know today—Christine Hensley.  

Chris is a lifelong Des Moines resident and one of the most influential civic leaders our city has known. She served on the Des Moines City Council for more than two decades, becoming the longest-serving council member in the city’s history and playing a key role in many of the projects that transformed our community.   

During her years in public service, Chris helped champion projects that have become defining parts of Des Moines—from the revitalization of Gray’s Lake to the creation of the Pappajohn Sculpture Park, the Lauridsen Skatepark, and the Pappajohn Higher Education Center downtown.   

Her commitment to education, housing, and civic engagement has extended far beyond City Hall. Chris has served on countless nonprofit boards, been inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame, and today continues her service to our state as a member of the Iowa Board of Regents.   

What stands out most to me about Christine Hensley is her reputation as someone who shows up, solves problems, and believes deeply in the potential of partnership and of this community. 

Links from the episode

YWCA of Greater Des Moines 

Gray’s Lake Park 

Lauridsen Skate Park 

Pappajohn Sculpture Park 

Pappajohn Education Center 

Iowa Board of Regents 

Today on Legacy Leavers, I’m honored to sit down with a local AND global leader whose life’s work has bridged diplomacy, humanitarian service and the fight against hunger - Ambassador Kenneth Quinn.  

Ambassador Quinn has spent decades serving both our country and our world. A career diplomat with the U.S. Foreign Service for more than 30 years, he served in critical roles across Southeast Asia, including six years in Vietnam during the war, and later as the United States Ambassador to Cambodia.

But Ken’s legacy is also deeply rooted here in Iowa. After retiring from the State Department, he returned to Des Moines in 2000 to lead the World Food Prize Foundation. Over the next two decades, he helped elevate the World Food Prize into a globally recognized award - often described as the “Nobel Prize for food and agriculture” - and oversaw the creation of the stunning Borlaug Hall of Laureates right here in the center of our city.   

Along the way, Ken has received countless honors for courage, leadership and humanitarian service—including the State Department’s Award for Heroism and the Iowa Award, our state’s highest citizen honor.   

Ambassador Quinn’s story is one of extraordinary courage, global impact and serve as proof that Iowans can, indeed, change the world. 

Links from the episode 

Ambassador Quinn’s Bio 

Ambassador Quinn’s Video Memoir 

United States Foreign Service 

United States Embassy in Cambodia 

World Food Prize Foundation 

World Food Prize Hall of Laureates 

Kenneth Quinn in Detail 

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:

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: