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About

Providing community and professional growth opportunities for advertising professionals in central Iowa.

What We Do

AAF of Des Moines is a dynamic, growing organization dedicated to professional development and networking in Des Moines and Central Iowa. We’re committed to:

  • Fostering higher standards of practice in advertising. 
  • Expanding recognition of advertising. 
  • Furthering the personal and professional knowledge of persons in advertising.
  • Promoting good fellowship among advertising persons.

Key Pillars

Advocacy

AAF of Des Moines has the unique opportunity to represent the Central Iowa advertising community as a united front. We want to keep advertising dollars in our local economy, and we’re beginning an initiative to heighten awareness of our local talent with key business leaders.

Networking

It’s not just about finding your next job. It’s about making connections that can be valuable to your business and your career.

Professional Development

Continuing education is critical for everyone. We strive to offer high-caliber speakers relevant to our industry while staying on top of trends and key changes.

Advertising Excellence

Let’s party and celebrate great advertising! Our hallmark event – the American Advertising Awards® – happens each February as we celebrate the creative achievements of our community and showcase what Central Iowa can do.

Join AAF

Who We Are

The American Advertising Federation of Des Moines belongs to the Ninth District, which includes clubs in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. A portion of each member’s annual dues investment is allocated to support AAF efforts on our behalf at both the district and national levels.

Board Members

Chantelle Cadek

President

Chantelle has spent a large part of her career in health care marketing, including her start leading fundraising events and communication support for the Alzheimer’s Association. Her keen attention to detail and demonstrated success in building relationships with client and internal teams help make Chantelle an effective leader, overseeing marketing efforts for clients such as The Iowa Clinic, the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau, the Iowa Economic Development Authority, HOME, Inc., and NCMIC.

Prior to joining ZLR Ignition, Chantelle worked as an account executive with The Integer Group where she led product support for Pella Corporation, developing new product launch materials and managing extensive product detail across segments.

 

Chantelle spent the early part of her career in nonprofit marketing, 

She holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with majors in marketing and entrepreneurial management from Drake University. Chantelle still engages her passion for public service through volunteering for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and Brook Run Neighborhood Association. In her free time, you can find her spending time with her husband, son, and three pets, enjoying live music, and volunteering.

Nathan White

Vice President

Nathan White is the Creative Services Director at KCCI in Des Moines, Iowa. He began working in television as a News Photographer in Kentucky. After four years covering events like the Kentucky Derby and flying over breaking news in a helicopter, he transitioned to Creative Services in 2010 as a Writer/Producer at WLKY-TV. He was promoted to Assistant Creative Services Director in 2015. In 2017 he moved to Iowa to become the Creative Services Director at KCCI.

Nathan’s team has been honored with three regional Emmy nominations and a ProMax nomination during his tenure. They were recently honored with a silver American Advertising Award by the Des Moines chapter of the American Advertising Federation.

Tara Linden

American Advertising Awards Director

Tara Linden became a member of AAF throughout her time at the University of Northern Iowa. She served as the VP of Community Outreach and further competed in the 2022 National Student Advertising Competition – District 9. Her team placed 1st in the district and 14th in the nation with their campaign for Meta Quest. After graduation, she wanted to stay involved in the organization and connect with business professionals in the metro. Tara is a Design Specialist at Pella Corporation where she creates realistic photo renderings that let you see how your home could look with new windows or doors. She’s a critical thinker with equal parts strategic and creative. 

Scott Horton

American Advertising Awards Committee

Scott Horton is a media producer and live event video director with more than 20 years of experience as a creative in sports, entertainment, and higher education. He started his career in Nashville as a graphics designer in the touring music industry before taking on a creative director role at his alma mater, Purdue University, working for both the academic and athletics sides of campus. In 2022, he arrived in Des Moines as a motion designer, video editor, and producer for Studio Iowa.

Scott spent over a decade serving on the American Advertising Awards committee for the North Central Indiana chapter of AAF where he utilized his design and event production experience to produce some truly unique award celebrations. This is his first year serving with AAF of Des Moines.

Scott and his wife Maria enjoy exploring the city with their two children and miniature schnauzer, Yennefur of Vengerbark.

Joanna Schroeder

Education Director

Joanna Schroeder, APR has been professionally practicing in the field of journalism and communications for more than 25 years. She kicked off her career in advertising and PR for internet start-up companies and eventually became a freelance reporter and marcom consultant with an expertise in alternative energy and agriculture.

Emily Kittle

Communications Co-Director

In college, I took an advanced grammar class with a fellow word nerd just for fun. We were the only two students there by choice. I’ve always loved writing and, more importantly, storytelling. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, majoring in communication arts.

I started as a police reporter at the Telegraph Herald in Dubuque, Iowa. I eventually wrote stories and designed pages for the TH’s features department. Today, I work remotely as a content development specialist at Dupaco Community Credit Union, headquartered in Dubuque. (Dupaco recently opened a branch in Grimes, Iowa!) And I’m still telling stories. I create content focused on financial well-being—leading with members’ stories whenever I can—for our website, eNewsletters and other channels.

I live with my husband, three children and two squirrel-obsessed cockapoos. We long dreamed of living closer to family. And during the pandemic, we seized the opportunity, moving from Madison, Wis., to West Des Moines, Iowa. We’ve loved exploring our new community with some longtime residents, my sister and her children.

Wendy Parish

Communications Co-Director

Wendy joined Meyocks in 2021 as a digital content writer after spending 10 years as a freelance copywriter and content creator primarily serving small businesses, entrepreneurs, and creatives. She loves the support she’s found at Meyocks and enjoys the encouragement to Mean More every day.

Outside of Meyocks, Wendy spends her time making music both as a solo artist and as part of the ukulele cover band, Britches & Hose. She is also hooked on creating social media content, her ever-expanding backyard garden, and traveling the world. Her little family consists of her husband Joel, stepsons Quintin and Dyllan, cats Hex and Toby, and dog Gus.

Tom Woody

Government Relations Director

Tom has been an active member of the AAF of Des Moines board for the past six years holding a number of volunteer positions. His work in the role of government relations director has been recognized both regionally and nationally. Tom is a past president of the AAF of Des Moines and has held additional leadership positions at the regional level including Lt. Governor, National Student Advertising Competition Chair, Governor, and Chairman of the AAF District 9 Board, representing Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. 

This year Tom joined the AAF Central Region Board, representing clubs in middle America, as Vice Chair. Professionally, Tom works at Freeman, a global agency and leader in events. Tom works with creative agencies and corporate clients to find creative solutions around their events, trade shows, experiences, and activations across the country.

Lisa Lewis

Programs Co-Director

Lisa Lewis has been a member of AAF of Des Moines since 2010. She served as the Executive Director for seven years, has assisted with several other roles on the board, and has been the Programs Director for the last two years.

Lisa has worked in the marketing field in different capacities and roles since she graduated from Iowa State University in 2006. She spent four years developing and executing marketing strategies for Kum & Go Corporation, then seven years as a marketing consultant and project manager, and is now the Associate Director of the Valley Community Center in West Des Moines. Lisa is passionate about connecting with and building up the advertising community in Des Moines.

Our History

While the American Advertising Federation of Des Moines has been in existence since 1978, our past goes back as far as the early 1900s.

1908

A team of 23 of the most innovative Des Moines advertising professionals formed the Des Moines Ad Club to address the challenges facing our young industry.

1914

With a membership of 36, the group changed its name to the Advertising Club of Des Moines, Inc.

1949

The Women’s Advertising Club was formed by 74 female professionals and the club became Iowa’s first chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) in 1950.

1978

The men’s and women’s clubs joined efforts to form the American Advertising Federation of Des Moines.

Today

Our members come from every area of advertising, marketing and communications. We are affiliated with AAF, the only national organization to represent the interests of all factions within the marketing profession at the local, state and national levels. American Advertising Federation of Des Moines continues its student outreach and community service activities, and is responsible locally for The American Advertising Awards® each year.

Our Bylaws

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