· Wittstruck has More Than 12 Years of Experience Working in Organizational Management and Program Development on DEI Initiatives
· Wittstruck will lead the District-wide DMACC Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
· Wittstruck Started in her Role as Director of DEI in January 2022
ANKENY, Iowa—Naomi Sea Young Wittstruck has been named DMACC’s Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI).
She brings more than 12 years of experience working in organizational management and program development on DEI initiatives with non-profit organizations, governmental entities and privately-funded institutions.
“Naomi Sea Young is highly skilled in team building and facilitating discussions and trainings on controversial and difficult topics with diverse groups of people resulting in impactful and meaningful outcomes that build deeper understanding and connection between individuals and groups,” DMACC Human Resources Executive Director Jenifer Owenson said.
Wittstruck has served in state-wide and regional leadership positions with the Iowa Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC), leading the organization’s advocacy, outreach, education and training for leaders from rural and urban communities across the state on DEI and justice initiatives and in building community partnerships. She also served as the organization’s lobbyist with the Iowa General Assembly and the organizational liaison with regional, state and national DEI coalition partners; led state-wide leadership development programming, strategy and institutional alignment for the organization with a team of four leadership development staff; and provided training, coaching, and equipping for refugee, immigrant and historic person of color (POC) communities and leaders within the institution.
Additionally, Wittstruck served as the Community Development Director and Executive Director for a basic-needs, human services non-profit agency on the southside of Des Moines, leading Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) initiatives that brought together clients, volunteers and community leaders to impact change.
Wittstruck also worked as a program associate for the Wesley Foundation in Ames, working to educate and train Iowa State University students on a variety of DEI issues and connect them with community partnership initiatives. She also worked with K-12 public school systems in rural areas of coastal North Carolina with environmental education. Wittstruck was a national trainer, facilitator and organizer for the U.S. headquarters of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR), organizing high school students, college students and young adult activists from across the country for various national justice initiatives in Minneapolis, Philadelphia, New York City and Washington, D.C.
Wittstruck earned a Bachelor of Special Studies (B.S.S.) in Social Justice from Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, IA and a Master’s degree focused on public policy, theology, ethics, and Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) from Emory University in Atlanta, GA and was a Robert W. Woodruff Fellow for her three-year degree program.
Wittstruck has been a board member for Monsoon Asians and Pacific landers in Solidarity in Des Moines and was a member of the Board of Trustees at Cornell College. Wittstruck has served in a variety of leadership capacities for boards, commissions, and agencies for institutions where she has previously worked. She has also been a volunteer for diverse DEI non-profit organizations in the Des Moines metro.
“I am grateful to have the opportunity to support the students, staff, faculty and administration across the district in furthering their awareness, understanding, commitment and development as leaders on issues of diversity, equity, inclusion, identity, and belonging, both within and outside of DMACC,” Wittstruck said.
She also said that she is looking forward to advancing the work that DMACC has initiated for a system-wide integration of DEI throughout every campus, department, program, office and area of the college in order to create a more diverse, equitable, welcoming and inclusive educational environment that is representationally reflective of all forms of diversity.
Wittstruck her spouse, Eric, and their rescue dog live in Des Moines.
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