Christine Her

Executive director, ArtForce Iowa

Age: 31

Spouse: Kevin Luensmann

Mentor: I have had many people walk with me in my journey and will not choose one person. 

Reasons she is a Forty: As the third executive director of ArtForce Iowa in eight months with turbulent organization finances, Christine increased its net income by 500%. She led ArtForce Iowa through a 24-inch flood that destroyed over $100,000 worth of supplies and equipment. Through her leadership, the organization moved three times during the pandemic successfully. Her ability to pivot during an unprecedented global pandemic to a remote model ensured staff and youth safety and allowed the organization to continue delivering robust content and engagement to the greater community. Her unwavering dedication to the entire ArtForce Iowa family and beyond is worth celebrating.

What are your goals in your role at your company? My biggest goal is to continue creating opportunities for my ArtForce Iowa family and youth artists to grow their knowledge, gain new skills, and lean more into their life purpose. 

What are your goals for your community involvement? My personal goal is to continue staying authentic and true to who I am, where I come from and where I want to go. In every space I get to be a part of, I never want to be someone I am not. 

What's your biggest passion, and why? My biggest passion is to build bridges and invite all community members into important conversations where we all feel heard, understood and encouraged to actively participate in our democracy/republic in a healing and kind way. I believe when our unity is rooted in justice and equity, we all thrive and flourish. 

What is it that drives you? Growing up in Des Moines as a first-generation American to Hmong refugee parents, stories like mine are often not heard, taught or celebrated. It motivates me to continue showing up as a proud Hmong-American who celebrates my identity while also honoring and uplifting the identities of those around me. 

What are your future aspirations? I would love for the Legacy Collection to be a statewide initiative. The Legacy Collection aims to collect, preserve and share the stories of Iowans. These stories are shaped by and belong to our community. By knowing our history, we learn from our past, celebrate our heritage and work together for a brighter future for all Iowans.

Three hobbies: I love road trips, attending live music concerts and cooking/exploring food from all over the world.

Fun fact: As an 8-year-old watching “Guinness World Records,” her curiosity led her to suck milk through her nose and make it squirt out of her eye.

One word to describe you: Maverick. 

What is your wish for the Central Iowa business community? My wish would be to have a community where our policies and funding opportunities are as intersectional and reflective of who we are as human beings.  

Anything else you haven't addressed that people must know about you? I am a singer, songwriter and musician who loves Jesus and the F-word. 

What's one piece of advice that you would give to a young professional? Don’t be the first person to say no to yourself. Be brave. Make that ask. You never know who will say yes! 

What is one issue you would like to see Central Iowa leaders address? I hope to continue seeing leaders collectively address and identify the root causes of the issues our communities face and to not be afraid if solutions to inequities and disparities lead to eliminating or reimagining organizations and jobs that perpetuate oppression by keeping those who are living on the margins in harmful, generational cycles. We’re all cultural architects. We all play a role in creating a space for each of us to heal and thrive.