FuseDSM Monthly Breakfast- Reimagine DART: A Collaborative Effort to Transform Public Transit in Greater Des Moines

Description

FuseDSM Monthly Breakfast: A New Way to Connect, Learn, and Grow

The FuseDSM Monthly Breakfast offers a fresh opportunity to connect with fellow members. By hosting a breakfast meeting, we aim to accommodate members who may have conflicts with the usual luncheon schedule, ensuring more voices can join the conversation.

Each month, the Chamber features a dynamic speaker who shares:

• Timely insights affecting our community.
• Perspectives on important issues and opportunities.
• Inspirational stories that resonate and inspire action.

Start your morning with valuable networking time before the program begins. Enjoy breakfast, giving you the flexibility to mingle and connect before filling your plate.

This monthly event is your chance to maintain and build relationships, gain fresh insights, and engage with your community in a meaningful way. Don’t miss out—mark your calendar and join us!

Presenter:

Topic: Reimagine DART
Reimagine Dart is a collaborative effort to transform public transit in Greater Des Moines.  This initiative will chart a fresh course for how DART can strengthen and connect communities within a growing region.  
Amanda Wanke – CEO at Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) – will introduce you to Reimagine DART, a bold initiative to design a new transit network to meet our region’s needs for the future. As communities grow, travel patterns change, and budgets become more limited, Amanda will share how DART has evolved to provide efficient and effective service today and why now is the right time to determine the role of public transit for the next 20 years.

Throughout the presentation, Amanda will highlight public transit’s return on investment in our region, and how DART connects people to jobs – strengthening our workforce and supporting businesses. You’ll also hear from a DART partner how public transit has positively impacted their organization.

Presented by: 

Amanda Wanke (wahn-key) is the Chief Executive Officer at Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART). She was appointed to the position by the Board of Commissioners in July 2023.

As CEO of the largest public transit system in Iowa, Wanke leads a team of nearly 300 employees who utilize a fleet of 200 vehicles to provide more than 3 million rides a year, connecting central Iowans to jobs, school, doctor’s appointments, and much more throughout the Greater Des Moines region.

Wanke came to DART in 2015 as the Chief External Affairs Officer with a valuable cross-section of experiences in government relations, stakeholder engagement, public relations, media relations, and team leadership. In May 2020, Amanda was named Deputy CEO and Chief Operations Officer, leading 200 employees in DART’s transportation, maintenance, and customer service departments. She left in October 2022 to work for New Flyer and MCI, a leading bus and coach manufacturer.

Amanda’s prior professional experience includes leading communications, government relations, and team leadership in several industries. Wanke attended Bethel University where she received her bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership.