Wallace Centers of Iowa welcome new director

DES MOINES — The Wallace Centers of Iowa announces the appointment of Rebecca Stavick as its new executive director. Stavick brings more than 15 years of nonprofit executive leadership to WCI, an organization dedicated to connecting Iowa’s food, land and people through educational programming, community service, and cultural events at its two historic sites.

Stavick is best known as the founding executive director of Do Space, the nation’s first community technology library, which she launched in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2015. Under her leadership, Do Space grew to more than 98,000 members at the end of 2025, earned national recognition in outlets including Forbes and NPR, and became a model replicated by communities around the world. A firm believer in the power of leading the country from the Midwest, Stavick’s success in building Do Space is proof that transformational ideas don’t require a coast. Before Do Space, she spent nearly five years at Omaha Public Library and co-founded Open Nebraska, a civic technology and open data initiative.

“The board of directors conducted an extensive search for our new executive director. From a deep set of candidates, Rebecca emerged as an extraordinary choice to lead Wallace Centers of Iowa to new levels of growth and impact. We are excited to bring her leadership talents to Iowa for WCI,” said Jim Hoyt, board chair of the Wallace Centers of Iowa.

The organization oversees two historic sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Wallace Farm in rural Orient and the Wallace House in Des Moines. WCI features a range of programs connecting Iowans to sustainable agriculture, local food, and the enduring legacy of one of the Midwest’s most consequential families. Henry A. Wallace — named the Most Influential Iowan of the 20th Century by the Des Moines Register — exemplified a spirit of innovation and global impact that grew from Iowa’s soil: founding Pioneer Hi-Bred, serving as U.S. Vice President and championing farmers and rural communities throughout his career.

“The Wallace family is proof that you can live locally and think globally — that some of the most consequential ideas in American history were planted right here in Iowa. They were innovators and change-makers who believed deeply in community. That’s a legacy worth carrying forward, and I’m honored to help lead that work as executive director,” said Stavick.

Stavick steps into the executive director role immediately. She will be based at WCI’s Des Moines location, the Wallace House, and will lead staff across both sites as the organization continues its mission of connecting food, land and people in the spirit of Iowa’s Wallace family legacy.