Dave Remund, Ph.D., joined the Des Moines Public Library Foundation (DMPLF) on January 13, 2025, as executive director. He succeeds Kelly Shrock, whose husband, Joel, now serves as president of Graceland University in Lamoni.
“Dave brings a dynamic professional background to this leadership role,” said Brianne Sanchez, DMPLF past president and search chair. “Our hiring committee was grateful to meet with numerous qualified candidates who feel passionately about the library mission. Libraries continue to be challenged to serve communities in new ways and protect the freedom to read. We feel Dave’s three decades as an organizational and communications strategist will serve DMPLF well, so we can expand support for the library system and deepen the many positive impacts.”
Remund most recently served as co-director of Experience Lab at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), a group of innovative learning programs enabling students to explore professional interests while positively impacting the community. Prior to UNL, he led communications and marketing for Drake University, where he had completed his undergraduate and master’s degrees and subsequently served on the faculty. At the University of Oregon, Remund co-developed Media and Social Action, a living-learning community to help students leverage media and storytelling to raise awareness and spark change. Before academia, he led nationwide communications and marketing teams. A first-generation college graduate, Remund earned his Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a member of the Public Relations Society of America’s prestigious College of Fellows (Fellow PRSA) and holds Accreditation in Public Relations (APR).
“I am thrilled to return to Des Moines and honored to serve our community as the new executive director of the Des Moines Public Library Foundation,” Remund says. “Libraries have helped shape and improve so many lives, including my own. And Des Moines has an exceptionally strong library system. But public libraries are under more pressure than ever. This is a critical time to ensure equitable access to information and services, and to invest in the future.”
Founded in 1998 as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, The Des Moines Public Library Foundation supports and enriches the capabilities, resources, and services of the Des Moines Public Library system. In the executive director role, Remund will be responsible for the overall planning, development and execution of operations, including fundraising.
“Dave will build on the community of supporters and stakeholders our previous executive directors have cultivated through the decades,” Sanchez said. “Our board has benefited from strong leadership that positioned the foundation as a trusted steward for people who want to leave a lasting legacy through meaningful gifts.”