Friday, February 23, 2007
Governor Culver Appoints Director of Cultural Affairs
Governor Culver appoints Cyndi Pederson Cultural Affairs Director
(Des Moines) Today, Governor Chet Culver and Lt. Governor Patty Judge announced the appointment of Cyndi Pederson as director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
Governor Culver said, “I am pleased that Cyndi Pederson has agreed to serve as the permanent director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. Her experience and passion in the arts will serve Iowans well as she continues to lead this agency.”
In 1998, she served as a member of former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack’s transition team and was named Chief of Staff to former First Lady Christie Vilsack.
In 2005, Pederson joined the Department of Cultural Affairs as Coordinator for Gov. Vilsack and Lt. Gov. Sally Pederson’s (no relation) Iowa Great Places initiative, which combines state resources with local assets to make Iowa communities great places where people want to live, work and play. In July 2006, she was appointed interim deputy director, and was named by Governor Culver as interim director in January 2007. Pederson also worked with the Secretary of State’s office to develop “Capitol Project,” which brought Iowa high school students to Des Moines to learn about government first hand.
“I am honored to receive this appointment as Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs in the Culver/Judge Administration. We are all aware how important arts, culture and history are in order to create a creative economy in Iowa which is vital to the growth and prosperity of our state,” Cyndi Pederson said.
A Des Moines native, Pederson earned an associate’s degree at North Iowa Area Community College, and a Bachelor of Arts in art education from Iowa State University in 1979.