Laura Porter has been named the new director of the Iowa Architectural Foundation (IAF).
Ms. Porter will replace Claudia Cackler, who has led the foundation for the past six and a half years.
“We are so pleased to have found Laura Porter to take the reins of the Iowa Architectural Foundation,” said Brian Crichton, who headed the search committee. “Laura is a proven leader with the vision and organizational skills to take this organization to the next level. She also has a deep passion for the impact that architecture has on our communities and history.”
Ms. Porter comes to IAF by way of her previous higher education and arts nonprofit work. After completing her Ph.D. in United States history at the University of Notre Dame, she taught at Sciences Po – Reims (Reims, France), the University of Florida, and Drake University. She continues to write and publish on historical topics, but has devoted her recent energies to nonprofit fundraising and business management as Director of Operations at the Civic Music Association of Des Moines.
Ms. Porter’s lifelong appreciation of the arts and humanities, breadth of teaching experience, and historical training all drew her to the unique mission of the IAF, which exists to educate Iowans about socially and artistically significant architecture and design.
In a news release, she said she hopes to build on the foundation laid by her predecessor in promoting Iowa’s architectural partfolio and expanding IAF’s programs statewide. She is also eager to build connections with K-12 schools, appreciating the great potential of IAF’s programs to support arts, social studies, and STEM curricula.
The Iowa Architectural Foundation is a group of passionate volunteers working to inspire an appreciation for architecture and design in everyone through education and outreach.
As a non-profit organization, the IAF brings architects and designers, educators and students, and architecture enthusiasts together to improve the quality of life in the state of Iowa through architecture and design.
