United Way of Central Iowa announced Thursday the appointment of Joseph Jones as its new chief community impact officer. Jones will join the organization’s senior leadership team on Oct. 27. Jones brings more than two decades of experience in public policy, nonprofit management, education and civic engagement. He most recently served as chief of staff at Des Moines University, and before that he was executive director of the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement. In his new role, he will lead the organization’s community engagement efforts and oversee strategic initiatives aligned with United Way’s United to Thrive framework. “Joseph’s deep commitment to public service and his proven ability to convene diverse stakeholders make him the ideal leader to help shape our community impact work,” Mary Sellers, president and CEO of United Way of Central Iowa, said in a prepared statement. “His strategic vision will be instrumental as we continue to mobilize our community and drive meaningful change across Central Iowa.” Jones was a Business Record Forty Under 40 in 2009 and was voted the Forty Under 40 Alum of the Year in 2022.