Architecture, art and public media — not to mention a chocolate Labrador retriever named Moki — get a lot of attention from Claudia Cackler, a Des Moines native who moved to St. Paul, Minn., several years ago only to return in 2014. She was named executive director of the Iowa Architectural Foundation earlier this year. It was another homecoming, of sorts. One of Cackler’s first jobs in the nonprofit world was with the Iowa chapter of the American Institute of Architects. She is a “mission-driven” individual. Her mission is to help nonprofits, especially those in areas that are of the most interest to her, survive by raising funds and establishing programs that fix them in the public eye. Her former jobs have included fundraising for Drake University’s colleges and special programs; serving as vice president of philanthropic giving and senior director for campaign and special gifts at Twin Cities Public Television in St. Paul; and directing development efforts for Seed Savers in Decorah. She has done foundation work for Salisbury House, the Sherman Hill Association, the Des Moines Art Center and public libraries. Although she compares St. Paul to European capitals, Cackler is happy to be back in Des Moines.

How long did it take to adapt to the culture at the Iowa Architectural Foundation?
I got my feet wet a long time ago. I used to be the head of (the Iowa chapter of the American Institute of Architects). It was early in my career, and I felt it probably was the best constituency I could work for because I had a natural inclination and passion for architecture and I really liked the people involved in the design world. So when I heard about this position coming open, it was a perfect fit.

You don’t seem to spend much time in the for-profit world.
I’m very mission-driven. … I was a Realtor for about five years, and I remember going to weekly meetings and all the people were talking about making money. The work behind (nonprofits) is just so important. Except for about one job, I have been working for nonprofits. 

Do you miss St. Paul?
I do. But I love what’s happening in Des Moines. It’s really exciting to be in Des Moines and be a part of all of this. When people come to the city, or anyplace you visit or I visit, what you usually remember about a community has something to do with its architecture. That’s what sticks. You might have a couple of great experiences with people. But the architecture is what sticks. 

What are your goals for the Iowa Architectural Foundation?
My goal is to really involve a considerable number of public members. We have always had a few public members on our board, and there are a few people who have kind of bubbled up, but this really shouldn’t be an organization just for architects. It’s for people who want to promote Des Moines. A lot of what we are doing is tours; we’re out there showcasing the city, telling the amazing stories behind these great buildings. Now we have all of this activity in the East Village, and we have all of these old warehouses, and there’s this new development in between, and there are so many stories, and people just love them. So I want to be able to do more of that sort of outreach. We also have our programs for the schools, our architects in the schools. 

We are seeing some designs that will change the face of architecture in the city. How will they fit in with our design history?
We have such a rich architectural history in Des Moines, with top-notch architects. We have great local talent as well. But we have a tradition of bringing in famous architects. Just over and over again, for years this has been the case. The American Enterprise Group building just won its second national award for the restoration of the building, and the architects who restored that were local. 

I’m just filled with excitement about those new projects. I’m praying we can involve the people who own those new projects into our foundation more and help them celebrate their new spaces. One of the other things I would like to do, maybe not every year but every other year, is have a fundraising gala in one of these famous corporate undertakings. It really brings a lot of attention to the importance of good design, to people being committed to the city and stepping it up in terms of what they are bringing to their corporate environment. There’s just a lot to celebrate there, and I hope the foundation can be a part of it.