The Des Moines Arts Festival has hired Daphne Dickens as the organization’s production and program manager. Dickens will be responsible for contract negotiations, vending operations and entertainment bookings, as well as logistics and management. She has worked the past five years for the American Diabetes Association, where she managed multiple fundraising efforts and worked with corporate wellness programs in a tri-state area as director of development. She is an Iowa native and a Central College graduate. “I am thrilled Daphne is joining our team,” said Stephen King, Des Moines Arts Festival executive director. “Her background and professional prowess make her the right person at the right time as we launch our newly adopted strategic plan. I’m looking forward to working with her.”