The city of West Des Moines has hired its first director of diversity, equity and inclusion. According to an announcement on the city’s website, Audrey Kennis has accepted an offer to fill the role. Kennis has experience developing and leading initiatives to further the advancement of marginalized communities and creating more equitable policies. She has held positions at Iowa State University and other educational institutions, working with underrepresented populations and multicultural students. According to her LinkedIn profile, Kennis currently serves as a student retention officer at ISU. Before that, she was a multicultural liaison at ISU. According to the city’s announcement, she received her graduate certificate in education for social justice, a master’s degree in education from ISU, and is working on a second master’s degree at ISU in community and regional planning. Kennis is scheduled to begin her new position with the city on Sept. 20. The process to choose a DEI director involved input from community members, human rights commissioners, elected officials and city staff, the announcement stated.