DES MOINES — After a national search, One Iowa, the state’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organization, named Daniel Hoffman-Zinnel its new executive director. Hoffman-Zinnel will begin leading the organization in January 2017.
“I could not be more pleased with the choice of the search committee,” One Iowa’s current executive director Donna Red Wing said. “Daniel is a well-regarded leader in Iowa’s LGBT community. He is especially respected for his work around health and wellness issues. On a personal level, I know Daniel to be a man of extraordinary talent and integrity.”
A native Iowan, Hoffman-Zinnel has worked with the state’s LGBT community for more than eight years. He’s worked extensively with One Iowa, cofounding the LGBT Health and Wellness Conference with Red Wing and other members of the LGBT Health and Wellness Initiative coalition. He has trained more than 1,000 health professionals, providers and others on LGBTQ inclusivity and presented at local, state and national conferences on the subject. Most recently, he presented the keynote address at the Eyes Open Iowa Conference.
“LGBTQ rights are human rights, and this is where my passion lies,” Hoffman-Zinnel said. “I am ready to continue working toward advancing equality and inclusivity.”
Prior to joining One Iowa, Hoffman-Zinnel served as director of education and leadership at Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and as a respite provider at Lutheran Services in Iowa. He holds a doctorate of education in leadership from Creighton University and an MA in health studies from the University of Alabama. He is a 2015 Des Moines Business Record Forty Under 40 honoree and current class member of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute.
Hoffman-Zinnel and his husband, Charles, have been together for more than ten years. They married at Urbandale United Church of Christ in 2010 and recently moved to a new home in Bondurant with their three dogs. Together, they enjoy cycling, kayaking, and social justice.
“Iowa is where I have been born and raised,” Hoffman-Zinnel said. “I am excited and ready to continue working toward making the state I love more welcoming, safe, and inclusive for all Iowans, including the LGBTQ community.
Hoffman-Zinnel’s hire comes after Red Wing announced her retirement in August after more than four years leading the organization. After the announcement, members of the One Iowa board of directors led a transition team to conduct a national search.
Red Wing will continue serving in her position until the end of this year.
via press release
