DES MOINES, IOWA (June 27, 2019) — Today, Governor Kim Reynolds announced her appointment of Liesl Seabert as the Rural Community Revitalization Program Manager for the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative, effective July 1, 2019. The Rural Community Revitalization Program Manager works in conjunction with the Governor’s Office and is an employee of the Iowa Economic Development Authority.
“A key component of my Empower Rural Iowa Initiative was establishing the Center for Rural Revitalization to give our main streets a roadmap for success,” said Gov Reynolds. “Liesl’s background in connecting with local leaders and communities will be instrumental in launching the center. I look forward to working with her to drive prosperity and growth in communities throughout our state.”
“Liesl has a long history of working to improve rural communities and I’m excited to work with her to empower rural Iowa,” said Lieutenant Governor Adam Gregg, co-chair of the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative. “Her strong vision for the Center for Rural Revitalization will benefit Iowans in all rural communities.”
“I look forward to building upon the positive momentum initiated by the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Initiative,” said Seabert. “As the program manager, I am honored to work on Iowans behalf in developing creative strategies to strengthen our rural communities.”
As program manager, Seabert will lead the Center for Rural Revitalization, which supports the overall direction and implementation of objectives outlined for the initiative, including developing, designing and overseeing a long-term strategy and plan for revitalizing rural Iowa communities based on findings and recommendations of the Governor’s Empower Rural Iowa Task Forces and analysis of data and information, state and federal laws, rules and regulations and state and federal programs.
Seabert was previously the community development manager at the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs; community program manager for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity; senior planner for the City of Tallahassee Land Use & Environmental Services Department; and law clerk for Florida’s Attorney General’s Office. She has a law degree and a master's degree in Urban and Regional Planning from Florida State University and a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Policy and History.
