2023 Board of Directors
Deb Borton (President) - Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation
Deirdre Gruendler (Vice-President) - UnityPoint Marshalltown Foundation
Kim Jass-Ramirez (Past-President) - YMCA-YWCA
Michele Buzbee (Secretary) - Local Entrepreneur
Michael Tupper - Marshalltown Police Department
Neil Dalal - Emerson
Julie Winter - Region 6 Planning Commission
John Hall - Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce
Steve Valbracht - Marshalltown Aviation, Inc.
Jesus Rios - Emerson
Josh Cox - Artist / United States Postal Service
Tania Fonseca - Emerson
Deirdre Gruendler (Vice-President) - UnityPoint Marshalltown Foundation
Kim Jass-Ramirez (Past-President) - YMCA-YWCA
Michele Buzbee (Secretary) - Local Entrepreneur
Michael Tupper - Marshalltown Police Department
Neil Dalal - Emerson
Julie Winter - Region 6 Planning Commission
John Hall - Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce
Steve Valbracht - Marshalltown Aviation, Inc.
Jesus Rios - Emerson
Josh Cox - Artist / United States Postal Service
Tania Fonseca - Emerson
Executive Director, Amber Danielson
Amber is a Marshalltown, Iowa native and has served as the Executive Director of the Arts & Culture Alliance since 2016. She is a Marshalltown Community College and University of Northern Iowa graduate where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in marketing and international business.
Her and her husband were born and raised in Marshalltown and intentionally came back after moving away for a short period of time to raise a family. They are proud to call Marshalltown home and are amazed at the continued progress, growth and perseverance of the community.
Under her leadership, the Arts & Culture Alliance has added more than 30 public art installations throughout the community totaling over half a million dollars. She has generated over $4 million dollars in grant funding for creativity in her community and most recently spearheaded the development of the city’s first Arts & Culture Master Plan.
Over the years she has been a part of the Youth and Shelter Services, Trails Inc., Board of Adjustments and Marshalltown Arts & Civic Center Board of Directors. She has sat on grant panels for the Iowa Arts Council and Arts Midwest, and provided leadership with Marshalltown’s Iowa Great Places, Marshalltown Arts & Civic Museum and Vision Marshalltown committees.
Most notably, she was the recipient of the 2023 Governor’s Emerging Arts Leader award for the State of Iowa and received the Outstanding Leader Award by Youth and Shelter Services. Currently, Amber serves as the Chair of the Iowa Arts Council board of directors, leads a state-wide arts leaders networking group and is the treasurer for Marshalltown’s 13th Street District board.
Amber's Favorite Mottos:
Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. - Helen Keller
The most dangerous phrase in the language, “we’ve always done it this way”. – Grace Hopper
