Janet Wilwerding is the Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist for the City of West Des Moines, Iowa. She has been in this role since April 2026. Prior to her position in West Des Moines, she served as the Communications Director for the City of Johnston and, before that, as a Communications Specialist for the City of Pleasant Hill, Iowa.

With extensive marketing expertise, Janet has made significant contributions in both her current and previous roles. She has seven years of experience at the publishing company DotDash Meredith (Formerly Meredith Corporation) and has worked for four years at two different advertising agencies in the Des Moines metro area. Her background in marketing and communications has been crucial to ensuring that residents receive clear, concise information.

Janet holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Iowa State University and a master’s degree from Drake University. Janet also serves on the boards of the LifeServe Blood Center and the Ankeny Centennial Basketball Club. In her personal life, she enjoys watching her children participate in various activities, including basketball, Ninja Warrior, track, and football.

To maintain her motivation for teaching, she wakes up early to teach classes at 5:15 a.m. Janet’s motto is, “Wake up and strive to become a better version of yourself because no one else can do it for you.”