Developing Public Leaders
The State of Iowa, with Drake University, offers a nationally-accredited Certified Public Manager® (CPM) program. Through this program, we seek to maintains Iowa's high level of commitment to professional development and public service.
List items for About CPM
CPM is an intensive learning experience for supervisors, managers, executives, management staff, and project managers. Participants include employees from federal, state, county, and local governments. The program includes discussion, traditional classroom experiences at Drake University, and online learning. Participants also complete one team project related to a real-life situation, problem, or concern in their job. This gives them the opportunity to apply the theories, principles, and techniques they learned in the CPM program.
History
In 2002, the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, Human Resources Enterprise (DAS-HRE) and Drake University partnered to offer a Certified Public Manager Program® (CPM) for Iowa.
CPM is an intensive learning experience unlike anything offered before by the State. The program places emphasis on problem solving and teamwork. It was built on the direction established in the Governor's Leadership Agenda and the Iowa Excellence Initiative.
The Iowa CPM program is accredited by the National Certified Public Manager® Consortium. The program focuses on professionalizing the practice of public management in much the same way as other occupations.
Today we face tight budgets, increased accountability, and a drain of our talent and knowledge as workers retire. Organizations that invest in employee development through CPM will benefit from the participant's enhanced skill set. They will also strengthen their workplace by having fully-developed managers in critical support roles. The CPM program offers a comprehensive educational experience and leads to enhanced performance. It's affordable, too!
Benefits of participation
Graduates receive:
- CPM designation
- Best-practice management strategies and enhancement of personal leadership strengths
- Increase in intergovernmental networks and communication
- One year's experience for some state job classifications
- Nine hours of graduate credit from Drake University, which may be applied toward a Master of Public Administration degree
Organizations receive:
- Work-related projects that enhance research, problem-solving, and planning
- Improved efficiency, effectiveness, and cost-saving skills and knowledge
- Enhanced skills to build a high performing workplace
- Innovative approaches
- Improved intergovernmental communication
- Strengthen organizations through improving the performance of Iowa's public managers
- Encourage the recognition of public management as a profession
- Establish a course of study by which knowledge about self, groups, and organizations may be acquired
- Foster and maintain high educational and ethical standards in the practice of public management
- Establish an objective assessment for a public manager's professional knowledge and performance
- Provide enhanced professional recognition of management development by public managers
Apply Online
Beginning with CPM Cohort 47 (January 2027), any new applications must be submitted through the online application. No new PDF applications will be accepted. The online application will guide you through the information and materials required to apply for the Certified Public Manager® (CPM) program.
List items for CPM Application Information
Please have the following information ready:
Supervisor recommendation: You will need a letter of recommendation preferably from your supervisor, however, letters from key leaders such as city administrator will be accepted.
Management and leadership experience: Be prepared to briefly describe your management and/or project leadership experience.
Supervisor contact information: You will need your supervisor’s accurate email address so the application can be routed to them for approval. If you do not have a direct supervisor, provide the name and email address of the individual who provided your recommendation letter.
After you submit your application, billing information and leadership approval will be routed to your supervisor and authorizing authority for completion.
Please make sure all required information is complete before submitting your application. Incomplete applications will be returned and will not be reviewed until all required information has been submitted.
PDS will notify you once your fully signed application has been received and processed. This notification will come from DAS-HRE, Performance & Development Solutions (PDS).
Ready to take the next step toward earning your Certified Public Manager® credential? Review the information above, gather your materials, and complete the online application to get started.
CPM Schedules
Congratulations, Graduates!
CPM Cohort 43 graduated in June 2026
CPM Graduates
Alex Miller, City of Grimes
Ali Grossman, Health and Human Services
Amanda Nisius, Department of Transportation
Brian Carroll, City of Keokuk
Brian Davis, City of Des Moines
Brian Hommer, City of Des Moines
Bridget Burt, Health and Human Services
Cody Crawford, Health and Human Services
Devin Perry, City of Des Moines
Erin Everett, IPERS
Jenna Ehler, West Des Moines Library
Jennifer Caldwell, Department of Administrative Services
Jennifer Scott, Health and Human Services
Jennifer Waddell, Department of Transportation
Jerry Manning, Iowa Prison Industries
Jocelyn Brincks, Department of Administrative Services
Jonathan Gano, City of Des Moines
Josh Jensen, Health and Human Services
Kerri Griffiths, Health and Human Services
Kurt Behrends, Health and Human Services
Laura Jordan, Health and Human Services
Maryam Rod Szabo, Department of Education
Scott Lamp, Department of Public Safety
Shannon Garland, Health and Human Services
Steve Tibbles, City of Grimes
Alex Pfaltzgraff, City of Grimes
Amanda Martin, Department of Transportation
Chad Durham, Department of Transportation
Charity "Graci" Zeiger, Iowa College Aid
Diana Upton, Department of Transportation
Edgar Leonel Ramirez Corona, Health and Human Services
Erin Irvine, IPERS
Hailey Boudreau, Health and Human Services
Heath Kaleb Vanegas, Health and Human Services
Heather Johnson, Department of Administrative Services
James Archer, Perry Police Department
Jerimiah P. Burns, City of Des Moines Public Works
Jesse Hammarmeister, , Health and Human Services
Jesse James Torres, City of Des Moines
Laurie Lynn Ludman, Health and Human Services
Lee Geertz, City of West Liberty
Matthew Heuvelmann, Department of Transportation
Michael Morgan, City of Des Moines
Natasha Lewerke, Department of Transportation
Page Humphrey, Health and Human Services
Rachel Brooke Greving, City of Grimes
Soraya Miller, Health and Human Services
Patrick Beane, City of Des Moines
Adam Benson, Health & Human Services
Becky Blum, Health & Human Services
Matthew Boothby, Health & Human Services
Austin Decker, City of West Des Moines
Nathaniel Epperson, Iowa Department of Transportation
Ronda Feeley, City of West Des Moines
Wendy Hoogeveen, Health & Human Services
Michele Kearney, Department of Corrections
Kelly Kruse, Health & Human Services
Steven Martinez, Health & Human Services
Cassie McAllister, Health & Human Services
Margot McComas, Health & Human Services
Shiloh Mork, City of Webster City
Amarre Negussie, City of Des Moines
David Odell Philmon, Jr., Health & Human Services
Lisa Pederson, City of Des Moines
Dustin Rawdon, City of Cedar Falls
Aaron Rinehart, Health & Human Services
Molly Rupert, City of Des Moines
Jason Underwood, City of Des Moines
Elizabeth Webster, Health & Human Services
Meagnon Wilson, Department of Administrative Services
Corey Bogenreif, City of Des Moines
Percy Coleman, Des Moines Fire Department
Tracey Gibson, Iowa Division of Labor
Daniel Grauerholz, City of Des Moines
Christopher Leeman, Department of Transportation
Laura Lyons, Des Moines Fire Department
Katie Mulford, Health & Human Services - Aging
Proscovia Nalukanga, Self-sponsored
Sarah Plowman, Iowa Economic Development Authority
Jessica Reese McIntyre - Department of Natural Resources
Zach Simpson, Department of Transportation
Sean Snyder, Winneshiek County Emergency Management
Ben Wallace, Department of Natural Resources
Peter Zemansky, City of Des Moines
Resources for CPM
