Maggie McClelland

Director, ICON Water Trails

Age: 29

Mentor: Hannah Inman, CEO, Great Outdoors Foundation

Reasons she is a Forty: As the first and only full-time staffer dedicated to ICON Water Trails, Maggie manages every facet of the $125 million initiative deemed as one of the most transformational quality of life projects in Central Iowa. In honor of her dad, she serves as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year campaign co-chair, helping a team of volunteers exceed their goal of raising over $400,000. She is a graduate of the West Des Moines Leadership Academy and helped her class raise more than $50,000 for West Des Moines Human Services. She serves as the membership director for MOIsson, a local women’s breakfast group that promotes leadership and cross-generational mentoring among its members. 

What are your goals in your role at your company? To collaborate with our public and private partners to establish ICON Water Trails as a self-sustaining organization following its transition to an independent 501(c)(3) entity just last year. We’re also continuing our work of creating a regional water trails network through additional recreational amenities and universal user experience, as well as moving our three downtown Des Moines dam mitigation projects through design and construction.  

What are your goals for your community involvement? I look forward to finding new opportunities to make a positive impact in my community, whether that’s through mentorship, supporting local businesses and organizations, philanthropy, or partnerships through my work with ICON. I know that I haven’t even made a dent with my work to date and that there is a great need for additional collaboration and advocacy throughout our community. 

What's your biggest passion, and why? I’m passionate about collaboration. In my role, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to witness the impact that collaboration and public-private partnerships can have on advancing the efforts of initiatives like water trails. When we get out of our own way and allow the space for teamwork and connection, there is no limit to what we can accomplish in this community.

What is it that drives you? I take pride in being able to call Des Moines, and the surrounding metro, my home. A West Des Moines native, I grew up intending to move to a “big city” following college graduation. Fast-forward to 2017, I found myself back in Des Moines after realizing what a great place it is for young professionals. I want to continue to put Central Iowa on the map as the place to live, work and play through not only ICON, but also through other placemaking projects.

What are your future aspirations? I hope to continue fostering meaningful connections with those in our community. It’s the relationships we form that broaden our horizons and enrich our lives. Des Moines has some real movers and shakers with a wealth of knowledge, expertise and perspective to share. I look forward to connecting over a cup of coffee.

Three hobbies: Avid reader, dog mom to George, self-proclaimed doughnut connoisseur. 

Fun fact: To fulfill her love for fashion and retail, Maggie owns her own business, Tailored Benefits, offering personal styling and shopping services to her clients. 

One word to describe you: Enterprising.

What is your wish for the Central Iowa business community? If there’s one positive to come out of the pandemic, it’s our re-awareness of common humanity. My wish for the Central Iowa business community is that we’ll no longer treat empathy, compassion and kindness as optional, but as essential, necessary and worthwhile. 

What's one piece of advice that you would give to a young professional? There are a lot of people out there who already do enough of the talking; sometimes you can be just as effective, if not more, by just listening and asking the right questions. Let your work behind the scenes do more talking than what you put front and center for the world to see. 

What is one issue you would like to see Central Iowa leaders address? I’d like to see a concerted effort in bringing up the next generation of leaders. We have some incredible leaders who have helped blaze the trail and make Des Moines what it is today. So let’s now provide the space and platform for those coming behind us to have the opportunity to do the same, whether that’s through mentorship, facilitated connection or simply offering a seat at the table.