Torey Cuellar

Assistant Marshall County attorney, Marshall County

Age: 32

Spouse: Chris Cuellar

Children: Wes (1 year)

Mentors: Maggie White, associate general counsel at EMC Insurance Cos.; Sarah Tupper, assistant Marshall County attorney; Michelle Mackel-Weideranders, assistant city attorney at city of Des Moines.

Reasons she is a Forty: Torey prosecutes all felony domestic violence, sex abuse and stalking crimes in Marshall County. She serves as chair of the Planning and Zoning Commission for the city of Bondurant, a suburb that’s grown more than 90% since 2010. She led the Iowa State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division as president in 2020 and prioritized projects in diversity and inclusion, paid parental leave and student loan debt. Torey raises money and advocates for Girls on the Run, an after-school elementary program that promotes healthy habits, positive body image and healthy relationships.

What are your goals in your role at your company? I want to model that prosecutors can do the right thing. It is important to me to give victims of violent crime a voice in the prosecution of their offender as I work to hold a defendant accountable, but also ensure a defendant’s rights are protected at each step of a criminal case. I do this while recognizing there is room for improvement in the criminal justice system as it currently exists.

What are your goals for your community involvement? It sounds counterintuitive, but my goal is to scale back. Rather than stretching myself thin and overcommitting to a lot of projects in small ways, I want to direct my time and energy to make a big, meaningful impact for two or three efforts. 

What's your biggest passion, and why? Helping others move forward. Whether it is recommending a peer for a new job, listening to the needs of a sexual abuse survivor or showing up for a friend in a time of need, I will do everything I can to help someone progress.

What is it that drives you? It is important to me to leave the communities I live and work in better than I found them. I do that in whatever way I can: time, money, word of mouth, connecting others or showing up. I want to teach my son that we approach problems with a “How can I help?” attitude, rather than complaining about them on social media.

What are your future aspirations? The judicial branch’s problem-solving courts make life-altering impacts for their participants. Drug courts and mental health courts leverage community resources and tailored rehabilitation plans to treat underlying problems and avoid incarceration. If resources expand, I think there is meaningful potential for a domestic violence court project that can address issues specific to intimate partner violence.

Three hobbies: Running. (I ran right up to my due date while pregnant with my son!) Attending Iowa State sporting events with my dad. Drinking Confluence Brewing's Des Moines IPA on a patio.

Fun fact: Torey and her husband are casual WWE fans. They host an annual party for friends in January for the Royal Rumble, complete with cutoff T-shirts, cheap beer and $2 bets on the main event.

One word to describe you: Accountable.

What is your wish for the Central Iowa business community? I get it: Volunteering on nights and weekends is hard, especially for a young professional. I’d love to see a revitalization of employees using volunteer leave to give back to causes that are important to them during the workday. Find a cause you care about, use your volunteer leave during the day and make a difference in the way that you can. 

Anything else you haven't addressed that people must know about you? I was diagnosed with melanoma at age 31. I was diagnosed three weeks into a new job and needed surgery. I had no sick time or vacation time accrued. My boss met my needs with flexibility and compassion. There is room for humanity in the workplace.

If you haven’t seen a dermatologist within the last 12 months for a skin check, please schedule one. It usually takes less than 15 minutes and can save your life.

What's one piece of advice that you would give to a young professional? You do not have to donate money to be an asset. Identify what skills you have to make the community you live and work in a better place. Hone and contribute those abilities.

What is one issue you would like to see Central Iowa leaders address? Pay is more than salary. Our big corporations brag about their inclusive benefits. Small and medium-sized organizations, government agencies and nonprofits can do better at offering more than a paycheck. The sooner all employers prioritize and advertise flexibility, work/life balance and policies that recognize employees are human, the sooner Central Iowa will be able to attract and retain valuable talent.