Christine Hensley

The Honorable Christine Hensley was elected to the Des Moines City Council in January 1994 and served Ward III (downtown, west, and southwest areas) of Des Moines. She served a total of 24 years on the Des Moines City Council.

Councilwoman Hensley continues to serve on a number of boards including Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation, Midwest Housing Equity Corporation, and BRAVO.  She previously served on Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART), Greater Des Moines Public Art Foundation, Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines Arts Festival, Des Moines Symphony, Polk County Housing Trust Fund, Metro Advisory Council, Neighborhood Finance Corporation, Midwest Housing Equity Group, Iowa Bankers Association, and the Des Moines Symphony Board. Ms. Hensley was also inducted into the Iowa League of Cities Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Iowa Women Hall of Fame in 2017.

Ms. Hensley was given an honorary doctorate degree from Grandview University, on April 28, 2018, for the role she played in the significant growth and development of the City of  Des Moines.

Ms. Hensley retired as the Regional Community and Government Affairs Officer for Bank of the West, covering Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Prior to Bank of the West she served as Executive Director at the YWCA from 1989 to 1998 and her first professional position was with the big eight firm Deloitte Haskins and Sells from 1967 to 1989 serving as a regional HR Director and recruiter. 

She was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa and attended St. Joseph’s Academy and Drake University.  Her husband, Steve, is also from Des Moines. They have one daughter, Jennifer, son-in-law, Keith, and six grandsons.