Threase Harms

Contact

Councilmember Harms can be reached at tharms@windsorheights.org.

Professional Work & Education

Threase Harms has been an active part of the Windsor Heights community since 1999. She was elected to her first term on the Windsor Heights City Council in 2015. Threase along with the rest of the WH City Council has a strong commitment to continue to enhance the city’s sense of community and spirit while ensuring Windsor Heights develops and prospers economically.

Harms was born and raised in Alden, Iowa. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies at the University of Northern Iowa. While at Northern Iowa, Harms had the honor of serving as both the Student Body President and Vice President while also playing on the UNI Women’s Rugby team. Following her time at UNI, Threase earned her Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Iowa State.

Upon her graduation from UNI, Threase worked in the Iowa Senate on education issues before working with the American Cancer Society (ACS) as their first Director of Government Relations for five years. As director, she was able to succeed in passing crucial legislative items while also assembling a strong, statewide, grassroots organization from the ground up. Following her time with the ACS, Threase took the position of Director of the Tobacco Use Prevention and Control division within the Iowa Department of Public Health. With multiple successes in the non-profit sector, she was recruited to be part of the Worldwide Alliance Development team for Pfizer, Inc. where she spent nearly two years leading up the strategic development and implementation of policies across the country.

The experiences and relationships she acquired while shaping public policy allowed Threase to start her own small business in 2003 in Windsor Heights: Advocacy Strategies, LLC. She felt there was a need to address the unmet needs of groups in and out of Iowa who need to be represented before policy makers. Advocacy Strategies allows organizations and businesses to fulfill their goals or missions through effective strategies and campaigns.

Threase has served on the Board of Directors for the Metro Waste Authority, the Windsor Heights Public Safety Committee, the Windsor Heights Bike Hub Committee, Healthiest State Initiative Strategic Statewide Alliances Committee, Leadership Iowa Board of Governors for the Iowa Association of Business and Industry, Health Advisory Council for Iowa Legal Aid; Board of Directors for Easter Seals Iowa; Board of the Des Moines Panther Scholarship Club, Greater Des Moines Partnership Well Communities Committee, Northern Iowa Women’s Rugby Foundation, and Iowa Sustaining Parents Involvement Network Committee for Clive Elementary.

Additionally, she is an active member of the UNI Alumni Association, a Big Sister with the Big Brother/Big Sisters of Central Iowa, a volunteer and mentor for the Business Horizons program, a member of the VeloRosa Cycling Team, a member of the Greater Des Moines Partnership and the Windsor Heights Chamber, volunteer for the Girls High School Rugby program, and is consistently involved in helping the Des Moines and West Des Moines School Districts. She pioneered the UNI and Des Moines Women’s Rugby teams.

Priorities

Bring new economic development opportunities including recruiting businesses and keeping taxes low while building a destination city.
Restore and improve core city services including communication, investing in health and safety and creating a more welcoming and walkable community.
Protect property values and maintain an affordable housing market.

Personal Life

Threase and her husband have 3 children: twin girls Mariah and Nevaeh and a teenage son, Kail. Outside of her active commitments to serve the community, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, cycling, running, sporting events, and supporting the UNI Panthers.