Erin Hockman was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) in 2026, following a decade of leadership within the organization. A respected and familiar presence both inside DART and across Greater Des Moines, she assumed the role on May 7. She is focused on what public transit makes possible for riders—connecting people to opportunity and essential services—while strengthening the communities and regional economy DART supports and responsibly stewarding the resources that sustain it.
As CEO, Erin leads all aspects of DART’s work, building on her previous role as Chief Administrative and Strategy Officer. In that position, she helped align organizational priorities, guide long-term planning, and play a central role in advancing Reimagine DART—a community-driven effort to redesign the transit network to better meet the region’s evolving needs.
Erin joined DART in 2016 as Marketing and Communications Manager and was promoted to Chief External Affairs Officer in 2020. Known for her collaborative style and steady leadership, she has helped shape DART’s strategy while building strong relationships with community partners, stakeholders, and the people DART serves.
Before joining DART, Erin spent eight years at Kemin Industries, a global nutritional ingredient manufacturing company, where she advanced through roles focused on strategic communications, employee engagement, public relations, and marketing.
Erin holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Truman State University, with a minor in business administration. She is a graduate of the Lead DSM Community Leadership Program and the Drake Executive Leadership Program and was named to the Business Record’s Forty Under 40.