The University of Iowa Eight Over 80 Award

Few individuals have put as much heart, soul, and effort into promoting nonpartisan civil discourse as Carolyn Lukensmeyer. A leader in the field of deliberative democracy, she continues her work in retirement as an author, film producer, and board member of organizations that support democratic ideals.

An Iowa native, Lukensmeyer began her career as a consultant specializing in organizational change management in the private and public sectors. In 1986, she was named the first female chief of staff to the Ohio governor and briefly served as consultant to the White House chief of staff.

In 1995, Lukensmeyer founded AmericaSpeaks, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C., and led the creation of its 21st Century Town Meetings to facilitate discussions that give all citizens a voice. The organization brought 5,000 New Yorkers together to deliberate plans for rebuilding ground zero. Lukensmeyer is producing 9/11: Reclaiming Ground Zero, a documentary about that historic gathering and its impact on what exists today at that site.

After 20 years with AmericaSpeaks, Lukensmeyer became the founding executive director of the National Institute for Civil Discourse at the University of Arizona. She returned to the UI in 2019 to present about incivility in politics as a University of Iowa College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Alumni Fellow.

Since retiring in 2023, Lukensmeyer has channeled her energy into nonprofit service. She is co-lead of the National Civic League’s Healthy Democracy Ecosystem Map, a project that connects Americans to organizations aligned to support democratic governance. Lukensmeyer also serves as board secretary for Partners in Democracy, a nonprofit focused on democracy renovation.