Honoring 23 Years of Dedicated Service

Shelly Starbuck has made an impact at Catholic Charities and the Diocese of Des Moines through her leadership and dedication.  After 23 years of service, Shelly prepares to retire on June 30, 2024.

Shelly began her journey with the Diocese of Des Moines and Catholic Charities in 2001 when she joined the finance department, which also handled HR tasks. She explained that there wasn’t an official HR department at the time, so she had the opportunity to build it from the ground up, learning a lot along the way.

“It was a fun challenge,” said Shelly. “The world of human resources is always changing and I really enjoy serving as a resource for my colleagues.”

In 2011, Shelly officially joined the Catholic Charities team as Operations Administrator. In 2014, as HR tasks transitioned from the Diocese to Catholic Charities, she became the Director of Human Resources/Operations.

“Catholic Charities and the Diocese of Des Moines always work so closely together and I enjoyed watching all the activity going on at Catholic Charities and the services they provide,” said Shelly. “I thought joining the Catholic Charities’ team would be fun and very rewarding.”

Reflecting on her years of service, Shelly expressed it was hard to think of a favorite moment because there are so many.

“Something I enjoyed the most was interviewing and talking with potential new colleagues,” said Shelly. “I was able to see their excitement when they got the offer and then see them grow and succeed in their new role. That was always very rewarding.”

During her time at Catholic Charities, she helped onboard more than 200 staff members. She also led the organization as the temporary Executive Director in 2018. Her leadership and wisdom have helped Catholic Charities grow and reach new heights.

“Catholic Charities offers a lot of good to the community and we are helping the most vulnerable individuals,” said Shelly. “One thing that continues to inspire me is the passion and dedication our team has in the work they do.”

She is excited to watch Catholic Charities continue to grow into the next century. She also encourages others to be a part of the organization in whichever way they can.

“The need for what Catholic Charities provides will never go away,” said Shelly. “For those that share the mission and have the passion to help others, Catholic Charities has great opportunities to get involved. We aren’t a large organization but we do a lot of work and impact so many people.”

Shelly is looking forward to slowing things down, spending time with her family, especially her granddaughter, and having new adventures. As she prepares for a well-deserved retirement, we celebrate her and the legacy she is leaving behind. Her guidance, dedication and compassion have made a lasting mark on Catholic Charities.