Katherine Caffrey has served as City Manager of the City of Des Moines since her appointment by the City Council in November 2025. Katherine brings almost twenty years of local government experience to Des Moines, including municipal operations, community engagement, fiscal and strategic planning, and redevelopment. Katherine spent the last 17 years with the City of Cedar Park, Texas and held various positions including Deputy City Manager. Prior to Cedar Park, Katherine began her career with the City of Little Rock, Arkansas.
As the chief executive officer for the City of Des Moines, Katherine is responsible for the management of the City's affairs and day-to-day operations.
Katherine holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Kansas and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. She is an active member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the Washington City Management Association. Additionally, Katherine is passionate about encouraging more women to pursue leadership roles in the public sector. During her time in Texas, she was actively involved with the Women Leading Government initiative.
Katherine is a resident of Des Moines, living in the southern part of the city with her husband and their elementary-school-age son. They enjoy exploring both the Pacific Northwest and the region.