11 Eleven Productions is a full service production company specializing in business development, fundraising, event management, and strategic planning. We help clients turn vision into reality and potential into action; our favorite projects exist outside of the lines and out of the box. Jen Carruthers, founder and executive producer, connects the best, the brightest, and the boldest talent in our metro and beyond to produce cultural experiences that make you say, Des Moines? Hell yes!

Jen C

OWNEr + Executive producer

Jen C. is the founder, creator, owner and executive producer of 11 Eleven Productions. She brings a versatile professional background encompassing customer service, event production, the corporate sector, nonprofit leadership and fundraising, and small business consulting and development.

For nearly fifteen years Jen has been at the forefront of building a more progressive, inclusive, and engaging capital city. She is an avid social connector and a respected change maker within local business and nonprofit communities, particularly those serving the interests of LGBTQ+ Iowans and the arts. Jen’s inspiring leadership led her to co-found Dapper DSM, Des Moines’ only lesbian-owned barbershop, and helped shape organizations like Girls Rock!Des Moines (GR!DSM) and Capital City Pride (CCP), where she recently served as board president and sponsorship director. Her vision for spaces that celebrate Queer culture brought shows like Lez Talk to the Des Moines Social Club, and Drag King DSM, Jen’s brainchild and the country’s largest all-drag king show, has showcased incredible artists from multiple states at Wooly’s for thirteen years (and counting!).

Jen also served as a Future Forward Council leader, currently serves on the steering committee for Capital Crossroads 3.0, and is regularly invited to speak at community events focused on business development and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Future Forward Council and Capital Crossroads 3.0 are made up of more than one hundred leaders representing organizations throughout Greater Des Moines that are designing and executing plans for the future of our downtown community. Jen’s insights as a Queer woman have provided a critical DEI perspective as this exciting undertaking continues to evolve.

Jen was selected as a 2022 Inspiring Women finalist by Girls Scouts of Greater Iowa, was featured on the cover of the Des Moines Business Record in 2019 as part of their 20th anniversary Forty Under 40 cohort, and received the Amadeo Rossi Innovator of the Year award through the Des Moines Music Coalition at the 2019 Backstage Ball. She is a 2018 graduate of Lead DSM, formerly the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute.

A seasoned relationship builder and exceptional leader with a stalwart sense of purpose, Jen believes that embracing innovation and diversity will make our city a true Midwest destination.