Katy McNeil

Katy McNeil is the new Executive Director Vrly Foundation. Katy grew up in Highgate Vermont, attended college in Maine and married an Iowa farmer in . She moved to Columbus from Iowa in 2015 with her husband, Brady, for his career with Pillen Family Farms as a Swine Geneticist. Upon moving to Columbus, Katy and Brady wasted no time in getting involved in the community. Katy is a member of Noon Lions, the Platte County Lifestyle Coalition, Columbus Area Recreation Trails, Columbus Area United Way Board, Columbus in Action and the Columbus Eagles Auxiliary while also serving on the executive planning committee for Go Red for Women. She and Brady spend their free time volunteering for organizations like Keep Columbus Beautiful, Knights of Columbus, the YMCA, Platte County 4-H/Extension and other opportunities as they arise. She firmly believes in being an active member of the community in which she lives.

Katy holds two-bachelor degrees from University of Maine at Farmington in Political Science and Geography and a Master of Public Administration and Policy from Drake University. Katy has worked in a variety of capacities including but not limited to: Programming assistant, remedial treatment counselor, Human Resources generalist, executive assistant, n and most recently the Executive Director of the Columbus Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Columbus Area Children’s Museum.

Katy brings a wealth of knowledge and experiences to the Vrly Foundation team, including grant writing and fundraising! She is excited to continue to develop her skills, innovate and make the Columbus Community a better place to live, work and play for future generations!