Susan K. Neely

As a third generation Iowa Hawkeye, I am thrilled and honored to join the UICA Board. Stories of Hawkeye fandom are legend in our family. I was born days before the Hawks played in the 1957 Rose Bowl.  Even though I was the first grandchild, my grandfather (DDS 1924) lingered only long enough to find out if I was a girl or boy, and then boarded the train to Pasadena. My mom (BA 1951) was recognized at Kinnick in 2018 when she attended her 70th consecutive Big 10 opener.  

For my part, I’m particularly proud of the deep commitment UI has made to writing. We are the only public university ranked in the top 10 for writing.  Our storied Writer’s Workshop with over 30 Pulitzer Prize winners is the granddaddy of them all. This is why I serve on the advisory council to the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and established a graduate fellowship for creative writing.

I look forward to meeting everyone in October.

Susan K. Neely is a change maker. She has a track record of transforming industries, building consensus, and using bipartisan partnerships to revolutionize business and politics.

Neely is widely recognized as one of the most influential people in association leadership. She is a two-time trade association CEO of the year, one of Washingtonian's "most influential people" and "100 Most Powerful Women in Washington."

Over the past twenty years as CEO of two major trade associations, Neely has relentlessly pursued initiatives to ensure industry was leading on policy solutions to societal problems. At the American Council of Life Insurers, she drove initiatives to address gaps in retirement security and caregiving as well as to advance financial equity and inclusion. As leader of the American Beverage Association, Neely helped Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Dr Pepper form historic partnerships with President Clinton's Global Initiative and First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Campaign. These agreements resulted in a significant reduction in beverage calories consumed in the American diet.

In addition to her trade association leadership, Neely has extensive experience in public service at the state and federal levels. She was Special Assistant to President George W. Bush in the White House as well as the first Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. She also held senior roles with two members of Congress, Congressmen Jim Leach and Sid Morrison, as well as Terry Branstad, the longest serving governor in American history.

Her personal philanthropic commitments center on programs to advance child welfare, global food security, education, presidential history and bipartisan policy solutions. She serves as chair of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, and as a director on the board of the Global Child Nutrition Foundation. Neely was recently named to the George W. Bush Institute Advisory Council to advance policy solutions.  

A third-generation Iowa Hawkeye, Neely graduated from the University of Iowa in 1978 with a double major in Speech & Dramatic Art and French Civilization.  The Neely Graduate Fellowship for Creative Writing supports outstanding women writers in the University of Iowa’s storied Writers’ Workshop.

Neely holds a master’s degree in public administration from Drake University. She is the mother of two adult children, Eve and Ben.