Ashley Vanorny sees her influence manifesting in a variety of areas. As the second-youngest person ever elected to the Cedar Rapids City Council in 2017 (age 32 at the time), Ms. Vanorny said she tries to represent the millennial and Generation Z generations in government affairs at a variety of levels. “I tend to be […]
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Click here to purchase a paywall bypass linkAshley Vanorny sees her influence manifesting in a variety of areas.
As the second-youngest person ever elected to the Cedar Rapids City Council in 2017 (age 32 at the time), Ms. Vanorny said she tries to represent the millennial and Generation Z generations in government affairs at a variety of levels.
“I tend to be one of the youngest people at any of the tables that I’m at,” Ms. Vanorny said. “I feel a lot of times like I’m counteracting or trying to be extremely present, because I want to represent this other large section of the population that doesn’t realize they deserve a seat at the table.”
She’s also a proud lifelong resident of the west side of Cedar Rapids (now owning the house where she spent her childhood), a passionate advocate for women, and a voice for health care and mental care issues on the council and as a clinic administrator for UnityPoint Health.
“All of the things that have happened, whether intentional or happened to me or around me, have changed the course of the river for me, made me a stronger person, and gave me much more depth,” Ms. Vanorny said.
She also speaks passionately about the influence and support of her father, Dan Vanorny, a farmer and longtime Duane Arnold Energy Center mechanic who passed away in March 2011 after spending nine months in a coma following a motorcycle accident. A hard hat bearing his name sits atop her desk at City Hall.
“I feel like I hear him now more than ever,” Ms. Vanorny said. “I haven’t been able to speak to him since 2010, [but] he always taught me the value of hard work. Being a farmer’s daughter, I was expected to work hard. It wasn’t the exception.”
From working multiple jobs to pay her way through school at the University of Iowa to becoming the youngest-ever president of the Iowa League of Cities in 2023, Ms. Vanorny says she’s used to the notion of persevering through obstacles. She’s a regular presence at community events and can generally be counted on to share her views on several topics during council meetings – “maybe to the chagrin of [other] council members. I’m pretty sure I’ve caught an eye roll or two. But I’ve been pleasantly surprised how I’ve been able to hold my own and how (my age) hasn’t prevented me from showing up or being heard.”
Several Cedar Rapids City Council members wrote letters of recommendation for Ms. Vanorny.
“Ashley has worked hard to become an advocate for citizens in her council district as well as for various causes important to the community,” councilmember Scott Overland wrote. “Ashley’s leadership and willingness to get involved in working on tough problems makes her well-qualified for this award. Specifically, she has played a key [role] in educating the council and citizens about human trafficking. Ashley has been a tireless advocate for those unable to protect themselves from this heinous crime.”
“Ashley is a leader that gets out from behind her desk at City Hall and does the hand-to-hand work in the community to move the needle,” councilmember Tyler Olson said. “Ashley also has a record of lending her voice to causes that do not necessarily receive a lot of attention and finds ways to raise their profile.”
“Ashley has developed a brand of activism with an emphasis on supporting underserved individuals in our community, including children in foster care, families experiencing food insecurity, and members of the LGBTQ+ community,” councilmember David Maier added. “Ashley serves as a role model for women in the community to help them find and use their voice to support diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and get involved with, including leadership positions (with), nonprofit organizations that support these initiatives.”
Ms. Vanorny has several favorite quotes in her repertoire, but one that she references often is a phrase that once graced her business card, from Leslie Knope’s character on the TV sitcom “Parks and Recreation” — “I care. I care a lot. It’s kind of my thing.”
And she takes special pride in hearing from others who have been uplifted by her work.
“When you have people who are several generations ahead of you saying ‘you really inspire me,’ You’re thinking, ‘gosh, that’s an award all in itself,’” she said. “Just realizing how many people you can represent and inspire, whether you meant to or not.”
