Awards of Excellence:

Kelly Gourley

Kelly Gourley has a Bachelor of Interior Architecture from Kansas State University. In her career, she has been active in the preservation of downtowns including stints with the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office as a Design Specialist for the Michigan Main Street Program. After moving back to Kansas, Kelly has been active in preserving Lincoln’s historic buildings, including obtaining programming and funding for the downtown area. She served on the Kansas Preservation Alliance Board for many years and has given multiple presentations throughout the State on the importance of historic preservation. She currently is the Executive Director of The Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation, a rural economic development non-profit helping businesses and communities grow. The LCEDF collaborates with local governments, community organizations, and volunteers on important issues such as improving housing opportunities, developing travel and tourism into the county, and attracting and retaining youth to the county.