Executive Director - CWS

KATHRYN MORRISSEY BIO

Kathryn’s career path has been as unpredictable as a back-door slider.  She graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln with a degree in journalism and a secondary teaching certificate.  Her job history includes public relations for a community mental health center, a stint in state government working for the Iowa Attorney General and twelve years in the corporate world at Mutual Omaha.  While at Mutual, Kathryn managed corporate philanthropy, community relations, wrote for internal publications, scripted audio-visual shows, created sales promotion materials and crafted executive speeches.  She also completed several special projects for the chairman and presidents in addition to being part of a convention services team.

Kathryn was introduced to the inner workings of the College World Series in 1988 when she was elected to its board of directors.   That role expanded after joining her husband, Dan, as a partner in Meeting & Event Design – a full-service convention and event planning company.  College World Series, Inc. was one of several accounts but quickly expanded to absorb the majority of her time. 

On June 10, 2008, College World Series of Omaha, Inc. signed an agreement with the NCAA to keep the CWS in Omaha through 2036.  With such a long-term commitment, the CWS, Inc. all-volunteer board determined it was time to move from exclusively using out-sourced vendors to full-time staff.  Kathryn became the first CWS, Inc. executive director in 2010.

Kathryn is a graduate of Leadership Omaha, the Governor of the Nebraska Society of Mayflower Descendants and an active volunteer for the Dundee-Memorial Park Neighborhood Association.  She has been married to Dan for 35 years.  They have two children – Colleen who will earn her PhD from Ohio State and is at Valpariaso University  – and Joe who recently earned his Charter Financial Analyst designation and started an investment services firm in Minneapolis.  Both were student athletes in college – in fencing and basketball respectively.