First Lady Kay McDowell

Kay McDowell became the First Lady of Lubbock Christian University when her husband, Scott, was appointed LCU’s seventh president. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Freed-Hardeman University.  She married Scott in 1990, and together, they have served continually as champions for Christian education and strong Christian faith communities.

As a first-generation college graduate, Kay launched and built an impactful career working for the second largest privately held public relations firm in the Southeast. As her career advanced, she was privileged to lead efforts to elevate brands like Johnston & Murphy, Martha White Foods, and the GM Subsidiary – Saturn.

After taking ten years away from her career during the early years of motherhood, Kay later joined Mitchell Communications, a dentsu mcgarrybowen agency, as an Executive Vice President of Public Relations. During her 11-year career with Mitchell she led integrated marketing campaigns for nationally recognized brands including Procter & Gamble, Mattel, Hot Wheels, Barbie, Cracker Barrel, Massage Envy, and Tyson Foods. In September 2021, she was appointed as the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce CEO and President, leading a diverse team of volunteer business leaders and professional staff to fulfill the Chamber’s mission to strengthen, promote, and serve the Lubbock business community.

Kay combines her professional experience and passion for Christian education in service to Lubbock Christian University. In her role as First Lady, Kay serves as a consultant for the LCU Marketing and Communications Office and as a resource for LCU’s Communication Department. Her passion is to mentor young women and men as they prepare for a career in Public Relations. Kay eagerly invests in students, just as her professors and mentors invested in her.

At home, Kay is an aspiring "Iron Chef," who loves opening her home to students, friends, and associates for meals and fostering relationships. She's also an enthusiastic "boy mom," who enjoys spending time with her three unique and loving sons: Alec, a Lipscomb University graduate and mechanical engineer; Cade, an LCU graduate and student at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine; and Cole, a student at the University of West Alabama in Livingston, Alabama and member of the football team.