Emily Kay Downey

CEO of the Woodford County Chamber of Commerce & University of Kentucky Graduate

Emily Downey is an experienced marketing and business development professional who has spent her career on global partnership, activation, marketing and business development strategies along with working in mergers and acquisitions for due diligence, culture integration and strategic vision planning.

Downey started her career with the global agri-business firm Alltech and is now the President and CEO of EKD Strategies, a marketing and business development firm while serving as the Woodford County Tourism Executive Director and President and CEO of the Woodford County Chamber of Commerce. Emily is also the co-host of What’s Up Woodford.

Downey proudly serves on the Bluegrass Community Hospital Board, WCHS advisory council, and served as the past chairperson for the EMERGE Conference with Commerce Lexington. Emily completed Leadership Woodford County, Leadership Lexington and Leadership Central Kentucky. 

Down is a graduate of Western Kentucky University with her Bachelor's and earned her MBA from University of Kentucky and University of Louisville's Executive MBA program. Downey also did MBA work at the University College of Dublin in the Mini MBA series. 

Downey resides in Versailles with her family- husband William and four kids: Millie (7), Will (6), Molly (3) and Anne Kendall (1).