Patty Sneddon-Kisting

Executive director, Urbandale Food Pantry

Age: 39

Spouse: Lisa Sneddon-Kisting

Children: Addison, 4, Hudson (our angel baby), Cooper, 1

Mentor: Mary Lou Warner, executive director, Hemophilia of Iowa

Reasons she is a Forty: Since joining the Urbandale Food Pantry as executive director, Patty carefully balanced leading in a new role, ensuring consistency of service, and completely overhauling the food distribution model during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a board member for Gigi’s Playhouse, a liaison for No Foot Too Small and a class member of the 2021 Community Leadership Program. She serves on the curriculum committee and mentor committee for the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute. In 2021, after hosting a fundraiser in memory of their son, she and her wife were able to donate a Cuddle Cot to Broadlawns Medical Center.  

What are your goals in your role at your company? Right now, I am working on optimizing our current facility to better fit the needs of our families, volunteers and staff. This means developing innovative ways to offer more food more often, expanding our food recovery partners, building on our successes, and hopefully shifting a narrative on who and why people need access to food. 

What are your goals for your community involvement? As a board member for Gigi’s Playhouse, my hope is to continue moving their mission forward and being an advocate for the Down syndrome community. In efforts with No Foot Too Small, I want to continue being a source of support and connection for grieving parents who are navigating their child loss journey.

What's your biggest passion, and why? Connection. Connecting families to the support they need as they navigate their journey, whatever that may be. To break down barriers that are put in place for individuals to access services. To leave the world a better place for my kids to live in, to encourage them to dream big – anything is possible – and to be good humans. 

What is it that drives you? When you’re passionate about specific causes in your life, the ability to lead will organically come through. I have lived on my own since a very young age and this experience plus many others fueled a passion and motivation in me to give back and to help others, and my family.

What are your future aspirations? I hope to continue being a source of support for those who need it, to have passion for whatever my endeavors are, to have a positive impact on the community and the important people in my life. Most importantly, be the biggest cheerleader for my kids. 

Three hobbies: In some form of “spare” time, I enjoy spending it with my family, running races, triathlons and working out. I am a huge Hawkeye fan, although my wife is a Cyclone. I also enjoy helping people feel confident in their skin as a Rodan+Fields consultant.

Fun fact: She played on a Women’s Professional Football team as a linebacker. Patty also helps her wife run their family business, Addi’s Lawn Care, but is not allowed to mow their yard.

One word to describe you: Resilient. 

What is your wish for the Central Iowa business community? To err on the side of grace and gratitude. We have all been through a collective trauma in a variety of ways. I’d like us to use the lessons we have learned over the past two years as a springboard for change, to be a champion for social service issues in our community and find ways to foster inclusion efforts.

Anything else you haven't addressed that people must know about you? Gratitude is a best practice! All of the passions I am able to pursue in my life are because of the support that I have from my amazing wife, my family, friends and the teams in the organizations I work with. I am an early morning person (like 4 a.m. early) and I have worked in a part-time capacity for United Way 211 for the past nine years. 

What's one piece of advice that you would give to a young professional? Vulnerability is strength. When you feel uncomfortable – lean in. Uncommunicated expectations will never be met. You deserve a seat at the table. Complicated feelings can coexist. Fail forward: Find mentors in your life or individuals who do something well, and see how you can make it your own. 

What is one issue you would like to see Central Iowa leaders address? It is crucial that all families have access to vital support systems. With the increasing number of families falling into need, there needs to be focus on creating or discovering innovative ways to support limited-income families in our community. Specifically, we should be looking at creating collaborative partnerships between nonprofits and for-profit companies to develop new ways of providing services and streamlining systems that are currently in place.