Katie Meyer, beloved wife, daughter, mother, sister, grandmother, and friend, passed away on the morning of April 16 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Katie, born April 28, 1984, will be remembered for the way she lived: fully, generously, and fearlessly. She was brilliant, vibrant, thoughtful, and kind. Her spirit, humor, and compassion left a lasting mark on everyone who knew her.
Her loss is immeasurable, but so is the impact she leaves behind in the countless lives she touched around the world, in her community, and in her family.
Katie was a proud Covingtonian; wherever she was in the world, Covington was always home. She grew up in Old Seminary Square, attended Sixth District and Latonia Elementary, and graduated from Covington Latin in 2000. While in high school, she competed on behalf of the United States in the 1999 Trampoline & Tumbling World Championships in South Africa.
Katie earned a bachelors from the University of Kentucky and a Masters in Urban Policy from the New School in New York City. She travelled the world during her studies, immersing herself in South and Central America, working in public administration in New Delhi, India and in British Columbia, Canada. Yet her heart remained in Covington, and she returned here in 2010.
When she returned, she embraced a mission to improve our city that she would never let go.
Her dedication to that mission was profoundly evident in her work as Executive Director of Renaissance Covington from 2010 to 2019. Katie was a driving force behind the revitalization of downtown Covington. She championed economic growth, supported small businesses, and helped to cultivate Covington’s vibrant sense of place that so many continue to love today.
Katie was instrumental in launching and growing community events including the Farmer’s Market, RoeblingFest, Art Off Pike, the Covington Night Bazaar, and the Running of the Goats, while also helping to lay the groundwork for the city’s long-term sustainability and success. In 2015, she became a published author when she co-wrote Walking Cincinnati, a guide that highlighted the history and culture of many Cincinnati and NKY neighborhoods. In 2017, the national organization Main Street America awarded Renaissance Covington the “Great American Main Street Award” in recognition of Katie’s accomplishments.
In March 2012, Katie’s drive to build community led her and her wife, Bonnie, to open Pike Street Lounge, a vibrant gathering place built around creativity and hospitality. It stood as a reflection of Katie’s gift for bringing people together and creating spaces where others felt welcome – all while she was continuing her important placemaking work in a variety of other roles.
After helping to create a public internet network in Covington, Katie joined Cincinnati Bell in 2019 to lead UniCity, the company’s national “smart cities” initiative. While at Cincinnati Bell/Altafiber, Katie worked with cities around the country, from Honolulu HI to Dayton OH, to broaden access to the internet and technology.
In August of 2023, Katie became the CEO of the Downtown Dayton Partnership, where she championed economic development, supported small businesses, and helped create a more vibrant, connected, and inclusive community. While in Dayton, she served on the Board of Directors of Heritage Ohio, YWCA Dayton (OH), Boys and Girls Club of Dayton (OH). The Boys and Girls club of Dayton described Katie as “a remarkable leader, a courageous voice for equity, and a radical champion for young people.”
Katie’s sense of leadership and civic duty was also evident through her roles in numerous other organizations, including serving as a board member for organizations such as Be Concerned, the Covington Business Council, the Kentucky Foundation for Women, and Skyward. Katie served on the development committees of the Esperanza Latino Center and the Life Learning Center, and chaired the Outstanding Women of Northern Kentucky Awards in 2023.
Yet there was perhaps no endeavor that illustrated Katie’s fiercely inclusive spirit better than her work with Northern Kentucky Pride and the NKY Pride Center. Katie was the incredibly tenacious and deeply organized driving force behind so much of the Northern Kentucky Pride Center’s work. She didn’t just believe in making Northern Kentucky a safer, more inclusive, and vibrant place for the LGBTQ+ community, she actively made it happen.
She was a true advocate with a rare talent for turning ideas into action and making people – from first-time volunteers to long-time advocates – feel welcomed, valued, and essential. Whether she was helping lead the creation of the NKY Pride Awards, coordinating PrideFest and the parade, or simply connecting members of the community, Katie showed up when it mattered most. Always. Her impact will continue to be felt in the community she helped build and the example she set for others.
Katie was also a devoted and beloved mother, and her children wish to share what she meant to them. She taught them to dream bigger than they ever imagined, and to believe they were capable of achieving anything – including traveling to places they once only dreamed of. She widened their perspectives on life in ways too countless to name, and was both a mentor and a hero to them. Katie is, and always will be, the light of their world. In her final year, her grandson Dax brought her endless joy – she was so very happy to be his Kkay and we are so deeply grateful that she got to spend that time loving him and being loved by him.
Above all, Katie’s greatest love was her wife, Dr. Bonnie Meyer, who was the center of her world and her trusted partner. From the moment they met in 2011, they were inseparable–it was love at first sight. They wed in New York City’s Central Park in 2012, and together they built a life filled with love and passion – for each other, for their friends, and for a better world.
She is also survived by her loving parents: Joe and Dale Meyer; children: Alyssa Nickles and Kyle (Jade) Nickles; brothers: Chris (Megan) Meyer, David (Marisa McNee) Meyer and Jon (Maranda) Meyer; grandchild: Dax Nickles; niece: Lydia Meyer and nephews: Lucas Meyer and Ryan Meyer.
A celebration of Katie’s life will be announced in the coming days. Her family looks forward to gathering with all who loved her to honor the extraordinary life she lived.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that contributions be made in Katie’s memory to the NKY Pride Center, an organization close to her heart.
Katie’s life was a gift, and her legacy will continue to live on in the communities she shaped and the people she inspired.