Have you ever stopped to think about the people who didn’t have to help you—but did anyway? The ones who showed up with encouragement, opened doors for you, and believed in you long before you believed in yourself?

Katie Coyne was one of those people—for me, and for so many others in the dairy community.

In this special episode of the Uplevel Dairy Podcast, we are joined by Katie’s daughter, Kelly Reynolds, to reflect on Katie’s life and legacy, followed by the conversation Katie and I had one year ago, called “Leading with Courage and Confidence.”

Katie was a steadfast mentor, a voice for youth in agriculture, and a woman who gave freely of her time, wisdom, and spirit.

This episode was recorded during the final chapter of Katie’s journey here on earth. I knew it was time to sit down with her—not just to thank her, but to honor her story. To let her share in her own words the values she stood for, the lessons she learned, and why pouring into others always mattered most.

Katie’s impact will live on in every life she touched.This episode is a celebration of that legacy.

And tune into our next episode to hear the last conversation we had with Katie on the Uplevel Dairy Podcast.