Office of the Mayor
Hello, and welcome to the City of Waverly webpage!
As a lifetime resident of Waverly (with the exception of a few years where I went out and spread my wings after high school), I am honored and humbled to be the elected Mayor of this beautiful town. I have had a front-row seat over the past four decades, watching as Waverly grew, evolved, and strove to meet the needs and demands of an ever-changing and diverse community. I have immense pride in the town and citizens of Waverly.
I am a 2002 graduate of Waverly-Shell Rock High School. I graduated in 2006 with an English degree from UNI, and returned in 2012 to UNI to receive an endorsement in teaching language arts. I taught high school special education for a couple of years, and also received an endorsement in special education during that time. I worked as the Director of Discipleship for a large church, where I taught, lead, and sat on state-wide and nation-wide committees. Through my professional experiences, I have cultivated strong leadership, communication, and education skills. I was raised in a business-minded family that had a significant impact in town development, and have carried that tradition forward. My husband and I currently own our own building and remodeling business. Experience has given me a deep knowledge and understanding of construction, home building, and budgeting.
My roots run deep in this community, and I have spent a significant amount of time in community volunteer efforts. Starting in high school (yes, about 25 years ago!), I was giving back to my community by being a part of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters now-defunct High School Buddies program and mentored a younger girl. I have served on and became the president of my children’s parent teacher committee. I was a co-leader for my daughter’s Girl Scout troop for 6 years, coached boys and girls soccer for 6 seasons, coached boys and girls t-ball, boys baseball, and flag football for 3 seasons. I have helped with several community organizations, including Oktoberfest, United Way, and others. In 2020, I started a socially-distanced Easter egg hunt that ran for 2 years. I also founded the Waverly Winter Lights Christmas Parade that had a successful 5 year run. In 2023, I started Riptide Community Closet, where we provide funds and equipment for extracurricular activities for kids, so every child can participate in activities and not be excluded due to financial constraints.
My husband and I got married in 2020 and combined our families. Together, we have two boys and two girls. Our children are Tori, who is in college, and Kasey, Prentice, and Isaac, who are in high school. We have a very active household, and you will often see us at the rugby pitch, softball field, or mat side at a wrestling tournament. Our favorite family pastime is traveling, and we have been to several states and countries as a family. We are all certified SCUBA divers as well, and if you ask any of us questions about traveling or SCUBA diving, you may never get us to stop talking.
Waverly is a forward-thinking community that offers a multitude of events and activities for families and individuals to be involved in. We have a safe city, great recreational opportunities, fun stores, a fantastic library, wonderful dining… and the list goes on. My passion is to spread community unity, bringing opportunities for us to band together and work towards a positive future. I am creating videos that explain and break down city council meetings, and believe strongly in an informed city.
If you are interested in more information about Waverly, whether it’s recreation, housing, or tourism, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am always willing to have a friendly chat or meet up for a vanilla latte, too!
Kristin A. Happel, Mayor