A Calling to Care: Baylor Nurse Educator Named Waco Under 40 Honoree

Contact: Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin, 254-327-8012
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Baylor University’s Katy Vogelaar, B.S.N. ’09, D.N.P. ’17, clinical assistant professor in the Louise Herrington School of Nursing, has been named a 2026 Waco Under 40 honoree by the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce.

Each year, the Greater Waco Chamber recognizes individuals under the age of 40 who have distinguished themselves through professional achievement, community impact and service. Nominees represent young leaders who demonstrate a tremendous positive impact in their respective industries and go beyond the call of duty to give back to the community and make Waco a better place to live. 

A two-time Baylor graduate and a board-certified family nurse practitioner, Vogelaar teaches courses for future Baylor nurses and nurse practitioners, including Introduction to the Art and Science of Nursing; Communication, Ethics and Resiliency in the Nursing Profession; and Community and Culture, while serving Waco residents through her clinical practice at Allergy and Asthma Care of Waco. 

Beyond her academic and clinical responsibilities, Vogelaar has demonstrated her deep commitment to healthcare and the local community by helping launch the Highland Baptist Church Wellness Clinic, where she provides weekly care to patients who are uninsured and underinsured. 

For Vogelaar, nursing is more than a profession – it is a calling rooted in her own childhood experience. 

“My twin and I were born prematurely, and there were a lot of health complications, with my sister specifically. Every year on our birthday, my parents would show us pictures of the nurses holding us in the NICU,” Vogelaar said. “They would talk about the difference those nurses made and share how the nurses gave them hope and encouragement. The nurses prayed with them and made them feel like everything was going to be okay.”

Those stories left a lasting impression and inspired her career path. 

“From that early moment of hearing about this and looking at the pictures, I knew I wanted to make that kind of impact on somebody else's life,” she said. “It’s why I'm passionate about nursing and about caring for other people.”

The Waco Under 40 program aims to engage the community by identifying and celebrating young leaders and encouraging the next generation to step forward and serve. It also seeks to foster an atmosphere that encourages mentor/mentee relationships and spread awareness about the importance of investing in the next generation of leaders.

Vogelaar, along with her husband, Mike, and four children, is deeply involved in the Waco community, serving at their local church, Harris Creek, and volunteering with nonprofits that support at-risk children and families. In addition to her work in the Greater Waco community, Vogelaar has participated in international medical missions to Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Kenya, further demonstrating her dedication to underserved populations globally. 

Vogelaar and fellow recipients will be honored at the 2026 Waco Under 40 Celebration at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, at Bird Kultgen, 1701 W Loop 340 in Waco. The event is free and open to the community.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for nearly 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.