Staff
Your Clay County team working to strengthen the relationships between our vibrant businesses and the citizens of Clay County as a whole. We work on behalf of our community businesses and organizations to promote ever-growing strength and unity.
Natalie Muruato
Executive Director
Natalie Muruato is a rural leader by choice and entrepreneur at heart. She comes to Kansas from South Dakota, where she was dual-executive director over the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Group in a small community bordering the Missouri River. Natalie obtained her Basic Economic Development Certification in 2021. Prior, she was City Administrator for the City of Belfield, a small town in the Bakken Oil Fields of North Dakota.
In 2017, Natalie graduated from the NDSU Rural Leadership program, setting out to make a difference in the communities she lived and worked. Later that year, Natalie was awarded the ND League of Cities Leadership Excellence Award.
In 2004, Natalie moved to rural North Dakota from Las Vegas, Nevada. She and her husband owned several small businesses in North Dakota, including a restaurant, bowling alley, and construction company. Natalie attended Utah Valley University, Southern Nevada College, and Dickinson State University. She is a Business and Professional Women of Clay Center member and serves on the Clay Center Housing Authority board.
Natalie believes it is her responsibility to leave the world a little better because she was there and enjoys helping entrepreneurs realize their dreams of starting a business.
Taylor Mall
Marketing & Event Coordinator
Taylor Mall is the Marketing and Event Coordinator for Grow Clay County. She graduated from Clay Center Community High School in 2017 and went on to graduate from Cloud County Community College in 2019 with a degree in General Business Management. Taylor decided to move back to her hometown in 2021 when she was offered a position with the Clay Center Area Chamber of Commerce. She has worked to plan and market community events, as well as market Clay County to travelers and tourists. She currently serves on the Community Outreach Committee and the Explore Clay County Advisory Board and continually strives to improve and promote our beautiful community.
Alicia Paul
Insurance Navigator & Rural Champion
Alicia Paul is a Clay County native and grew up spending holidays and summers with family in Clay Center before deciding to move back home to finish high school and establish roots for her own family. She has been active in the community since obtaining her degree in General Business Management from Cloud County Community College in 2015.
Alicia is our Childcare Rural Champion working in coordination with the State of Kansas Office of Rural Prosperity to help improve childcare for Clay County residents. Alicia also serves as a Certified Marketplace Insurance Navigator; navigation services are offered for free through Grow Clay County and help individuals and families find affordable health insurance options as well as any assistance programs that may fit their needs.
Having the opportunity to make an impact in her hometown is something near and dear to Alicia. “Working for Grow Clay County is one of the most rewarding opportunities I have ever had. Helping my clients navigate what can sometimes be very stressful scenarios and helping my community in such a positive impactful way is truly what I believe I was meant to do.”
Alicia spends her free time with her three children, traveling and helping with local charities for families in need. Stop by our office to see how she can help you GROW in our community!
Kathryn Doster
Office Administrator & Navigator Assistant
Kathryn Doster is the Office Administrator and Navigator Assistant for Grow Clay County. She graduated from CCCHS in 2019 and went on to graduate from Kansas State University in 2023 earning a Bachelors of Science in Human Development and Family Sciences. Kathryn and her fiancé, Deven, welcomed their first child, Colton James, in 2023. Kathryn enjoys spending time with her family and taking their fur babies on walks at the walking trails. She is excited to work for Grow Clay County and to watch this community grow into its true beautiful self.
Sharon Evans
Finance Manager
Sharon Evans is the financial fairy of Grow Clay County and keeps the staff on their toes. She joined the team after 43 years in the accounting department at Hutchinson/Mayrath and did a short accounting stent with the Clay Center Family Physicians in 1991. Sharon and her husband, Ed, raised two beautiful children, Jared and Bethany, and have five grandchildren, Jasmyn, Jake, Aaron, Jillian, and Lane.
Sharon enjoys flower gardening, reading, and family traditions. She is her grandchildren's biggest cheerleader in their favorite sports.
Office Hours and Location