At age 31, Skye (Varner) McNiel may be “young” by some standards, but a quick glance at her résumé leaves no doubt this former Bristow FFA member embraces life’s opportunities – and challenges – with enthusiasm.

She’s an integral part of her family’s business, a wife, a mother of two, and the Oklahoma state representative for District 29. She credits FFA for her strong communication skills as well as her dedication, determination and professionalism.

“There was never a question I would be in FFA,” McNiel said. “It is the one high school experience I would do over and over again.”

As an FFA member, McNiel developed skills through her supervised agricultural experience program, which included showing cattle and sheep as well as managing feedlot cattle, commercial cattle and land for grazing and haying. She also gained public speaking expertise.

“Extemporaneous public speaking was the most challenging FFA experience I had,” she said, “but it gave me a boost for what I do today.”

McNiel’s hard work and leadership skills earned her the Oklahoma Star In Agribusiness award in 1996, just three years after her brother, Pokey Varner, captured the same title. Joe Stephens, their former FFA advisor, said he remembers having Skye in the chapter.

“Skye had a strong back and a strong mind,” Stephens said. “She was not afraid to voice her opinion about what our FFA chapter needed to be doing.”

After high school, McNiel attended Oklahoma State University and earned an agricultural communications/animal science degree in 2000. Her collegiate experiences included serving as an agricultural legislative intern.

“Although I originally wanted to be a lobbyist, politics were always in the back of my mind,” McNiel said.

Before entering the political arena in 2006, however, McNiel worked in marketing for Community Bank in Bristow and then owned and operated her own floral shop. When she decided to run for state representative, she was eight months pregnant with daughter Jamison. Her husband, Pecos, and older daughter Paike Marie, now age 6, supported her throughout the campaign as did Stephens.

“When Skye first told me she was running, I was a little nervous for her because she was so young,” Stephens said. “But to me this is just an extension of all the things that went on in FFA.

“It does not surprise me she is successful because she is so dedicated to what she does and so self-motivated to do the right thing.”

Now in her second term, McNiel continues to provide a voice for Oklahoma agriculture.

“You have to put yourself out there and take a chance,” she said.

She serves as vice chairwoman of the Natural Resources, Budget and Appropriations committee as well as the Republican Caucus. She serves on the CareerTech and Higher Education committee and the Economic Development and Financial Services committee. She also was appointed by Speaker Chris Benge to the Speaker’s Leadership Team.

When she’s not fulfilling her state representative duties, McNiel still does bookkeeping for Varner and Varner, her family’s order-buying business.

“I always make time to go back to my roots and help with the family business,” she said. “I want my girls to grow up knowing family is our first priority.”

McNiel said her success is due in large part to her family’s support, which has allowed her to follow her dreams.

“Paike Marie tells me ‘Mommy, I love you to the Capitol and back,’” McNiel said. “It’s great to know she’s proud of what I’m doing.”

Even with the champion-level success McNiel has achieved, she is quick to give credit to the FFA for the foundation it provided.

“FFA is the one thing I will require of my daughters,” she said. “Everything you do [in FFA] just prepares you for life.”