Kelly’s contribution to Executive Coaching: Perspectives and Practices Across the Field, was driven by a desire to give back to a profession she has benefitted from for over three decades, including the priceless mentors, coaches, clients, and colleagues who contributed to her growth.

Sharing both poignant and humorous insights, Kelly brings us through transformational terrain spanning leadership, entrepreneurship and coaching, with hidden gems that emerged along the way. She often uses metaphor to bring concepts to life, expand possibility, and inspire clients to connect their own dots. Her greatest wish is that you gain at least one insight that inspires further clarity on your own transformational journey.

A belief that sustainably effective leadership is an inside-out job has influenced Kelly’s approach. At the heart is a philosophy that leadership is a choice, coaching mastery a lifelong journey, and that continuous learning serves both. Her passion is coaching leaders driven to become the best version of themselves while generating value greater than themselves.

As a young executive, Kelly earned the moniker Coach Kelly from her team. A few years later she became a 40 under Forty leadership honoree (Puget Sound Business Journal). These experiences served to reinforce her long-term vision to become an executive coach.  

Since becoming a professional coach, Kelly has had the honor of coaching international executives and executive teams spanning 6 continents and 30 sectors, from start-up to family-owned to the Fortune 50. Her specialty emerged through lived experience as she became known for helping leaders refine and scale influence and impact to lead larger organizations over time. This led to long-term relationships with clients returning as they anticipated new inflection points—for their own growth, and for the organizations they lead.

In 2014 Kelly received the PRISM Coach Award, Washington State, from the International Coaching Federation, for a multi-year collaboration with colleagues to design and deliver the PRISM Award-winning coaching program for a Seattle-based family foundation. The following year she was invited to join the Forbes Coaches Council.

Over time Kelly emerged as a rare combination of award-winning C-suite leader and executive coach, and member of the top 5% of professionally credentialed coaches worldwide—Master Credentialed Coach (International Coaching Federation), Hudson Master Coach (Hudson Institute of Coaching), and Accredited Coach Supervisor (Coaching Supervision Academy).

To continue contributing to the profession, Kelly provided tailored one-on-one coaching to over 40 coaches-in-training, created and delivered The Business of Coaching workshops at the Hudson Institute of Coaching conferences, served on the non-profit board of the Seattle-based Hudson graduate community, and has served as contributing author to articles and books spanning leadership, entrepreneurship and executive coaching.

Kelly draws inspiration from her musical and entrepreneurial heritage, international upbringing, and partner of 30 years, including the effervescent humor, balancing strengths, and dedication that have made their shared journey possible. Recognizing the signs of a new inflection point, Kelly is investing precious time with family elders while inviting a new chapter to unfold.