For more than 15 years, Kelly has been using Polarities – holding two seemingly-opposites at once, e.g., Structure::Flexibility, Decentralize::Centralize, Confidence::Humility, etc – as a lens to help leaders and organizations navigate some of their most complex challenges. Kelly is particularly curious about the roles identity and vulnerability play in helping people be effective in the midst of paradoxical tensions. She works from a principle that leadership is a way of being, not just something we do, and is known by her clients as a coach that “finds the just right place in between support and challenge” as well as a “thought partner who leverages her mastery of polarities coupled with her experience as a Fortune 500 executive to understand the context”. In addition to coaching and consulting, Kelly teaches about paradox in leadership at Georgetown’s Institute for Transformational Leadership, the University of Notre Dame, and the University of Maryland. She is the co-author of Navigating Polarities: Using Both/And Thinking to Lead Transformation and the co-creator of the Polarity Navigator, a sense making tool to deal with polarities, and the Key Polarity Indicator, a 360 assessment that identifies and measures some of the key polarities that contribute to leadership effectiveness.
Kelly lives in Richmond, VA, with the loves of her life – her husband, Glenn, and their furry child, Charlie. Kelly is happiest when she is growing and finds abiding joy in her role as “Auntie Kelly”, her yoga practice, exploring beautiful spaces and places, and discovering what makes people smile.
Education and Training:
Kelly earned her coaching certificate from Georgetown University. She is a Master in Polarity Thinking and has been a Professional Certified Coach since 2008. Kelly is certified in multiple assessment tools, including in the Key Polarity Indicator and Leadership Circle Profile. Kelly did her undergraduate studies in Business and Sociology and earned a B.S. from Virginia Tech University.