Bio
KARA J KELLEY
More than anything, I believe seasoned leaders must remain students of their own leadership—curious about how they are experienced, willing to challenge assumptions shaped by success, and open to evolving as the world around them changes.
The women of IWF know something about leadership that cannot be learned from a book. We have made difficult decisions, led through uncertainty, carried responsibility for people and institutions, and learned that experience does not necessarily make leadership simpler. Often, it gives us a deeper appreciation for its complexity. That’s why I value IWF as a rare global sisterhood where accomplished women can bring that experience into honest conversation with one another—and continue learning together.
That is also where my passion lies: helping accomplished leaders navigate the difficult waters of seasoned leadership. I am particularly interested in how we continue to grow after decades of experience; how we remain curious when others increasingly look to us for answers; and how we recognize when approaches that once served us well may need to evolve.
My own leadership journey has taught me that experience gives us judgment, but it can also give us certainty—and some of my most important growth has come from learning when to trust the former and question the latter.
At the center of that work is a question I return to often: What does our leadership make possible for the people we lead and the institutions we serve?
I bring more than three decades of executive leadership, governance, public service and strategic advising to that question. Through The Kelley Company, which I founded in 2010, I have advised CEOs, senior executives, boards and public leaders on leadership, strategy, communication, governance and organizational effectiveness. I currently serve on the Las Vegas City Council and as Vice Chair of the Colorado River Commission of Nevada, with responsibilities involving Nevada’s Colorado River water and hydropower resources. Earlier in my career, I became the first woman to lead the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, serving as President and CEO of an organization representing more than 7,000 businesses.
Advancing women’s leadership has been a meaningful thread throughout my career. I helped conceive and launch Young Presidents’ Organization’s first international conference for women and, as President of IWF Nevada, helped establish the Forum’s first formal mentoring program.
I welcome the opportunity to continue the conversation about leadership with IWF sisters around the world. I invite you to reach out personally or connect with me on LinkedIn.
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