Kelly is a connector of people, widely known and respected within the speaking industry for consistently delivering outstanding results for clients and speakers.

In her nearly 30 years of experience, she’s earned a reputation for industry knowledge and attention to detail, integrity and reliability, forging long-lasting personal relationships, successfully navigating last-minute client crises, relentless hustle and leveraging speakers’ messaging and styles to maximize audience impact. 

A Tucson, Ariz. native and graduate of the University of Colorado, Boulder, Kelly worked for two Washington, DC-based speakers bureaus, first at Leading Authorities, then at Keppler Speakers, where she served for 27 years, most as a vice president. She is the proud mother of two children, Andrew and Grace, and currently resides in Potomac, MD with her husband, keynote speaker and author Ken Schmidt. She enjoys fitness and yoga, travel, hiking and motorcycling, and is a die-hard Bruce Springsteen fan.