Meet Your Connector

An Indiana native, Kelli’s childhood dreams of serving others and becoming a musical superstar - coupled with her inquisitive personality and writing talents - ignited her yearning to be a “Voice for the Voiceless.” Kelli started pursuing this calling by obtaining her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Ball State University and is currently earning a Master of Arts from Johns Hopkins University with a concentration in Political Communication.

 

Kelli served as an expert source in social impact and Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) communications, employee advocacy, and corporate communications for the Coca-Cola Company. Before this role, she was the Director of Communications for the Georgia Municipal Association (GMA). Here, she was the publisher for the association’s bi-monthly magazine, Georgia’s Cities, which has a national reach, including state and federal legislators and leaders across Georgia. Kelli also led a team of skilled communicators to effectively shape and amplify the association’s pillars of advocacy, service, and innovation to elected officials in Georgia’s 537 cities. Kelli employed her comprehensive crisis communications skills to lead the strategy and implementation of the association’s COVID-19 response to members, national media, and stakeholders at the federal level.

 

In June 2020, GMA leaders tapped Kelli to serve as the co-chair for the association’s Equity and Inclusion Task Force. In this role, Kelli led the equity and inclusion efforts and conversation of a 90-person staff. She also supported the association’s Equity and Inclusion Commission, which comprised 25 mayors and council members.

 

Kelli is evolving as a thought leader in the local government space and has been called on to give presentations and contribute to the National League of Cities, Black Enterprise, the Emerging Local Government Leaders organization, and Georgia’s Government Communicators on crisis communications, communicating social justice to stakeholders, social media tactics for elected officials and more.

 

Kelli also co-founded We Thrive Media LLC. in 2015, where she specialized in executing bold corporate communications solutions and targeted public relations campaigns before moving to her current business, Kelli Says So LLC.

 

Before her current roles, Kelli seamlessly transitioned from the nonprofit sector to the technology industry, working as the communications manager for a group of audio-visual integrators.

 

When not constructing intriguing story angles or devising brand marketing strategies, Kelli finds escape in time with her family and sister-friends, singing on the Worship Team at her church, and serving her beloved Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. She Thrives on the belief that with God, all things are possible.