Meet Kelly

To our community:

When introducing myself, my audience often determines where I start and what I share. Two of my most frequent versions sound like this:

“Hi, I’m Kelly! I’ve been working in the nonprofit space for well over a decade and have been in Chicago for most of that time. I’m really passionate about impact-driven strategy and leadership development. I’m on the senior leadership team at a nonprofit venture philanthropy fund and am starting my MBA in the fall. In my free time I love to run and practice yoga.”

“Hi! I’m Kelly! I’ve been teaching yoga for about six years- I’m trained in hatha, ashtanga, restorative and ayurveda. I’m really passionate about cultivating a holistic yoga practice that taps into the full lifestyle and philosophy, not just the physical aspects many Americans are more familiar with. When I’m not teaching and practicing, I work for a nonprofit.”

Over the past few years I’ve pushed to be my full self as often as possible, but more often than not big parts of me end up being hidden away to meet the expectations of the circumstances I’m in. A few years ago I was given a generous budget to seek out meaningful professional development as part of a fellowship program. After a leader of the program gently pointed out that I seemed much more passionate about leading and creating through the lens of my yogi identity vs. my nonprofit leader identity, I decided to seek an experience where I could marry the “two-halves” of my identity while developing and learning instead of picking a lane. With excitement to fully own my full, authentic self I started looking for a retreat or training that fit the bill. I wasn’t quite sure what I was looking for, but knew I would know it when I found it. Maybe a yoga retreat or workshop for women at pivotal moments in their careers? Or a training about utilizing yoga philosophy as a manager at work. I started researching and looking. And I kept looking. And looking … and found nothing. 

I was frustrated and discouraged, both for myself and for all the other women tired of putting their growth in a box. I knew that I was not the only woman out there looking to de-compartmentalize her life and grow in a holistic, multi-faceted way. I started to realize that when a space you need doesn’t exist, you can either wait for it or you can create it. A little seed began to take root… maybe this space didn’t yet exist because it was mine to make.

Enter Jess. Jess and I met as undergrads at Indiana University (while she was passing the baton from a pretty hefty campus-wide leadership position to me) and reconnected a few years down the line while working at Teach For America. She and I were literally in the trenches together as members of a leadership team trying to navigate a myriad of cultural challenges and change management. Those were difficult and defining years for both of us, and as we’ve moved on to other roles and organizations we have made a point of staying in touch. 

Over wine at one of our catch-up conversations this concept of a holistic space where women can grow in mind, body and spirit came up. The ideal was swirling around in each of us - I can’t even remember who introduced the concept first! - and we realized we both were craving the same space - to share with our communities but also to benefit from ourselves. It didn’t take long for us to get to work. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be imagining, designing and bringing this community to life with Jess. She is truly my dream collaborator- more of a sister than a business partner and the other half of the whole this business needs. 

When we first imagined what has evolved into the six capacities, we were focused on retreats. How could we create practices, moments and experiences that would help women become the best versions of themselves? We imagined leading hikes up volcanoes in Guatemala, hosting farm-to-table dinners in Vermont and guiding sunset meditations in New Mexico with groups of women hungry to merge the professional and the spiritual and to find a community to support their growth. The ongoing crises our country and globe face have challenged us to rethink the concept of a “retreat” which has ultimately made our vision more versatile, inclusive and relevant. The pandemic has challenged us to create a virtual space that allows us to connect while staying safe and the racial equity revolution rising around us pushes us to ensure our anti-racist commitments are present in every single aspect of this business.

Creating and cultivating the six capacities is a true joy for both of us, and we are so excited to share what we love while growing alongside you.

We can’t wait to help you nurture what is already inside of you!

xoxo, 

Kelly