.158 Kelly Stoetzel

When I first met Kelly, I remember thinking that I was lucky. Lucky to have experienced the kindness that radiates from her, and lucky to have witnessed such a powerful builder and connector of love, ideas and joy. The insane bonus for me was that I would later end up as her intern, followed by being her colleague. Each day was an absolute masterclass on how to invite people in and treat them with respect, deep empathy, encouragement, and compassion. There are certain people who make the world a better place through their very existence, and one of them is Kelly.

From the moment you meet her, Kelly is focused and makes you feel like you’re the only one in the room. A true force of intelligence and a fierce advocate for good, she’s brilliant, eloquent, and wonderfully magnetic with her energy and her words. One of my favorite things about her, that I learned from her, is the value and power of being honest and vulnerable. Kelly is so good at being a real human being, open and curious to the world around her. That sense of awe trickles down to those around her and I’m fortunate to have experienced her positivity and boldness first-hand.

For myself and what I’m sure is everyone in the TED community and beyond, Kelly is a beautiful example of what it means to lead and be a role model. She brings her strength, her resilience, her wit and her support into everything she does and she reaches back to bring you forward every step of the way. She is honestly just one of the best humans I’ve met.

Kelly, thank you so much for being such a mentor, teacher, and friend to me and so many others. Thank you for inspiring those around you to be better humans just by being yourself. Thank you for always making me laugh, for your contagious laugh, for energetic and passionate spirit, and for bring such a spark to this crazy, chaotic world. Thank you for taking the time to chat with me, today and always, and for being so encouraging and uplifting. Thank you, Kelly, for being all that you are!

-BD