Kelly grew up in Wisconsin, spending summers on Lake Michigan immersed in nature—fishing, swimming, boating, hiking and exploring nearby islands. A family sailing trip to Alaska with Lindblad Expeditions sparked her love for wildlife and adventure travel. In college, her passion for climbing, canyoneering, scuba diving and backpacking fueled her exploration of wild places around the world.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from the University of Colorado-Boulder, where she joined Seamester, a study abroad program aboard the 112-foot sailing vessel Argo. For three and a half months, Kelly and her crew sailed over 4,850 nautical miles through the Caribbean, studying marine biology, oceanography and leadership while learning to scuba dive. She later earned a master’s in tourism management from Colorado State University.

At Ocean First in Boulder, Kelly worked as a travel administrator, retail specialist, and scuba guide, leading group trips worldwide. Diving highlights include swimming with whale sharks in the Galápagos, freediving with orcas in Baja, and snorkeling with humpbacks in Mo’orea. Since joining Nat Hab, she’s explored Southern Africa extensively, with Botswana as a favorite. At home, Kelly loves trail running, biking, climbing and outdoor adventures with friends and dogs.