Hi, I’m Kelly……and I build bridges of opportunity.
Entrepreneur, Gen-Z Expert, Impact Strategist.
During my early years, my future seemed crystal clear. As an exceptional student with outstanding grades and immense potential, I had set my sights on achieving the highest levels of academic success. But then, I was struck with illness.
As a teenager, I spent years in the hospital, struggling to continue my education and keep pace with my classmates. Despite my best efforts, my doctors eventually forbade me from studying due to the adverse effects it had on my health.
It was devastating having that choice taken from me.
Self-improvement feels essential to me. However, in true Kelly fashion, I am someone who always finds a way. So, I began to study books under the covers at night, immersing myself in my favourite subjects and pushing myself to keep up with the coursework.
In spite of spending three years in the hospital, I graduated with my classmates, and even received honours. Looking back, I see this as a pivotal moment in my life. It was the moment I chose to reclaim my power and refuse to let my circumstances define my potential. I recognized that the only person who could shape my future was me.
In spite of spending three years in the hospital, I graduated with my classmates, and even received honours. Looking back, I see this as a pivotal moment in my life. It was the moment I chose to reclaim my power and refuse to let my circumstances define my potential. I recognized that the only person who could shape my future was me.
During my early years, my future seemed crystal clear. As an exceptional student with outstanding grades and immense potential, I had set my sights on achieving the highest levels of academic success. But then, I was struck with illness.
As a teenager, I spent years in the hospital, struggling to continue my education and keep pace with my classmates. Despite my best efforts, my doctors eventually forbade me from studying due to the adverse effects it had on my health.
It was devastating having that choice taken from me.
Self-improvement feels essential to me. However, in true Kelly fashion, I am someone who always finds a way. So, I began to study books under the covers at night, immersing myself in my favourite subjects and pushing myself to keep up with the coursework.
In spite of spending three years in the hospital, I graduated with my classmates, and even received honours. Looking back, I see this as a pivotal moment in my life. It was the moment I chose to reclaim my power and refuse to let my circumstances define my potential. I recognized that the only person who could shape my future was me.
In spite of spending three years in the hospital, I graduated with my classmates, and even received honours. Looking back, I see this as a pivotal moment in my life. It was the moment I chose to reclaim my power and refuse to let my circumstances define my potential. I recognized that the only person who could shape my future was me.
I got back on the traditional education route…
it didn’t work out.
After spending the majority of my teenage years in the hospital, I had no resume to showcase or other credentials that could assist me in finding employment or getting into university. Therefore, I had to become innovative and resourceful. I decided to volunteer, seek alternative education, and engage in mentorship programs to establish my credibility.
Through my determination and effort, I was able to shift my focus back to academics and successfully secured a full scholarship to pursue a dual honours degree in HBA and BMSc at the university.
Despite facing numerous obstacles, I eventually managed to receive a full scholarship to pursue a dual honours degree (HBA + BMSc) at university. However, I realized that I was learning more valuable life skills and transferable knowledge through my volunteer work and mentorships than in the classroom. As the world continued to change, there was an ever-widening education gap that needed to be bridged for the next generation’s success.
Thus, I decided to leave university, but this time it was an empowered decision. Although I had no clear plan or direction, I knew that staying in an environment that was not serving me would not lead me towards greater meaning and purpose. I understood that I needed to seek out experiences, skills, and wisdom from people, places, and practices beyond the classroom to find my true calling.
As I embarked on this journey, I began sharing my story as a motivational speaker. My first speaking engagements turned out to be major events, including a closing TEDx keynote and a live presentation to 7,000 students in a concert stadium. Young people started to reach out to me, expressing how they felt invisible, fleeting, disempowered, lost, and in search of purpose, just like I once felt in that hospital bed.
Through my determination and effort, I was able to shift my focus back to academics and successfully secured a full scholarship to pursue a dual honours degree in HBA and BMSc at the university.
Despite facing numerous obstacles, I eventually managed to receive a full scholarship to pursue a dual honours degree (HBA + BMSc) at university. However, I realized that I was learning more valuable life skills and transferable knowledge through my volunteer work and mentorships than in the classroom. As the world continued to change, there was an ever-widening education gap that needed to be bridged for the next generation’s success.
Thus, I decided to leave university, but this time it was an empowered decision. Although I had no clear plan or direction, I knew that staying in an environment that was not serving me would not lead me towards greater meaning and purpose. I understood that I needed to seek out experiences, skills, and wisdom from people, places, and practices beyond the classroom to find my true calling.
As I embarked on this journey, I began sharing my story as a motivational speaker. My first speaking engagements turned out to be major events, including a closing TEDx keynote and a live presentation to 7,000 students in a concert stadium. Young people started to reach out to me, expressing how they felt invisible, fleeting, disempowered, lost, and in search of purpose, just like I once felt in that hospital bed.
And yet, I realized I was learning more life skills and transferable knowledge through my volunteer work and mentorships than in university. There was a widening education gap to what we, as the next generation, needed to succeed in a changing world.
So I left university…but this time leaving was an empowered choice. For the first time in my life I didn’t have a plan or know what I was going to do.
All I knew was I was leaving behind something that wasn’t serving me. To find greater meaning and purpose, I needed to move beyond acquiring knowledge in the classroom. I needed to seek out experiences, skills and wisdom gained from people, places and practice.
While trying to figure out my path, I began sharing my story as a motivational speaker. Rather than start small, my first speaking engagements ended up being a closing TEDx keynote and a live presentation to a concert stadium of 7,000 students. I started hearing from young people that they were feeling the same way I’d once felt in that hospital bed—invisible, fleeting, disempowered, lost, seeking purpose.
All I knew was I was leaving behind something that wasn’t serving me. To find greater meaning and purpose, I needed to move beyond acquiring knowledge in the classroom. I needed to seek out experiences, skills and wisdom gained from people, places and practice.
While trying to figure out my path, I began sharing my story as a motivational speaker. Rather than start small, my first speaking engagements ended up being a closing TEDx keynote and a live presentation to a concert stadium of 7,000 students. I started hearing from young people that they were feeling the same way I’d once felt in that hospital bed—invisible, fleeting, disempowered, lost, seeking purpose.
So, I turned to media to develop ways to share their stories—producing a TV cable series to shine a spotlight on young people who were making a positive impact and curating The Power of YOUth book featuring advice from 200+ youth changemakers worldwide. Tapping into the influence of mainstream media and pop culture, I expanded my work to interview celebrities—Cody Simpson, Julianne Hough, Pitbull and more—as well as CEOs on their leadership journey, path to purpose and wisdom for young people.
Before long I had built a network of young people in 60+ countries and found myself working at the intersect of entertainment, education and impact.
I became passionate about opening up access to valuable mentors and facilitating collaboration across generations, sectors and stakeholders. In fact…
I became passionate about opening up access to valuable mentors and facilitating collaboration across generations, sectors and stakeholders. In fact…
I was becoming a bridge between industry and the next generation.
I used my experience to build bridges of opportunity
“To achieve the inclusive and sustainable future we all seek, we must invest in developing the potential of young people and create a new trajectory for our future.” - Kelly Lovell
Seeing the same programative and strategy gaps repeated across stakeholders and the isolated nature in which each worked, I realized I needed to build my own bridges—through inclusive innovation events, impact campaigns and intergenerational programming—to streamline access to the global youth sector and engage next-gen audiences in a relevant and meaningful way.
And so, weaving together my experience of media production, impact strategy, global education policy and youth marketing, I aimed to build solutions for young people around the world to feel valued as co-creators of our future.
And so, weaving together my experience of media production, impact strategy, global education policy and youth marketing, I aimed to build solutions for young people around the world to feel valued as co-creators of our future.
Working as a Global Strategist and Consultant…
I’ve built global youth strategies and worked with Grammy and Emmy award-winning talent, global brands such as Disney, H&M, IBM and Toyota Tsusho, international bodies including UN Women, UNESCO, WHO, IMF and more.
Acted as a UN Policy Advisor, Youth Ambassador and G20, G7, G20 Women 20 Policy Advisor.
An acclaimed “Youth Mobilizer,” I was enlisted as global strategist and next-gen advisor for Fortune 500 brands and governing bodies including United Nations, World Bank, G7 and G20 Sherpas. I travelled the world as an expert consultant and speaker on youth-led innovation, entrepreneurship education and future of work policy, profiled by prominent platforms.
My businesses were born because I never fit the mold.
Today’s ‘traditional’ career pathways require intensive, focused education toward an isolated goal. However, I’ve found great success by mixing ideas, people and knowledge from multiple sectors—and across generations.
Why try to compress all your potential into one narrow career path when you can trailblaze your own?
I am not defined by one label. I do not fit in with one crowd. And, as I soon realized, neither did many other young people.
Why try to compress all your potential into one narrow career path when you can trailblaze your own?
I am not defined by one label. I do not fit in with one crowd. And, as I soon realized, neither did many other young people.
That’s when I found my purpose:
To build pathways for the next generation to find their own path to creating impact.
To build pathways for the next generation to find their own path to creating impact.
Premier Global Platform Next-Gen Impact
younga®️ connects next-gen talent with brands, celebrities and decision-makers to co-create solutions for a better future.
Empowering 41 Million Changemakers
Through the younga Alliance network, we bridge opportunity gaps in the global youth sector, unlocking next-gen potential in education, innovation, and social impact across 185 countries.
My passion and commitment resulted in many milestones that I’m proud of (and that I hope will serve as inspiration!).
20x Award Winning Thought Leader and 3x TEDx Speaker
Top 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leader
Named Top 100 Women of the Future in 2022
Queen’s Young Leader Award and met Her Majesty QEII in my early 20s
Produced a world-first immersive VR and metaverse experience with Grammy award-winning artist Pitbull
Published the book The Power of YOUth
Created free upskilling for over 7,710 young people in 170 nations and territories.
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