Each year, the Corridor Business Journal shines a spotlight on young professionals who have made a meaningful impact on the region early in their careers. We are proud to introduce you to the 20th class of Forty Under 40 honorees, chosen by a committee of past honorees. Kelli Albert Communications Specialist | City of Cedar […]
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Click here to purchase a paywall bypass linkKelli Albert Communications Specialist | City of Cedar Rapids Age: 39
Family: Spouse, Marty; children Lewis and Simon; dog, Arthur
Residence: Marion, Iowa
Hometown: Nevada, Iowa
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design
What was your first job? Cross-pollinating soybeans for Asgrow Seed Companies.Who do you consider your local mentors?
LaNisha Cassell, previous executive director of the African American Museum of Iowa, and Stacie Osako, chief experience officer at Informatics.
Best advice you ever received? The best piece of advice I have ever received is to "let yourself be scared but do it anyway." What do you consider your "big break" in your career, so far? At this point in my career, I know that my life is not meant to be about what I do for a living. However, my biggest break came when I was accepted into the Leadership for Five Seasons class of 2022-2023; it was there that I met the people who would encourage me to be vulnerable, take risks, and stand up for what I believe in. I am forever grateful to the LFS program and all of my #BigDeal classmates. What would most people be surprised to learn about you? As an avid wordsmith, one of my bucket list items is to be on Wheel of Fortune!What’s something people should know about your generation in the workplace?
I believe my generation grew up to know that everything is "figureoutable". We are a generation of do-it-yourself-ers who will work tirelessly to be the most outstanding in our field. We are compassionate, full of empathy, and understand that the human experience is not to live to work but simply work to live.
If you had $1 million to give, what causes would you support? If I had $1 million to donate to a cause or causes, it would be in support of the field of youth mental health and its associated risk factors: food and housing insecurity, access to treatment, and reducing the stigma, being just a few examples. What are your passions outside of the workplace? I absolutely love art, artistic expression, and how creativity relates to our mental health. I am also wildly passionate about my children, watching them grow and develop into the amazing little humans they are meant to be is such a rewarding experience.What’s the biggest issue facing the Corridor, and why?
I believe the biggest issue facing the Corridor and even nationwide is the idea of duality. So many believe that if you are not with them, you are against them, and that could not be further from the truth. The beauty that lies within individuality is that we are all different; human beings are meant to have strengths and weaknesses, and it's only when we choose to work together that we can capitalize on our wide array of capabilities.
What do you want to accomplish by the time you are 50?
In the next ten years of my life, I hope to continue to spread my enthusiasm for creativity and art throughout the community. I want to help others understand that history is happening right now and they are a vital part of it. I want to have ensured that my children understand their value and that they are irreplaceable in this world. Finally, I want to earn more wrinkles and gray hair from all the lived experiences yet to come. I don't want to just be a #BigDeal, I want to make a #BigDifference.