Professional Experience

Kelly Conway is the CEO of an emerging human capital platform headquartered in Southwest Michigan. Under her leadership, the platform includes Pondera Advisors, a premier leadership consulting firm, and Rep-Lite, a strategic sales recruitment partner. In partnership with Sleeping Giant Capital, Kelly is actively acquiring and integrating HR services firms to build a comprehensive, end-to-end talent strategy platform.

Prior to this, Kelly served as Chief Human Resources Officer for two of the largest privately held global insurance and financial services firms, Acrisure and Lockton. Earlier in her career, she led HR strategy for Stryker’s global supply chain operations, supporting 42 manufacturing plants across nine countries.

Kelly began her career with Coca-Cola and Wells Fargo, where she developed a deep and lasting passion for growing businesses by inspiring and engaging the workforce.

Consulting Experience

Kelly has served as an internal consultant throughout her career, partnering closely with executive teams to align talent strategy with business priorities. Her experience spans complex organizational initiatives, including team alignment, leadership development, succession planning, culture shaping, talent architecture, and mergers and acquisitions. In addition to her internal leadership roles, Kelly has also served as an executive consultant to other Chief Human Resources Officers, offering perspective and guidance on how to navigate evolving organizational demands. While her time as a Chief Human Resources Officer further strengthened this work, it is her consistent role as a trusted advisor to leadership that defines her approach. Known for her candid and pointed directness, Kelly brings both strategic clarity and practical insight, helping leaders better understand how they operate, how others experience them, and how to move forward with greater intention. Her experience on the inside of organizations allows her to meet leaders where they are, fostering meaningful dialogue and driving sustainable impact.