Kelly A. Garnes

Stop being the
best kept secret
in the room.

10,000+
Students Served
18
Schools Managed
1,000+
Leaders Trained

I help leaders own their numbers, build their visibility, and lead through complexity. From teaching history in Newark to running a $135M portfolio as a CFO, I built the frameworks so you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Stop Being Invisible → Book Kelly to Speak
Kelly A. Garnes · MBA, Columbia · Ed.M., Harvard · Faculty, Klingenstein Center, Columbia University · Board Treasurer, NBOA
Keynote Topics

What I Speak About

Six frameworks built from two decades of leading organizations through complexity. Each talk is designed to move people to action.

From Invisible to Indispensable

Why the people who keep organizations alive are often the last to be seen, and the three moves that change that.

Own Your Numbers

The financial confidence session that turns number-avoidant professionals into data-driven leaders.

StormProof

How to build an organization that doesn’t just survive disruption but comes out of it stronger.

The Career Pivot Playbook

From classroom to C-suite: the framework for professionals ready to rewrite their career story.

AI for Organizations

What leaders actually need to know before buying the software everyone is selling them.

The Entrepreneurial Mindset

How to find the business hiding inside your expertise and build it while keeping your day job.

Download the Speaker Kit

Two-page PDF with topics, formats, credibility, and testimonials. No email required.

Download PDF →
“

The training earlier this week was literally the best financial training I have ever participated in (and I’ve probably participated in at least 100 financial trainings in my career). Kelly Garnes was terrific and provided excellent advice.

Workshop Participant
Free Download

The Visibility Architecture Workbook

The companion workbook from the "From Invisible to Indispensable" keynote. Three frameworks, three worksheets, one 30-day challenge to make your work impossible to overlook.

  • Mission Translation Framework
  • The Invisible Ledger (impact tracker)
  • The Visibility Ladder (self-assessment)
  • 30-Day Challenge action plan

My Story

Kelly A. Garnes speaking
I started my career teaching history and English in Newark, New Jersey. I loved the classroom. But I kept noticing something: the schools I worked in were held together by people whose work nobody saw. The person managing the budget. The person keeping the building safe. The person making sure teachers could teach and students could learn. I became that person.

I went from the classroom to the COO seat at Ascend Public Charter Schools, a $101M organization spanning 15 schools. Then to CFO at Gill St. Bernard’s School, where I oversee a $135M financial portfolio and a 208-acre campus. Along the way, I earned my MBA from Columbia Business School and my Ed.M. from Harvard.

Today I teach nonprofit finance at the Klingenstein Center at Columbia University, serve as Board Treasurer of the National Business Officers Association, and run The Garnes Institute, my consulting and speaking practice. I also founded Black History for Kids because some missions are personal.

Everything I do on stage comes from the same place: I believe the people who keep organizations running deserve to be seen, heard, and valued. I built the frameworks because nobody handed them to me. Now I hand them to you.

Formats

Keynote45–60 min
Workshop90 min to full day
Fireside ChatModerated Q&A
PanelModerator or panelist
VirtualLive or pre-recorded
Emcee / HostHalf or full day
RetreatFull day or multi-day

Audiences

Corporate / ERG Nonprofits Independent Schools Women in Leadership Entrepreneurs Associations

Frameworks

Visibility Architecture Own Your Numbers StormProof

Book Kelly to Speak

Interested in bringing Kelly to your event, conference, or organization? Fill out the form below and she will be in touch within 48 hours.

You will receive a confirmation and Kelly will respond within 48 hours.

Stay connected. Insights on leadership, finance, and making your work visible.