Home: Boston, MA. Birthplace: Hamilton, NJ. Industry: Agency, corporate and academia. Organization / Title: Boston University, Associate Professor of the Practice – Strategic Communication; Monique Kelley Consulting, LLC, CEO & Founder. Languages spoken: English, Spanish and a little Farsi.
Current project: Teaching Media Strategies and Corporate Communications while balancing consulting for the pharmaceutical/biotech industry. Latest accomplishment: Chief Founding Member in Boston, MA. Latest contribution to others: Became Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Faculty Advisor for Boston University. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Quitting corporate to become a full-time professor at the top university in the world for communications, while simultaneously launching my own communications consultancy.
Personality profile: Bold, passionate, growth mindset. How do you define an ideal business relationship? Win-win. What is your guilty pleasure? Boss Chick Dance Workout. What occupation, other than your own, do you most admire? The military. What is your favorite place (or way) to spend money? Burberry. What is at the top of your bucket list? Writing a book. How do you relieve stress? A long run or massage. What ingredient is essential to your perfect vacation? The beach.
What was your first paying job? At an Italian bakery in South Jersey. What was your favorite college course? Criminal Psychology. I thought I’d become a detective like on one of my favorite shows, Columbo and Law & Order. What’s the best advice you received in your career? Know your purpose and your worth. What is your favorite app? LinkedIn. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? Entrepreneurs. What personal circumstance has had the greatest influence on your life? Being a first-generation Iranian-American black woman. I am thankful to have come from two amazing cultures.
What change would you like to see in the world?
True inclusion and equity.
What message do you want to send out into the world? Add value, not space. What widely held belief do you reject? That you can’t do it all. I believe you CAN do it all, just not all at the same time.
What title would you choose for the movie about your life? Get the Popcorn Ready. Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? All four of my grandparents. As a kid, what did you first want to be when you grew up? An aerobics instructor. It’s not too late! How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? With my family and friends. What advice would you give your younger self? Don’t rush through life. You don’t get time back. What day in your life would you choose to re-live? Being in Tehran, Iran visiting my family, in August 1998.
Personal mission: Adding value where I can. Personal motto: Memento Mori. Favorite quote: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity” (Seneca). Desired epitaph: A life fully lived and impact fully felt.
