Kelly R. Little, MBA, MSL, MBA, CPC, ELI-MP, EQ-I 2.0, EQ-360, CHCE, CSSGB, CMMT, CSOTS

Kelly is a Transformational Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Strategist who partners with executives, entrepreneurs, and leaders to elevate personal, professional, and organizational performance.

He is deeply committed to community and volunteer involvement, serving most recently as a leader in the Embrace Your Truth program. His group engages youth in finding their purpose and passion for professional and career advancement. Previously, Kelly founded The Cabarrus Leadership Academy in 2004 as a non-profit outreach and motivation program for at-risk males, ages 13 to 17. As a motivational speaker, he engaged audiences and shared best practices, experiences, and life lessons to remind youth of their potential and inspire them to improve their personal and academic well-being.

In local government, Kelly led numerous department initiatives, including Responsible Fatherhood, Mom as Gateway not Gatekeeper, and Veterans Military Network. He also implemented the vision to achieve overall goals of “Strengthening Families!” and raised stakeholders’ awareness of the unique challenges Veterans face across the state of North Carolina.

While serving in the U.S. Army National Guard, Kelly worked as a Retention NCO. He provided support to transform and enhance the North Carolina National Guard Brand by leading detailed exit interviews, using data to mitigate projected losses, and developing innovative approaches to maintaining quality talent pools. As a result, he increased and sustained unit retention at 95%+ over a seven-year period.

He earned his MBA and a Masters in Leadership in Change Management from Pfeiffer University. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor in Criminal Justice from University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His other credentials include Certified Professional Coach and Energy Leadership Index-Master Practitioner through the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching.