Kelli Wood builds teams.
More than that, Kelli Wood builds people.

I’ve heard a lot of leaders say that they do that. That they put their people first, that they coach and don’t manage, that they are servant leaders who show-up with grit and empathy to build not just a team, but a family.

Most fall short, especially when times get hard.

Kelli does not fall short — not even close.

She shows up daily with her unique blend of love and brilliance, of tenacity and joy. I’ve seen her, time and time again, do the hard thing, the human thing, regardless of the circumstances. She raises her hand, runs towards the ‘bang’ not away from it, and takes action in line with her values and ethics, always doing what’s right for her team.

She’s the type of leader that people — myself included, want to follow. Kelli of course would not ask us to follow, she’d come along side us as we find a different way forward, together.

At Seth Godin’s altMBA, I’ve worked for the past three years as a member of the coach team that she developed. She was the first, I joined around 20, and that team has now passed 100. I consider many members of that team my family, and I am not one to say that lightly. That team has helped change the lives of thousands upon thousands of students in the altMBA. I’ve personally seen my work there transform hundreds, and have been told by many how that change has positively impacted their clients, coworkers, and even their families. Those ripple effects could never have happened without Kelli, who turned an online course by a thought-leader into a magical playground of personal transformation, change, and growth. 

It is a diverse and global team, of very different people, yet Kelli built us a place where we can show up as our full selves and do our best work, combining into something far greater than any of us could do individually.

And no matter what, we knew that Kelli had our back. 

I always say that while we came to the altMBA for Seth Godin, the author and guru — we stayed for Kelli — who helped us become better and better versions of ourselves.

As an entrepreneur myself, when I build my next team — the first person I will ask for help is Kelli Wood.

Brent Lamphier >
Founder, The EQ Method

. . .

Kelli is truly exceptional.

She creates teams that trust each other, push each other forward, and innovate. She also creates an environment where someone can raise their hand and say, ‘I’m not sure what to do here’' or ‘I think I’ve made a mistake’ without shame, guilt, or fear.

It’s rare that a leader can live a philosophy in which failure is not only okay, but expected. By doing so, we've created many successful internal and external programs—suggested and tested by her coaching staff—that we still employ to this day that benefit the altMBA.

In her time as the leader of our organization, we only became stronger, smarter, more efficient, and more innovative.

Those are on the best days.

I’ve also seen her accomplish resolution from some of the most challenging situations of my career. She has an uncanny ability to gain enrollment on a good, productive path forward no matter the situation. I’ve never worked under a leader who can manage conflict resolution the way Kelli can.

Never.

I have, on countless occasions, emulated Kelli to determine the best way to support my own staff, students, and community by asking myself some of Kelli's questions, especially: ‘What’s the right, kind, human thing to do here?’

This line of thinking has never failed me.

I would work for Kelli a thousand times over. I would walk through the gates of hell with her as our captain. She really is an extraordinary human being and an exceptional leader.

Kaci Kai >
Chief Executive Officer, Krav Maga ATX Austin

. . .

Her leadership was nothing like anything I’d ever witnessed or felt.

Every now and then—if you’re lucky—you find yourself working with someone that fundamentally improves every aspect of your work and life.

Kelli was, and continues to be, that person for me.

Her ability to navigate ideas and situations that didn’t have the right answers, but instead relied on emotional intelligence, empathy, and dignity — the outcomes were always better than anyone could have imagined. She can masterfully earn the respect, attention, and care of dozens of people from all kinds of backgrounds and expertise.

She creates spaces for people to be themselves and to do their best possible work.

On top of these unicorn-like traits, she’s hyper-organized, meticulous in details, a builder of systems that hum beautifully, a lover of people and their potential, and above all, a learner. She is constantly improving herself, actively seeking out feedback that makes her show up more wholeheartedly than she already does.

She sets a high bar for excellence and ensures that everyone involved can hit that mark together.

Her compass for leadership is fine-tuned with a relentless focus on diversity, kindness, professionalism, and creating a space for others to flourish. Her impact on my life—and countless others—is felt regardless of location. She continues to stay curious, open-minded, and eager to help others make bigger promises, and above all, to keep them.

Kelli is a rare leader, and I’m deeply honored that I was able to learn from her and work with her.

Paul Jun >
Editorial Director, COLLINS

. . .

Think you've seen leaders before - you’ve never seen anyone like this.

Imagine a leader who can make you feel like you matter from over 10,000 miles away – in less than a minute of joining Kelli’s team she made me feel like I belong.

And in every corner of the globe there is someone with a similar story who would drop anything to join forces with her again.

Super intelligent, immensely inspiring, and with such a deep sense of integrity – if Kelli makes you a promise you better know she’s going to keep it.

Heath Evans >
Chief Marketing Officer, Wilderlands

. . .

Kelli’s dedication to massive change, radically transparent communication, and role-modeling behavior and discipline found in only the top one percent of leaders.

Kelli is a humble servant leader capable of building outstanding teams and outstanding products, but most importantly, she builds culture.

In her role as Provost — and quite frankly as founder and CEO of altMBA, Kelli Wood built an extremely high performing team, a massively impactful product, and a worldwide community of alumni that continue to thrive due to her work. 

In an industry where eighty percent of my expenses are related to people, I cannot overstate how important this is and how difficult it is to find.

Kelli understands the value of human connection and the impact of investing in people on the path to developing culture and management systems. Kelli single handedly built a management system that, to this day, allows the altMBA to function across multiple time zones with employees and students stretching across the globe. Hundreds of detailed tasks are completed flawlessly due to her skill in design, technology, and accountability. Though this work would not happen if not for the investments she makes in people. Kelli is an expert in building engagement, enrollment, and dedication to a cause that reaches well beyond herself. 

With great pride, I would recommend Kelli Wood for the utmost consideration for any leadership role with which she would take great interest.

Sam Lynd >
Chief Executive Officer | NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital

. . .

Working on Kelli’s team radically shifted my understanding of what leadership is. 

She built a culture in which her team thrives in uncharted territory iterating and problem solving quickly. The culture and structure she created was one of deep trust, kindness and creativity and one that helped support and inspire each team member to do his or her best work every day and encourage others to do the same without fear, insecurity or competition. Challenging situations were never disguised. They were surfaced and resolved quickly, empathetically and collaboratively by the team. I have never seen a leader so skillfully navigate complex and challenging human circumstances.

I would work for her again and again.

She is the leader I want to follow when the way forward is not clear.

And it never is — is it?”

Lucia Parker >
Director, Cruzbike

. . .

The way Kelli lives her life is an inspiration and example we should all strive for.

Two years ago I made the decision to join the altMBA community and begin my journey with Kelli.

Not only have I gained a great friend, I've gained a guiding light.

Trust is the foundation for any team — military, non-profit, or the private sector.  Trust is not given away but built through actions and leading by example.

That is the epitome of Kelli.

From the moment you meet her, she instills trust. Not only do her words build this, her actions consistently follow what she speaks.

And, whenever something doesn't go as planned (such is life) — no matter the situation Kelli will show up with a smile on her face.

Justin Kirkland >
US Navy Seal, Operations @ Tesla

. . .

The truth is, the world we live in today is in need of new kinds of leaders.

We’re all witnessing this reality in different ways every day.

Maybe you’re seeing the old models aren’t working as well as they once did. Maybe you’re seeing how customers are choosing to make decisions differently. Maybe you’re realizing employees have new expectations for the companies they work for, the work they’re doing and the impact it has on their communities.

Maybe you’re seeing that even with all of our ability to connect to anyone in the world at anytime, that somehow many have become even more divided.

This new kind of leader is one who is a courageous thinker.

A collaborative visionary.

An empathic doer.

A generous teacher.

A disciplined innovator.

And one who is deeply caring and is driven by the act of leading versus the title of leader. She believes most of all in being a leader who creates other leaders.

Kelli Wood is all of this and more.

She is the model for the new kind of leader today’s world needs.

Kristen Dionne >
Partner, Accomplice Supply Co.

. . .

Kelli is probably the most professional leader I had the possibility to report to.

She has a deep knowledge of product development, launch and management. Her know-how ranges from creativity to operations, from business planning to HR management.

No matter if she is leading a small team or a big one, she has a third eye for recognizing talents, supporting the development of skills, making sure everybody is at the right place at the right time, taking the most out of every resource. Her strong ethical principles and her deep respect for the human being is a key skill that allows her putting together the best teams and leading them towards the best results.

I wouldn't be surprised seeing her directing NASA, leading the Olympic Games or becoming the President of Congress.

She is one of the few people that can dream and do.

Massimiliano Freddi >
Founder, Wonderwood Theme Park + Professor, IULM University Milan

. . .

If you want to build a
high-performing, high quality,
high character team,
start with Kelli.

Having worked with her through many sprints, the character, integrity, and care she displays in moments of ease are the same she displays in moments of tension. Kelli is consistent.

She doesn’t merely lead, she cultivates leaders.

She doesn’t simply make herself available, she serves.

She doesn’t only envision possibility, she models a way to live in it.

And yet, none of these things are the best thing about Kelli.

Kelli enables those around her — the members of her team, those she touches for even a few moments - to see themselves in a way that inspires them to be more, go further, and achieve greater things than they might ever have done on their own.

I know because that’s what Kelli has done for me.

Vince Mancari >
Coach, Seth Godin’s altMBA

. . .

Kelli epitomises the difference between a boss and a leader. Kelli is a leader. She is professional, trustworthy, warm, capable, effective and human — and invites exactly that from everyone she hires in return.

Kelli spoke unequivocally about the professional culture she wanted to create and uphold in order for us to do our best work in, then - and this is the bit that stands Kelli and the culture she creates in stark contrast to other work cultures I've been a part of - stands by that position unwaveringly.

When I started coaching with altMBA, it became evident almost immediately that this was a work culture like no other.

I have experienced first-hand Kelli doing whatever it takes to make her staff feel safe, protected, trusted, supported - in return for professionalism on their part.”

Ping Lo >
Digital Consultant

. . .

If you’re looking to change the world, Kelli Wood is the place to start.

Who are your heroes?

This is the question I just asked seventeen theater celebrities from around the globe.

I’m about to go to Tokyo to Direct an international production of Jesus Christ Superstar. To me, this show is about the relationship of society to our heroes.

My biggest challenge here in beginning a narrative with our cast… was trying to figure out who MY heroes are. And I struggled to come up with anyone...

Until I sat down to write this note.

I just realized, in this very moment, that I’ve been struggling because my fundamental definition of what a hero looks like has been completely transformed in the last eighteen months, by Kelli Wood...

I had the privilege of being part of Seth Godin’s altMBA coach community: a team, a culture and a way of working that Kelli built from scratch and without an instruction manual. I watched Kelli lead and inspire a group of 80 members of her team around the world in a way that I had never experienced…

By holding up a mirror, and a torch.

By creating a brave space for each of us to rise.

By generously speaking with radical candor.

And by showing up.

Not just for me. But for all of us.

Kelli’s leadership, no… who Kelli is, enabled a community of coaches to become the versions of ourselves we had always dreamed of, thereby giving us the space to do the same thing for all of our students… thousands of them across the globe. And she did it over and over again.

I’ve worked in the theater and film industry for 20 years. I’ve worked with TONY, Oscar, and Grammy winners. I’ve done everything I ever dreamed of. And even with all that…the most powerful, gut-wrenching, and transformational ten seconds of my life, was in the summer of 2018 when Kelli, with absolutely no judgement attached to it, simply asked…

“Mark, I’m hearing the word “prove” a lot. What are you trying to prove? And to whom?”

I had been telling myself for years that I had nothing left to prove. And yet in that moment, my world was turned upside down because I realized I had been lying to myself.

Kelli had the courage to hold up a mirror to the stories I was telling myself. And by doing do, showed me that I had been holding myself back. In that moment, I was suddenly free. I felt the weight of self imposed pressure lift and my spirit start to rise...

I went on to build, When Change Comes, a theatrical experience and political movement that would have otherwise destroyed me.

That is what Kelli does. Yes she’s brilliant. Yes she’s inspiring. But more-so, she shows up for everyone in her path, and by doing so, gives them the freedom to rise. I’d simply say, she is magic.

I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to find words that will do justice to Kelli’s intellect, creativity, leadership, and friendship.

But what I can tell you, if you’re looking to change the world, Kelli Wood is the place to start.

Mark Stuart >
Artistic Director, Choreographer & Producer - New York Broadway, Tokyo

. . .

Kelli is one to the most self-aware, generous and genuine leaders — and humans —
you will ever meet.

As strategic as she is creative, as intelligent as she is humble, as focused as she is free-spirited, and as in tune with the world as she is with herself.

I first had the privilege of working with Kelli as a part of Seth Godin’s altMBA, where she was a founding member of the program that’s helping change the future of education. As our Head Coach & Provost, she led our diverse and global group of high calibre individuals from various backgrounds and timezones, as we coached students from all over the world as well. There was never a moment where I didn’t feel like Kelli didn’t “have our back” as a leader.

She led with the utmost integrity, honesty, empathy, generosity and respect, as she cultivated a space, culture and community that embodied the same.

From group conversations to strategic sessions, to 1:1s, to taking care of the behind the scenes we didn’t see, Kelli always instilled a sense of joy, trust, inspiration, focus and openness in all that we did, which flowed through as we coached our respective cohorts. All of which enabled us to grow together collectively, and individually, throughout the journey, as we were always empowered to be our true selves, and bring our ideas and creativity to whatever we did. And she did this all without a set “playbook”, embracing the inevitable pace and uncertainty that comes when starting, growing and scaling a distributed, global and diverse team from scratch, all while helping to run a fast-paced program, and enabling us to do the same.

More than anything though, Kelli always led with humanity and dignity. This is why she's also able to have those perceivable “hard” conversations that come up from time to time, no matter who it may be with: it’s this generosity, empathy, integrity, humanity and dignity, that’s a part of who she is.

Whatever role Kelli may have in your organization — and life, it’s better with her in it.

Parin Patel >
Senior Engineer, Slack

. . .

Kelli had a clear and consistent vision and there was no foggy or confusing aspects to it.

As a mentor and leader she was impeccable about framing our work in ways that we knew the expectations as well as the support we would be getting. 

She did not ask us to do anything she herself was not doing or willing to do and she modeled this time and time again. I felt focused on my role because the vision and purpose was the driving force behind it all.

I consider myself lucky to have gotten to know and learn from Kelli. Any team or organization she decides to join will benefit from Kelli being on board.

She is a remarkable person and leader and I look forward to seeing what she does next because I know it will literally help change the world. 

I know this because she has already changed mine.

Dr. Gravity Goldberg >
Columbia University

. . .

Once Kelli has her mind set on something, there's no stopping her.

Commitment — a quality so rarely possessed amongst employees (and even leaders) these days is one of Kelli's most impressive. Her voluntary willingness — and outright enthusiasm — to meet a challenge and prove it a victory is nothing short of inspiring, amongst her peers and employers alike. 

This smart and influential nature makes Kelli a perfect ally.  One that you'll need on your side (and your team's) at all times.  Not only does she encourage discipline, quality and detail at every stage of a task or project, but does so with such a motivating leadership style.

She is a woman of many talents and experiences, and her contagious optimism will break down walls with even the toughest of clients. Working with Kelli in often challenging circumstances has taught me many things, like fairness, dignity and having a sense of humour — but she most importantly taught me about commitment and harvesting it from within.

Melatan Riden >
Executive Vice President, Deutsch NY

. . .

If there were more Kelli's in the world, the world would be a better place.

Kelli recruited and hired me to be part of the coach roster at altMBA. While bringing the business on its feet, Kelli built and lead a global team of coaches and fostered a community and culture that is hard to describe in words.

I can only say it is the happiest, most authentic and fulfilled I’ve ever felt. The level of trust and care, respect, rigour, creativity, empathy and quality of work was Kelli’s design. Seeds that lead a team of 80 people, all working remotely, to develop close relationships, leverage each other’s strengths and uniqueness, and — with a posture of possibility — deliver one of the best online leadership workshops ever created.

Kelli’s skills and know-how on systems design is a rare find, and she masters a diligent attention to detail with the grand helicopter overview that great leaders have.

Her ambition paired with her humble and empathetic posture creates a space of opportunity. Opportunity to create change. Opportunity to create something big. Her creativity paired with her structured mind creates room for experimentation and agile execution, and the ability to operate in uncertain territory with razor sharp focus.

More than anything Kelli is 100% real and radiant human, and what I admire most about her. I am forever grateful for having been in the same fleet as Kelli, and I’d follow her anywhere in a heartbeat. 

Sara Leth Ottosen >
Designer, Nordea Copenhagen

. . .

In my whole career, I have never seen such caliber in a leader; she is indeed an extraordinary person and a leader from whom many companies and organizations must learn.

Kelli is a charismatic, empathetic, active, kind, direct, inspiring and energetic person, who I was able to see directing an incredibly bright group of coaches and solving the most complex scenarios.

She was a central piece on defining and bringing up to life the most novel community-based educational experiment I have ever seen: Seth Godin's altMBA.

Just imagine: here you a have a person working on the orchestration of an effort involving hundreds of people distributed among the globe, during five weeks of intense work where thousands of messages are interchanged each day, and dozens of coaches coordinate the commenting and execution of hundreds of projects being delivered every 72 hours.

A tremendous and extraordinary group of coaches is required to run such a program, but just an exceptional person can lead that group: that's Kelli Wood.

Victor Gonzalez >
Founder, Sperientia UX

. . .

Her ability to find the intersection between what's best for the organization as a whole and what makes the individual come alive is nothing short of masterful.

Kelli leads with character. Every aspect of how she coaches her team is characterized by a genuine desire to help others become the best version of themselves.

It is simply not possible to work for her or with her without feeling motivated to reach for a higher level of productivity and creativity in your own life.

TK Coleman >
The Minimalists

. . .

Kelli is a one-of-a-kind leader.

She built and led a high-performing team of 80 people from around the globe. But even more impressive is how every decision she made was an intentional step in creating a strong, vibrant culture centered around trust, dignity, and empathy.

When recruiting, Kelli sees the whole person not just their resume. Her design thinking skills give her a unique advantage in putting together a team that will scale a business.

Working for Kelli feels more like working WITH her. She takes the time to know and invest in each person. She’s more than a manager - she’s an advocate, a coach, a teacher, an innovator, a linchpin. Her intuitive and empathetic style makes those around her feel seen and empowered to become the best version of themselves.

Kelli is also a master at conflict resolution and de-escalation. She’s not afraid to have hard conversations — whether with employees, executive leadership, or customers.

Kelli is the kind of leader every company needs. 

Laura Tyson >
Senior Marketing Manager, Bluedot

. . .

Kelli is a born leader.

She’s able to engage and guide a team through the gritty, ambiguous, and collaborative work towards a vision.

While working with Kelli on the altMBA coach team, I really saw and felt her empathy, thoughtfulness, and creativity that she put into her leadership of the program as a whole, and the professional and personal development of the entire coach team.

Not only did she communicate effectively, but one could sense that she valued everyone’s input and had an openness for new ideas. This was particularly evident through her generosity for individual coach calls which she offered and encouraged.
It was evident that Kelli led with logic, but remained true to the core values and mission of the organization, while being able to hold true to her moral and ethical compass.

She’s also able to switch gears to coach, support, and help navigate individuals through obstacles. I’m confident that Kelli has the capability to lead any organization to new heights and navigate any uncertainties an organization might face.

Adam Lindstrom >
Partnership Manager, Peardeck

. . .

“What would Kelli Wood do?” is something I ask myself every day.

Since being interviewed by Kelli to be a coach on the altMBA Workshop in 2016, I have been exposed, through Kelli’s excellent leadership skills, to what it means to truly lead.

Kelli showed us (the entire coach team that she built person-by-person) what it meant to be ourselves, and to be brave in doing so. She woke me up to the many facets involved in striving for change, in pushing for greatness in my work, in figuring things out as I challenge the status quo in life, in work and in my relationships. 

We were all part of a remote team, online 24 hours a day across all timezones. Organising us into a coherent team that never dropped the ball was a big part of Kellis job. I think the truly hard part of getting a remote team to unite towards a common goal is to make everyone feel like they are emotionally and intellectually close together, despite the distance over time and space. Kelli made it happen in such a way that we worked together to solve whatever problem came our way, we supported each other no matter what, we grew as individuals and a team, and that we had fun whilst doing all that. On a more practical level, the way Kelli coordinated all messaging, calls and tasks was seamless.

The few times that I was able to be with Kelli in person, she was usually organising an event for the coach team, one that always exceeded expectations. Her light touch was always apparent, and I, as someone who organises large scale events, marvelled at how much care she delivered to everyone who attended. I'm happy to report that online or off, Kelli is Kelli.

One of the main things Kelli demonstrated day after day was the power of community, to remind us that we weren’t alone on seeking the change we wanted to make. She filled each of us with the sense of possibility which gave us the tools to go out and spread that far and wide. The second and third order effects of Kelli’s commitment to the people under her wing are immense.

Kelli made me feel respected and always treated those she communicated with with dignity and fairness.  Her neverending curiosity and willingness to do the hard work when it mattered was an inspiration to me and so many others. She is never afraid to leap in when something needs changing, and she leaps with passion and the drive to make things better.

It’s a rare and wonderful occasion to feel free to put into words the huge effect someone has had on your life, and I'm happy to do it here. Kelli connects, Kelli leads, Kelli supports and Kelli inspires.

If may offer advice on working with Kelli, it’s that Kelli is one of those rare individuals who just needs to know the mission and then the space to carry it out. She is a fantastic self-starter who drives important work forward, bringing the team. She sets the tone, creates the posture and has that special knack for finding and hiring people like Kelli.

Conor McCarthy >
Angel Investor, Mentor, Launchpool Web3 Techstars Accelerator

. . .

Kelli has a natural ability to bring out the best in people.

She has a knack for recognizing those people who will enhance a workplace and for rallying the group around a mission. I believe that her success in uniting diverse teams is a product of the way that she leads - with empathy and a true commitment to the development of each individual.

The strength of Kelli's vision and resolve allow those around her to flourish. I knew, working with Kelli at altBMA, that I could focus on doing my best work because she had my back and that we would work out any complications that arose. In times of uncertainty and frustration, Kelli is an anchor. She is incredibly skilled at getting the root of an issue and asking the right questions to both diffuse any high-running emotions and to expose the appropriate next steps.

I’m inspired by Kelli's work and constantly impressed by what she’s been able to build. Managing a team of part-time, remote coaches can be challenging, and Kelli turned it into an opportunity for each person to grow. We felt that we were critical members of the team, we felt we had ownership of a changing organization, and we trusted Kelli to lead us despite the uncharted path forward. I look forward to seeing what Kelli will contribute through the rest of her career.

Angela Akinyemi >
Graduate Student, Columbia University

. . .

Kelli Wood is not afraid to do the hard work.

The ineffable Kelli Wood creates community and essential infrastructure for others to shine, grow, lead. She embraces the hard work in a way that invites others to also engage with abandon. Successes are proudly shared with her collaborators, the quintessential humble magic maker. Knowing someone truly has your back and cheers for you is both uncommon and wildly compelling. Kelli completes each project with a retrospective review, with an eye toward improvement. Kelli leads with an integrated wisdom, inspiration and dedication essential to creating change in a modern world.

Shannon Weber >
Author, Show Up Hard: A Roadmap for Helpers in Crisis