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Written by Meg Herndon

Kelli Holmes lives in Helena with her two children and husband. Originally from Pelham, Kelli said the choice to raise her family in Helena was due to the close knit community and controlled but continued growth of the city.

“There’s something about the quaintness of living in Helena that we just wanted to pursue,” Kelli said.

Some of Kelli’s favorite parts of Helena include the outside spaces available to residents, the new Japanese restaurant Osaka and Helena Fitness.

Kelli found a home-away-from-home at The University of Montevallo where she acts at the executive director of advancement and adjunct teaches in the Michael A. Stephens College of Business.

Additionally, Kelli is the chair of the Helena Economic Development Board which was created in 2020. Kelli was interested in the board has she handles some economic development and local government relations in her role at UM.

“As a board, we work to increase economic development through a variety of channels, trying to be thought provoking on the types of industry and retail that fits best within our community,” she said. “And currently, we are working to meet the goals that are laid out in the “One Connected Community” Helena comprehensive plan.”

Working on the board feels like an extension of herself, Kelli said, as volunteerism has always been important to her.

“Servitude is something that’s extremely important to me and to my family,” she said. “So, if I’m in a community, I want to give back to it. And so this is my way to give back to a community that I’ve come to love so much.”