Kelly Lynch

Seasoned and collaborative strategy, operations and communications professional with 25+ years experience successfully driving integrated strategic initiatives to generate rapid results, designing and leading inclusive and market-driven strategic planning and strategy management efforts and directing crisis and change management efforts within academic, agency, corporate and political environments.

2019 -2020

• Co-chaired an inclusive, transparent and market-informed strategic planning process that launched in mid-2019, continued through the pandemic, and delivered a Board-endorsed strategy in August 2020: Entrepreneurial Leaders Impacting Communities Everywhere. Process enabled community members and other thought leaders to contribute more than 4,400 ideas and insights to inform the strategic plan. Internally published a book chronicling the planning methodology as well as market forces and community inputs driving the strategy: Babson 2025: A Vision for Our Future. The process also yielded Babson's first purpose statement forged from a community-sourced articulation of shared beliefs and aspirations: We are Babson, We Believe...

2020-2022

• Led the College's multi-disciplinary effort to effectively respond to academic and operational impacts associated with COVID-19. Working with a talented team of senior leaders and front-line employees, Babson's response focused on safeguarding the well-being of the community and ensuring academic continuity and excellence for learners. With the support of outside public health experts, engineered and led the execution of a plan that delivered 100% of academic and co-curricular learning (virtual during spring 2020 and in-person with hybrid options for learners unable to be on campus as of fall 2020). The College achieved a 97% vaccination rate, exceeding the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' highest benchmark. The response also generated $1M in philanthropic support given in recognition of the College's commitment and ability to restore in-person learning and campus operations successfully and early-on in the pandemic. Published two pieces chronicling methodologies, learnings and outcomes: Babson College's COVID-19 Response and Plan Vol. 1 and Vol. 2

2021

• Initiated and led a cross-boundary initiative to expand lifelong learning enrollments among alumni that evolved the go-to-market model, created customized offerings/discounts, and delivered a curated micro-site to serve as a one-stop-shop for Babson's lifelong offerings. The effort converted more than 20% of target corporations, engaged 900+ alumni in the first three months and generated more than $5M in alumni and friends-sourced revenue in the first year.
• Co-authored the first institutional strategy on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and developed KPIs to drive progress and create accountability.

2022

• Working closely with the President and Chair of the Board, designed and facilitated three experimental “Strategy Advances”, which brought stakeholders across the shared governance model together for a "sprint" to address or accelerate the College’s top strategic priorities at the time: Enrollment Management, Owning Entrepreneurial Leadership and Increasing Technology Offerings. In total, the Advances engaged 30 Babson Trustees, Faculty members and Academic/Administrative Leadership team members. generating important insights, candid and diverse perspectives and new ideas that helped move the College forward in these three key areas. An assessment conducted demonstrated strong support for continuing the strategy advance approach. In fact, 100% of respondents said it was a valuable use of their time and 100% agreed or strongly agreed that the inclusion of governance members, faculty members and management team members was important for this type of discussion and brainstorming.

2023

• Architected and led an initiative to rapidly advance the College's 'greatness' agenda resulting in cohesive and comprehensive enrollment, workforce and capital project planning that will deliver material increases in infrastructure that support the institution's growth strategy.

Appointed by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker to the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) Board in March 2018. Currently chairing the Nominating Committee of the MEFA Board.

• Babson College 4 C's Award Winner 2017: Honored for outstanding customer service, demonstrated abilities in creative problem solving and commitment to collaboration and teamwork.
• Silver Stevie® Award in the PR Campaign of the Year: Babson’s Public Relations and Diana Project teams were honored for their well-executed communications strategy, and the more than 1,000 related media hits to date since September 2014.
• 2015 PRWeek Global Awards Finalist: Babson College PR honored as one of the two most influential global partnerships in the world.
• PRNews Platinum Award 2009: Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications – A Pivotal Meeting with Pope Benedict XVI
• 40 Under 40 by PR Week 2009
• Top Ten PR Specialists in Boston 2007 by Women's Business Boston