Kelley Keffer is a Project Manager for the City of Mesa Office of Economic Development (OED). She joined the team in December 2012. Kelley is responsible for leading the department’s award-winning small business and entrepreneurship initiative – Mesa Business Builder and the Mesa HUUB digital platform for small businesses. She also represents the OED as a liaison with education partners, and manages a variety of attraction, retention, and expansion projects. Kelley works with hundreds of small businesses each year, providing support, resources, and training on a wide range of topics. Her success managing LaunchPoint the City’s business incubator resulted in more than 70 participating companies in a wide range of technology, medical devices, bioscience, and advanced materials companies that have created more than 350 jobs and raised more than $300M in capital, enhancing the local economy and the region.

Originally from the metropolitan Detroit area, prior to joining the City of Mesa, Kelley served for more than six years as the Director of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Mohave Community College, and as an Associate Faculty member teaching Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration – Management from Walsh College. Additionally, she was co-owner of a successful residential and commercial contracting company for more than 20 years.

Kelley proudly works to improve the city she lives in for the citizens of Mesa. To her, the most fulfilling aspect of working in economic development is working with businesses and entrepreneurs to overcome challenges and find solutions to keep them growing to enhance the diverse economic base in Mesa.