HiveStrong
Rachael Kelly is the founder of HiveStrong, an organization dedicated to supporting abuse survivors through their journey of empowerment.
A hospitality veteran, Kelly was previously the Chief People & Culture Officer for Smokey Bones, The WingX, and The BurgerX. In her role, Kelly was responsible for end-to-end human capital management, facilitating an employee-engaged culture, and serving as a trusted member of the executive team who guided the organization to achieve its strategic goals.
Kelly is a career human resources and operations professional, having started with Pizza Hut, where she worked through various roles during her 18-year tenure with the global pizza leader. Her climb through the ranks landed Kelly in her final role as HR Consultant to the National Pizza Hut franchise system supporting 150 franchisees and nearly 6,000 restaurants before serving in key leadership roles for other restaurant brands prior to joining Smokey Bones.
Kelly was previously named Woman of the Year by the National Diversity Council, along with other accolades including being named Most Influential Restaurant Industry Executive by Nation’s Restaurant News and Top 50 Human Resources Professional by Oncon Icon Awards.
Kelly is based in Dallas, TX where she raises her two special needs boys.
