Stoked to share this one with you! The year was 2013. I remember seeing Kelli from afar at one of the first conferences I was photographing. I had taken a quick break in the corner to eat a lemon bar while nervously rehearsing conversations in my head that would likely never happen. We didn’t get a chance to meet at that event but I always remember the faces I photograph…Especially when their stage presence is top notch.

Around that time I had quit my corporate job in CA, left everything behind to move to TX & started my photography business. My first corporate client was Women’s Food Service Forum. The first gig would be photographing their massive conference in Dallas with my business partner at the time. These badass, powerful women in suits walk out onstage. Kinda felt like the entire scene was in slow motion. I quickly piece together that these are the past chairs & founders of WFF. There I was, in my mind, a complete poser once again doing my best to hide behind my camera & blend in. I can’t pinpoint the exact time that I realized blending in had run its course but I was over holding myself back. I didn’t want to be just another photographer & I didn’t want to leave this world being easily forgotten because I chose to limit myself. I vowed to show up in all of the awkweirdness, introduce myself to those women, ask questions & listen.

Here we are in 2026. Kelli is now the new CEO of WFF & I still occasionally enjoy conference lemon bars in the corner. I got to spend some time with her this summer taking her portraits in Dallas. My team and I had just gotten off of an incredible 3 day conference in Minneapolis w/ a dream client [more on that soon]. So you can imagine how pumped I was to show up for Kelli’s shoot. I just knew it was going to be a good time. After we wrapped, I mentioned my birthday was the following day. She said, “hop in my car let’s go out to celebrate!” Twist. my. arm. Kelli. Getting to swap life stories with her over oysters & a glass of champs had me feeling grateful for those full circle moments. I never want to glance over those. I like to marinate in the sappiness for a bit.

I shared an experience with her from back in my early 20s when I was mildly scolded for directly communicating with the CEO of the company I was working for instead of going through the admin assistant. If you know me at all this makes complete sense. I filed that moment into my manila brain folder titled “strange rules I don’t really care for”. My curiosity never fails to get me into a slew of random situations. Wouldn’t have it any other way.

Cheers to the curious & relatable misfits, the good troublemakers and the women who refuse to blend in. Endlessly thankful for the relationships I’ve been fortunate enough to build over the years because of leaders like Kelli & the past WFF chairs. You all help us make moves in the right direction.🖤

Steph grant: If a 10 yo asked you what you do for work what would you say?

KELLI VALADE: I would tell that 10 year old I get to do really amazing work helping women advance in their careers, live their best lives, and be in a community where they can be seen and heard. I would tell that 10 year old I am one of the few women CEOs in the food service industry and I am working to make the most of that, using my voice for good!

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You've held countless badass positions over the span of your career. including ceo of denny’s & red lobster! I’m a sucker for An embarrassing story. Have one you can share that might remind us not to take ourselves too seriously?

So many embarrassing moments. Too many to count, actually. There is the way too easy example of the time I flushed the toilet while wearing the microphone and didn't of course, realize it until I walked back into the meeting room and everyone was dying laughing.

Tell me about What you spend your time & energy on outside of work?

I spend time outside of work any time I can with my family. My (grown) children are both in Massachusetts for now, but my son is starting grad school in Denmark in a couple of weeks. So, we work very hard at being with our children and finding time for each other. Work and distance make it hard but being with them, and the rest of our family is the priority, so travel keeps me very busy both with work, and creating time and space to be with family. I also love to cook, and for big family gatherings, cooking Italian food and maintaining traditions are important. My dad and I make a mean meatball, and are typically the cooks for the family gatherings. I also work hard on my overall well-being and my days are planful and thoughtful as I make time for daily workouts, meditation and journaling.

If you could hang out w/ 17 year old Kelli what would you tell her about who you are today?

I would tell my 17 year old self to relax and let it come to you - and to enjoy the moment. I was scrappy at 17 and very driven, but I would tell myself to have a little more fun and know that it would all work out in the end. I would also tell her that she would have a wonderful life and be surprised and so proud of the life I have and the beautiful family and community I have built.

You've always seemed very approachable, down to earth & relatable. what experiences do you feel shaped that vibe as a leader?

I have been surprised and deeply humbled by the things that I have been able to do in my career. I have been amazed at the people that have supported me, challenged me and helped me get to where I am. I am genuinely grateful for it all, as I came from very humble beginnings. I see myself in many of the operators that I have supported over the years because that's where I got my start. I am no different than any of them, and connecting with leaders on the front lines is important. That said, I also learned from the most amazing leaders that were truly humble, and real and kind. Doug Brooks (retired CEO of Brinker), and the entire exec team at Brinker International were unique and so special. They literally did company skits and starred in talent shows. They did what everyone else did and set an amazing example of what it looked like to be real and genuine. Titles mattered of course, but leaders like Doug always made time for people, remembered their names, and celebrated life, not just work with all of the employees. It was a special place to grow up, and the 22 years I spent there made an incredible impact on me. I didn't learn until after leaving Brinker, that every place wasn't like that.

I remember seeing you on stage for the first time. thinking you all made speaking in front of 4k women look so effortless. Do you get anxiety leading up to it? I know you are a big advocate for mental health. What has helped you cope with nerves so that you can ensure that what you’re saying sticks with the crowd?

Whether it's 10 people of 4,000 people, I always get nervous and absolutely have anxiety leading up to it. In fact, I usually have stress dreams for days leading up to a big speech or keynote and in many instances it's the same dream. I am not prepared, am late for my talk, and don't know what I will say. This crazy "what if it doesn't resonate...or what if they won't laugh at the jokes...." happens and I get it my head. What helps me is how much I prepare.....despite the stress dream getting the best of me, I am always really prepared and have my speech almost memorized. I don't ever have a script and there is never anything in the teleprompter because what's most important to me is that I see the faces of the audience, and that I my message is connecting with them. I had a stage crew once turn all the lights up so that I could see everyone's faces. That's what makes me love it so much - seeing it connect with people and maybe making a difference with someone.

As for my mental health, I am fierce about protecting that and sharing my stories and tactics with others. My son has OCD and anxiety and being his mom has taught me so much. I have learned that sharing OUR story as it relates to what we have lived through as a family will absolutely help someone else. I have also made some truly special connections because I have openly shared my struggles as a leader, as a mom and wife. I realized a long time ago that this is my superpower - being vulnerable and transparent is a source of strength, not weakness. And by sharing more of myself, I have gotten so much more in return.

what legacy do you hope to leave behind?

I hope people will say "she made me feel seen". I think a leader's highest calling is seeing others ! My goal is to serve others and truly see them !

What’s one song that defines you at this point in your life?

Strong Enough - This (Cher) song is on my workout play list, and for obvious reasons, reminds me that I am enough, and I am strong !

How would you like to see the world differently in your lifetime?

Goodness. I wish we were kinder to each other, more tolerant of differences and more open to helping each other. This is an interesting time in history, and I hope we at some point learn to love way more than we have learned to hate.

Why did you decide to book with Steph Grant Studios & what was the experience like?

I booked with SGS because I met you before and had seen you in action. I was also with Edna Morris recently and saw her new photos and they were fabulous. You capture the essence of the person, and it's way bigger than headshots. The experience with you was different and just plain fun. Talk about feeling "seen"....from the minute we walked into the studio, I felt comfortable. You asked me to put my music on - not yours and you helped me relax and have fun. You are a bright light and a special person.