Kellie A. McElhaney

Dr. Kellie A. McElhaney is a Distinguished Teaching Fellow at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, recognized for her expertise in impact leadership, corporate social responsibility, and equity-driven business strategy. McElhaney has served as the founder of two leadership-focused centers at Haas, contributing to the advancement of leadership education.

Earlier in her career, McElhaney worked in retail banking in commercial lending, acquisitions, and corporate leadership development, providing a practical foundation for her evidence-based approach to business strategy.

McElhaney founded the Center for Responsible Business at Haas, establishing corporate responsibility as a core competency and competitive advantage for the school, which contributed to Haas being ranked number one in the world for corporate responsibility by The Financial Times. She received the Founder and Visionary Award at Haas for this work. McElhaney developed, launched, and directed the Center, which now includes research, instruction, and experiential learning and outreach programs, such as the first student-managed Socially Responsible Investment Fund and the Sustainable Products & Solutions Program. Her book, "Just Good Business: The Strategic Guide to Aligning Corporate Responsibility and Brand," along with case studies of companies including Gap Inc., Google, and Zendesk, demonstrates her thought leadership in corporate responsibility and sustainable business practices.

McElhaney is the founding director of the Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership (EGAL), which aims to educate equity fluent leaders to drive change. She developed and teaches the concept of equity fluent leadership, which emphasizes the value of diverse experiences and the importance of addressing barriers and increasing access in organizations. McElhaney has written numerous case studies on diversity and inclusion, including the Gap Inc. Equal Pay case, which received the California Management Review Case of the Year.

McElhaney teaches courses on impact leadership, the business of women's sports, and personal brand. Through Haas Executive Education, she designs and teaches leadership programs in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East. At UC Berkeley, she serves on the Chancellor's Committee on the Status of Women and the Gender Equity Committee for Cal Athletics, and is the Faculty Fellow for Cal Women's Basketball, where she leads workshops for student athletes on name, image, and likeness (NIL), leadership, and personal branding.

In her consulting practice, McElhaney provides strategic advisory services, educational workshops, and tailored solutions for corporations, boards, and nonprofits, with clients including Google, Levi Strauss & Co., NVIDIA, HP, Meta, and Ernst & Young.

McElhaney has delivered keynote addresses at events such as TED, Fortune's Most Powerful Women, and Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year. She has been recognized as one of the Most Influential Women in Bay Area Business by San Francisco Business Times and has received the Earl F. Cheit Award for Excellence in Teaching. With a career spanning academia, consulting, and public advocacy, McElhaney is a leading voice on business strategy, equity, and leadership.