Kelly Bates
Kelly Bates is the Executive Director of Access Strategies Fund. Kelly Bates came to Access Strategies Fund in 2007 with a history and wealth of experience well suited to its mission.
From an early age, growing up in New York City, Kelly was prepared for a career of activism and social justice by the example of two people who shaped her world view: Her single mother a public school teacher from Harlem who, although living in poverty, struggled to rise above racism, a disability, and economic hardship with strength and dignity. Kelly’s other role model was her grandmother, who taught her the importance of civic participation. Her grandmother voted in every election and was ready to go to the polls on 9/11/01 to vote in the New York City primary, even though the sky was falling. The women in Kelly’s life informed her perspective about the need for equality and change and inspired her early participation as a social activist, through law school and to this day as Executive Director of the Access Strategies Fund.
Kelly Bates is a bridge builder, with a keen eye for a good idea and talented people looking to bring change to their community. She has a reputation as a community facilitator, change activist, and an attorney with expertise in social justice and an understanding of political strategy and analysis. Her twenty year career spans politics, nonprofit management, organizational development, philanthropy, business, and human services.
Kelly has become well known for being where the action is in Boston. You may have seen her on local television as a commentator during the historical 2008 Presidential election, met her at a rally for improving voter access or as part of the legal ground force that monitored polls on election nights.
She is a regular commentator and political contributor on WGBH 89.7, Boston’s NPR radio station.
Before coming to Access, Kelly was a respected consultant in the field of leadership, diversity and management, working with over 50 institutions, large and small, in the public and private arena. Prior to her consulting career, Kelly was the Executive Director of the Women’s State-Wide Legislative Network, a membership organization of over 50 women’s organizations and 1000 members. Kelly played a key role when they joined forces with women legislators to pass a state law in Massachusetts requiring employers to establish policies and training to prevent sexual harassment.
Kelly lobbied on behalf of human services, health care and housing policy issues at the state level as a Legislative Advocate for the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute. Additionally, she served as the Executive Director of the Healthworks Foundation, funding health and wellness programs for women and children.
Kelly is a member of the Massachusetts Bar and recipient of the Eureka-Boston Fellowship for Nonprofit Leaders. In 1999, Kelly received a proclamation from the Massachusetts House of Representatives in recognition of her efforts to improve health care, increase income to families living in poverty, and promote access to public housing. She is the author of the: Massachusetts Candidate Pipeline Mapping Report, a survey of nonprofit programs training people of color and women to run for office. A resident of Boston for close to twenty years, Kelly lives in Roslindale with her husband and son.
