Ivey is pleased to be welcoming numerous new faculty members to campus this school year! To help you get to know our new colleagues, we asked each of them a list of questions about their academic – and personal – interests.
Get to know: Jessica Kelly, HBA ’09
Jessica Kelly, HBA ’09, has always endeavoured to be well-rounded, which is reflected in her past experiences as an academic, public servant, and entrepreneur in the agriculture industry. Kelly is the co-founder of a farming business that produces specialty pork for distribution around North America. She is also a new Lecturer of Managerial Accounting and Control and will be teaching HBA1 Accounting and Financial Fundamentals and HBA2 Managerial Accounting and Control. Kelly will serve as a section head in the HBA program. As a past HBA student, she knows how important classroom culture is and how life-long friendships can be created within a section, so she’s thrilled to take on a section head role.
Q&A with Jessica Kelly, HBA ’09
What is the most important thing business executives can learn from your research/area of expertise?
As a business owner in the agricultural industry, I’ve done everything from scraping pig pens to preparing financials for prospective investors. The value of being a generalist is an important thing that business executives can learn from entrepreneurs in the agriculture and food industry. Not only is it important to not lose touch with parts of your business, but it is also an incredible way to relate to people. Nothing commands respect like a leader who is willing to do the hard work, whether that hard work takes place in a field, factory floor, or boardroom.
Where did you grow up and what was it like there?
I grew up on a farm in a rural community about 100 kilometres northeast of London, Ont. I attended elementary school in Drayton and high school in Elmira – home of Malcolm Gladwell and the world’s largest single day maple syrup festival. Community spirit was strong in our area so the concept of service to your community was something instilled in me from a young age. Our farm was walking distance to an inland lake, so I had the rare fortune of getting to waterski or tube in the summer evenings and could bike to my sailing lessons.
Who have been your strongest influences in life?
My parents always modelled the value of lifelong learning and instilled in me a belief that learning can happen everywhere – not just in classrooms. My mom went back to school to begin an MBA when I was in grade four (while working full time managing her family’s business) and my dad did a significant career change in his mid-40s. I’ve always known that my parents were proud of my academic accomplishments, but I also know they were proud when I got my boat license or learned to change a flat tire.
My husband, Stewart, has been my biggest cheerleader for 15 years. While I’m more of a practical realist, he’s a dreamer who sees possibilities before roadblocks, and my life is definitely more exciting because of it!
What led you to your career?
I often reflect on how March of my HBA1 year was a pivotal turning point in my career. I had been offered a job at McCain Foods in the downtown Toronto office, which I knew would be a great springboard from my roots in agriculture and food to the “corporate world.” The afternoon I received that job offer, a mass email was sent to all HBA students asking if anyone was interested in doing a summer internship with the Western Heads East project in Tanzania. I was drawn to the opportunity and immediately expressed my interest. Two months later, I found myself living in Tanzania, taking Swahili lessons and working on business skills with an amazing group of women, affectionately known as the “Yogurt Mamas.”
Immersing yourself in a developing country for an extended period changes you. When I returned to Canada for HBA2, the culture shock of full-time recruiting was intense and most corporate opportunities just didn’t feel right. The only opportunity that resonated with me was the Business 2257 Lecturer position and that is where I discovered my love of teaching!
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
I try to spend as much time as I can with my six-year-old son and two-year-old daughter, who have a seemingly endless supply of hugs and questions. I also enjoy photography, travel, yoga, spending time at the cottage, and volunteering with local economic development organizations.
What might someone be surprised to know about you?
Last year, I won a fantasy football league that included family members and friends who are avid football fans (which I am definitely not!).
What is the most played song on your playlist as of now?
My online music algorithms are very influenced by my kids’ selections, so it would probably be something from Moana, Trolls, or Sing 2.
What book would you recommend to others on the personal side?
I am currently entranced by the book, We Are Not Like Them by Christine Pride and Jo Piazza. I find the alternating perspectives captivating, especially in audiobook format.
And on the business side?
On the business/professional side, I like Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World by David Epstein.
