Dr. Keely Petty is a highly recognized certified educational expert, facilitator, and trainer of trainers specializing in trauma and mental health, particularly focusing on the needs of BIPOC (Black Indigenous People of Color) congregations and faith leaders. Her career is dedicated to dismantling the stigma and shame associated with mental illness, especially within communities of color, by providing trustworthy and culturally responsive training and resources. She is the founder and CEO of Kick Start Your Life™ with Dr. Keely!, a global wellness coaching,training,and consulting mission service.

Dr. Keely’s core work involves creating a bridge between spiritual wellness and clinical mental health care. She offers specialized training to church leadership and congregants, aiming to empower them to become self-healing communities. She has trained leaders in over 52 churches and ministries, reaching hundreds of Christian leaders across the U.S. and globally, including South Africa, Maui, and Puerto Rico. As the Texas Training Coordinator for the WestCare Foundations Trauma-Informed Ministry Model, she provides free, certified training in mental health, psychological first aid, and crisis prevention trauma verbal de-escalation,housed at the Ella Austin Community Center. This work directly addresses historical trauma and the isolation often faced by communities of color when seeking mental health support.

She is a prolific communicator and host of Matters of the Mind Quarterly Master Lab, a bi-monthly virtual community conversation that has reached over 50,000 individuals, focusing on trauma and mental well-being. Dr. Petty is a respected civic leader, serving as a City of San Antonio Commissioner and Chair, and on the boards of organizations such as the Center for Health Care Services Foundation and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

Her commitment to her community has earned her numerous honors, including accolades from the San Antonio Business Journal, the San Antonio Women's Chamber of Commerce, and an honor from Governor Greg Abbott for her impact in faith and mental health. Dr. Petty shares her life and work with her husband, Lead Pastor Lee Petty, at Bethel International Christian Fellowship, and their family. She holds a Doctorate Degree in Christian Counseling and over 20 professional certifications in areas like Spiritual First AID, Cognitive and Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and suicide prevention and so much more!

​