Kelly Dean Yagelniski is an accomplished executive, entrepreneur, management consultant, educator, author, and leadership coach with more than 35 years of professional experience spanning electric utilities, renewable energy, infrastructure development, telecommunications, information technology, and business transformation. Throughout his distinguished career, he has built a reputation for navigating complex business environments, strengthening organizational performance, and transforming ambitious strategic objectives into measurable results. With an Executive MBA, Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, and extensive international leadership experience, Kelly brings a distinctive combination of operational expertise, commercial judgment, strategic insight, and governance discipline. His professional philosophy centers on a powerful principle: meaningful progress begins with clarity of purpose, sound decisions, and disciplined execution.
Kelly began his professional journey in the telecommunications industry, where he developed the technical, financial, and operational foundation that would shape his leadership approach. At SaskTel, he managed financial systems, billing platforms, carrier settlement initiatives, and emerging cellular technology projects during a period of significant industry evolution. His career subsequently expanded internationally through SaskTel International, where he served in a director-level capacity overseeing project management, finance, and operations. Working in the Philippines and Tanzania, he contributed to the engineering, procurement, and construction of fiber-optic and wireless telecommunications infrastructure. These assignments strengthened his ability to lead multicultural teams, navigate diverse business environments, and manage projects involving complex technical, commercial, and stakeholder considerations.
Building upon his telecommunications experience, Kelly transitioned into enterprise technology and software development leadership, managing sophisticated implementations for cellular operators and technology clients across North America and international markets. His work included software development, billing integration, business systems, vendor coordination, and large-scale program delivery. As Director of the Project Management Office at CGI, he assumed responsibility for overseeing software development and implementation initiatives serving the energy sector. In this capacity, he guided multidisciplinary teams, strengthened project controls, managed budgets and contractual obligations, and established disciplined approaches to risk management, resource allocation, and operational performance. These experiences reinforced his understanding of how technology investments, organizational alignment, and effective execution contribute to sustainable business success.
A defining chapter of Kelly’s career unfolded at the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO), where he served in a senior director and program management capacity overseeing transmission, generation, distribution, and customer connection initiatives. His responsibilities extended across major electricity infrastructure programs, including renewable energy developments involving wind and solar generation and high-voltage direct-current transmission projects. Operating within a highly regulated environment, Kelly coordinated complex initiatives requiring careful management of capital expenditures, regulatory applications, forecasts, schedules, compliance obligations, and stakeholder expectations. Beyond program execution, he played an important role in developing corporate strategy, organizational goals, performance measures, and key performance indicators. As Chair of the Corporate Goals Committee, he helped connect enterprise priorities with measurable accountability, demonstrating his ability to integrate strategic leadership with practical governance.
Kelly further expanded his influence within the energy and infrastructure sectors through senior consulting engagements with EPCOR and Enbridge. At EPCOR, he has led significant electric transmission and distribution infrastructure projects involving substations, transmission lines, switchgear installations, and associated civil construction. His portfolio includes projects valued at approximately $65 million, $95 million, and $225 million, reflecting substantial responsibility for capital planning, procurement, contract negotiations, budgeting, change management, construction coordination, and transition to operations. He has also prepared executive reporting and decision materials for project steering committees, transmission program governance forums, and the EPCOR Board. These responsibilities have given him valuable exposure to board-level decision-making, particularly where financial stewardship, infrastructure reliability, regulatory compliance, and long-term organizational interests intersect.
During his engagement with Enbridge, Kelly contributed to enterprise-wide technology and business transformation initiatives involving Oracle Cloud and IBM Maximo. His work emphasized organizational change management, business process alignment, stakeholder engagement, and the establishment of sustainable governance structures following major systems implementations. He has consistently recognized that successful transformation requires more than technology deployment; it demands leadership commitment, organizational readiness, clear accountability, and effective communication. His experience across enterprise resource planning, software-as-a-service platforms, and digital operating environments enables him to evaluate technology initiatives through both an operational and strategic lens. More recently, he has incorporated responsible artificial intelligence adoption into his advisory work, helping leadership teams consider practical applications, governance safeguards, and human accountability in an increasingly technology-driven business landscape.
Entrepreneurship has been another central dimension of Kelly’s professional journey. In 2005, he founded Kelly Dean & St-Amand Incorporated (KDSI), establishing an independent consulting and professional development practice dedicated to helping organizations, teams, and individuals turn complexity into clarity and meaningful objectives into executed projects. As President and Founder, he has provided strategic consulting, major-project leadership, organizational transformation, performance improvement, executive coaching, and professional education across multiple industries. Through KDSI, Kelly combines established project management methodologies with decision quality frameworks, change leadership principles, and practical execution systems. His entrepreneurial experience has strengthened his appreciation for business development, client relationships, financial discipline, adaptability, and the realities of building and sustaining an organization.
Kelly’s involvement in innovation and emerging technology extends beyond traditional consulting assignments. Through his work with The A100 and the Start Alberta digital platform, he collaborated with participants across Alberta’s entrepreneurial and technology ecosystem to support digital platform development, stakeholder engagement, business model design, and technology vendor selection. He has also contributed to international software-as-a-service business development through Arkion, supporting market expansion into Canada and the United States, partnership development, and pilot project execution. These experiences have broadened his understanding of innovation ecosystems, technology commercialization, and the challenges faced by growing enterprises. They also complement his interest in advising organizations that seek to balance entrepreneurial ambition with strategic discipline and sound governance.
Alongside his executive and consulting career, Kelly has maintained a longstanding commitment to education, mentorship, and human development. Since 2006, he has served as an instructor and workshop facilitator at Mount Royal University, teaching project management, stakeholder engagement, team development, and business leadership. His teaching philosophy emphasizes the practical application of professional knowledge, encouraging students and emerging leaders to approach complex challenges with structure, confidence, and critical thinking. As a certified performance coach and workshop facilitator, he has also supported professionals and executives seeking to strengthen decision-making, accountability, productivity, and personal effectiveness. His ability to translate complex concepts into accessible, actionable guidance reflects a genuine commitment to helping others succeed.
Kelly’s intellectual curiosity and dedication to continuous improvement are reflected in his extensive educational and professional credentials. He earned an Executive MBA from the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Regina. He is a certified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute and holds additional qualifications in Prosci change management, Decision Quality, innovation management, international trade, and performance coaching. He is also a graduate of Creative Destruction Lab Rockies, an experience that further strengthened his understanding of entrepreneurship, innovation, and business growth. This combination of formal education, specialized certifications, and decades of practical leadership enables him to bring analytical rigor and informed judgment to complex organizational decisions.
In 2025, Kelly added published author to his professional accomplishments with the release of Mastering Life Projects: Unleash Your Energy and Transform Your Life. Drawing upon decades of experience managing major business initiatives, teaching project management, and navigating personal and professional transformation, the book explores how proven project management principles can help individuals pursue meaningful life goals. His accompanying Mastering Life Projects framework integrates project discipline, mindfulness, human performance, and sustainable personal development. Through writing, coaching, workshops, and speaking engagements, Kelly encourages individuals to identify their most important priorities, establish practical operating systems, and create lasting momentum through consistent action. His work reflects a belief that achievement should be measured not only by professional results but also by personal fulfillment, meaningful relationships, and sustained well-being.
Throughout his career, Kelly has demonstrated an ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries, industries, cultures, and levels of leadership. His international experience spans telecommunications and technology initiatives in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Central America. These assignments have strengthened his cultural awareness, adaptability, and ability to build productive relationships with stakeholders representing different professional and organizational perspectives. Whether advising senior executives, coordinating technical specialists, engaging regulatory stakeholders, or mentoring aspiring professionals, Kelly approaches leadership through collaboration, transparency, thoughtful analysis, and personal accountability. He understands that enduring organizational success depends upon aligning people, resources, strategy, and execution around clearly defined objectives.
Today, Kelly is seeking opportunities to contribute his experience as an independent director or advisory board member, with particular interest in renewable energy, electric utilities, infrastructure, technology, and business transformation. He is especially drawn to organizations with up to approximately 5,000 to 6,000 employees, where his combination of executive experience, entrepreneurial perspective, and practical governance expertise can make a meaningful contribution. His potential board value encompasses corporate strategy, capital allocation, major-project oversight, enterprise risk, technology governance, commercial decision-making, organizational change, and leadership development. Although he has not previously held a formal corporate board appointment, his extensive director-level responsibilities and regular engagement with senior governance forums provide a strong foundation for contributing to effective board deliberations and informed organizational oversight.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Kelly is a husband, father, lifelong learner, meditation instructor, and advocate for purposeful personal growth. His interests in travel, physical training, mindfulness, and personal development reflect his broader commitment to maintaining balance between achievement and well-being. He believes that leadership carries a responsibility to develop others, share knowledge, and create opportunities for meaningful progress. This conviction is central to his motivation for pursuing board service: after decades of building organizations, leading complex projects, educating professionals, and advising executives, he is eager to give back by helping businesses and their leaders realize their potential. Kelly Dean Yagelniski brings more than extensive professional experience to the boardroom; he offers perspective, integrity, strategic discipline, and a genuine desire to help organizations build a stronger and more sustainable future.
Character:
Kelly exemplifies integrity, accountability, resilience, and a deeply rooted commitment to helping others achieve meaningful personal and professional success. His leadership is guided by principled decision-making, respect for diverse perspectives, and a belief that lasting achievement requires responsibility, perseverance, and genuine service to others.
Knowledge:
With more than 35 years of experience across energy, infrastructure, telecommunications, technology, and organizational transformation, Kelly possesses a comprehensive understanding of complex operational, financial, commercial, and regulatory environments. His Executive MBA, PMP designation, specialized professional certifications, and extensive international experience equip him to evaluate organizational challenges with both technical depth and broad business perspective.
Strategic:
Kelly combines long-term strategic thinking with disciplined execution, demonstrated through his leadership of major capital projects, development of corporate performance frameworks, and oversight of enterprise transformation initiatives. His ability to assess risk, evaluate investment alternatives, align stakeholders, and translate organizational priorities into actionable plans positions him to contribute meaningfully to board-level strategy and governance.
Communication:
As a university instructor, published author, executive coach, workshop facilitator, and experienced international leader, Kelly has developed the ability to communicate sophisticated ideas with clarity, confidence, and purpose. He builds trust through thoughtful listening, collaborative engagement, and the ability to translate technical, commercial, and strategic information into practical insights that support informed decisions and collective progress.
