While away at college and as a young working professional, Teri Kelley vividly remembers getting regular letters from her father about the power of compound interest, investing and more general advice about life decision-making. So one of the first things she did after graduating from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and working in media and marketing was to set up her 401(k) and start saving for her retirement. When she realized her peers and friends weren’t doing the same, it moved her to action. Her passion for educating and helping others became her mission, and she decided to make a career of it. “I was worried about the young people around me,” says Teri, who 22 years later now leads the wealth planning practice of Viewpoint Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley in Scottsdale, Ariz.
MAKER Teri Kelley’s Growth Mindset
Through education, mentorship and volunteerism, this Morgan Stanley advisor is uplifting others, including colleagues and other women in the industry.
Key Takeaways
- Teri Kelley, who leads the wealth planning practice of Viewpoint Wealth Management Group at Morgan Stanley, has been named a Morgan Stanley MAKER, Class of 2025.
- After realizing so many young people around her were not effectively preparing themselves for retirement, she turned her passion into a career, helping others save for their futures.
- The daughter of two teachers, Teri prioritizes education—for herself, her peers and her clients.
- She gives back intentionally and meaningfully with organizations that focus on youth, girls and women, and the environment while making every effort to mentor and lift others, including other women in the financial industry.
This Managing Director, Family Wealth Director and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy helps clients define and reach their objectives by working with them to identify goals and make educated financial decisions. In the beginning, to help her reach her target clients, she launched a series of educational programs, starting with groups of small business owners and then expanding to focus on women.
Teri has noticed that more women are taking the lead in managing household investments and finds it encouraging that many are also showing interest in pursuing careers in finance. In fact, she serves on the board of the Women’s Leadership Alliance (WLA), a nonprofit organization that seeks to attract more women into the financial planning industry, and is committed to ensuring diversity on her own team to better serve clients, including multigenerational families. As Teri explains, the WLA is in the process of “building circles of women advisors in individual markets across the country to connect women and allies, and help each other think through tough decisions and build each other up.”
ONGOING EDUCATION—FOR HERSELF AND FOR OTHERS
In addition to educating others, Teri also devoted time to invest in her own credentials. Not only is she a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) but she also holds her CIMA®, CRPS®, Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy and an MBA from Arizona State.
As an only child of two school teachers, it is no surprise that education is so important to Teri. She looks back fondly on her family’s community involvement, including being involved with Girl Scouts. As her mother had done when Teri was a young girl, Teri started volunteering for the local Girl Scout Council. What began as a troop leadership led to a 14-year board directorship and Board Chair role, serving “an organization that helped shape me with a girl-only space when I was a child,” says Teri. “I love being engaged with our youth and providing a safe place for them to be themselves.”
She helped the Arizona Girl Scouts complete its Campaign for Girls, an $18 million fundraising campaign to expand the Girl Scout experience. It culminated in the building and opening of a Leadership Center for Girls and Women in 2017, where a rock-climbing tower is dedicated to Teri as a “true champion for girls.”
A collegiate Division 1 runner, Teri internalized the committed work ethic that is needed to be part of a successful team. A cyclist and former triathlete, Teri completed two Boston Marathons and competed in five Ironman triathlons, including the elite Kona World Championship. Today, she still cycles with her husband Tyson and loves trail running and hiking.
GIVING BACK—INTENTIALLY AND MEANINGFULLY
Harnessing her boundless drive and endless energy, Teri gives back intentionally and meaningfully. In addition to the Arizona Cactus Pine Girl Scout Council, she’s served on other youth and environment-focused community boards and committees, including Northern Arizona Healthcare, Boys & Girls Club of Central Arizona, Lowell Observatory Foundation, Forest Highlands Foundation, Arizona Community Foundation and the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy.
She and Tyson openly discuss charitable giving with their 8 and 11-year-old sons. “Ten percent of their allowance is put away for their charity of their choice,” she explains.
Teri is thrilled to have been named a Morgan Stanley MAKER, Class of 2025, joining a community of advocates, innovators and groundbreakers for inclusion, all nominated by their peers. “MAKERS are strong advocates for others,” she says. “We lift people up.”
She sees herself as a change agent and goes all in when dedicating herself to a cause and developing others on her own team. “I am as focused on bringing up others around me as I am on growing our practice and myself,” says Teri, who finds joy in “seeing my teammates thrive and being interested in learning new things.”
It’s a growth mindset she loves to share with others, especially the women she started mentoring during COVID. “It’s hard to succeed in this industry without having a growth mindset,” she says. “It’s what wakes me up every morning.”
