By CAROLINE BECK, Alabama Daily News
The Business Council of Alabama announced on Tuesday that Kellie Hope has been named the new director of regional affairs.
BCA President and CEO Katie Boyd Britt said in a press release that Hope’s primary focus will be to better serve BCA’s membership in south Alabama.
“Kellie Hope is well known and well respected in the Mobile business community, and we are proud to have her join our team,” said Britt. “Her knowledge and relationships position her to be invaluable to BCA members in south Alabama and to help grow and serve our membership in this region of the state. This new position will give us the opportunity to provide boots on the ground while at the same time prioritizing membership services on a more local level.”
Part of Hope’s responsibilities will be membership services and governmental affairs. She’ll work to create opportunities for elected officials to learn more about the needs of the business community in the southern part of the state, according to the organization.
“I am grateful for this opportunity,” said Hope. “I look forward to wearing the BCA jersey and being the consummate team player and a champion for BCA’s mission to further develop, empower and support the business community of south Alabama. I am honored by Katie’s friendship and her trust, and I am equally honored by the trust and approval of the BCA leadership.”
Hope joined the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce in 2017 as vice president of community and governmental affairs. Prior to the Chamber, she served as external affairs manager for Southern Light (now Uniti Fiber), developing local government relations across the Gulf Coast. She was responsible for legislative and regulatory issues impacting the fiber company in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Hope was the director of community services and communications for Tulane University Hospital, administrator and mental health coordinator for Cooper Green Mercy Hospital in Birmingham, and owner of the Louisiana Health and Wellness Group in Houma, La., providing a partial hospitalization program for mentally ill adults.
Hope earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a Master of Social Work from Tulane University. She is a graduate of Leadership Mobile in 2015 and Leadership Alabama in 2017, and currently, she serves on the boards of directors of Goodwill Easter Seals of the Gulf Coast, Dumas Wesley Community Center, and Downtown Parks Conservancy.
She officially joined BCA on Tuesday and will be based out of Mobile.