Kelly Kiki has spent over 30 years focused on serving his local and global community. It makes sense as a 7-year veteran of the US Coast Guard, who flew search and rescue aboard the HH-65A helicopter, that he has remained committed to serving others in great need. He was a flight crew instructor, safety petty officer, and recipient of the YN1 Renee Russell Memorial Award in 1993 while at Air Station Los Angeles.

Professionally, Kiki has spent the past 25 years teaching high school and 35 years coaching high school wrestling and softball. It is here that Kiki received the honor of being a 2005 Lilac Festival Teach of the Year, recipient of the Inspiring Future Philanthropist Award in 2018, and recipient of the United States Navy Influencer Impact Award in 2022.

With this passion to educate, he created Education 4 Kids International in 2006 with Hope 4 Kids International (H4KI) to support schools in Uganda. Kiki has been boots on the ground four times in both Uganda. He continues to work with H4KI in supporting some of the most vulnerable children in the world.

Locally, he supported Blessings Under the Bridge here in Spokane from 2008 to 2020 as their Public Relations and one time Board Vise President and President serving Spokane’s homeless population. This work led him to sitting on Mayor Nadine Woodward’s Mayors Advisory Council on Downtown Environment for 10 months in 2022-23 where they sought ways to help not only the city but also the homeless community.

Looking back, Kiki’s prouder moments stem from his time serving his country; thus, he is honored to serve as Veterans Community Response’s (VCR) board member since 2020 and current Board President since 2022. His passion to serve with VCR comes from the understanding of the sacrifices of so many that served before him. From his own father, uncle, sister, and brother, Kiki understands the sacrifices one makes and the hidden wounds that are carried throughout a veteran’s life.

At the forefront of his journey, Kiki’s beautiful family is his truth. His wife, Dawn, of 31 years and two beautiful children, Caitlynn and Justus, have been, in some way or another, at his side for his years of service.