A fast-paced, busy organization like the Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA) benefits greatly from team members who can assist its leaders and facilitate communication between multiple departments. That’s where DLBA Executive Assistant Kelsey Mader comes in.
“I knew I liked working with people, so seeing the nature of what DLBA does really resonated with me,” said Mader, who started working with DLBA in August. She brings exceptional people skills and a solid resume of relevant experience to her new job. Her primary duties as Executive Assistant are to assist DLBA’s President and CEO, Kraig Kojian, and to make sure the entire office is running smoothly from an administrative standpoint. She relays information between DLBA’s departments and assists each department as needed. 
Born in Whittier, Mader moved around Southern California with her family quite a bit during her childhood years, which helped hone her ability to quickly adapt to new situations. Her years spent putting herself through college working as a restaurant server enabled her to meet people from all walks of life and to become adept at engaging people in conversations. She further bolstered her communication skills while studying Political Science at California State University, Fullerton.
After college, Mader gained experience as an executive assistant while working for the consulting firm Frog Environmental, which was originally based in Long Beach. She assisted several administrative officers there, and created a stormwater management department during her tenure with the company.
An avid camper (“I went camping 12 times last year,” she said), Mader enjoys the simple pleasures of sitting around a campfire with her family, friends, and dog in locales such as Shaver Lake, Yosemite, and San Gorgonio. Last year, she visited four countries with her family. Her most memorable travel experience so far was driving through Belize into Guatemala at midnight on New Year’s Eve. “I don’t know if I’d recommend it,” she said, “but it was very exciting.”
“Working at DLBA is everything I hoped for in the next step of my career,” said Mader. “Working for a non-profit was always appealing to me. Seeing how the work we do directly impacts our community is very fulfilling. Everyone I work with feels the same way. Everyone here is motivated to keep moving forward, which rubs off on me. My first three months at DLBA have been really awesome.”