Who is Kelsey?
Kelsey O’Connor is the founder of Life Beyond Labels, a former Division I athlete, mental performance consultant, podcast host, and published researcher. She grew up in the Chicago suburbs in a big sports family, always curious, competitive, and dedicated to pursuing her goals. She played travel softball and was fortunate to be recruited to play at NC State, her dream school. For years, her 4 a.m. wake-ups, workouts, and late nights defined her days, and the constant “doing” shaped how she saw herself, even when she thought it didn’t.
Everything changed after a head injury took away many of the labels she had relied on. For months, she struggled with cognitive challenges, persistent pain, and the uncertainty of an invisible injury. At 20, she wasn’t sure if she would recover or how long it might take. To rebuild her sense of self, Kelsey first shifted how she saw and described others, committing to notice people’s attitude, how they treat others, and what makes them unique. This simple practice helped her build a stronger foundation for who she was and slowly reclaim genuine joy and purpose.
In 2023, she was chosen to deliver a commencement speech at NC State that later went viral, reaching millions of people worldwide. Messages from people of all ages and backgrounds served as a reminder that we are all more than the labels we carry.
Today, Kelsey travels the country speaking to schools, athletic programs, nonprofits, and leadership organizations. She combines storytelling with evidence-based strategies from her education in performance psychology and social work to help people navigate change, build resilience, and lead authentically. Her hope is to inspire individuals to live and lead beyond labels by recognizing the unique strengths within themselves and in those around them, creating a more compassionate and connected world.
Faith
My faith is the center of my identity and my foundation. It is where I draw my strength, joy, peace, and purpose from. I hope to reflect the light of Jesus in what I share and the person I try to be.
Family
My close relationship with my family has shaped so much of who I am. They are my biggest supporters and greatest blessing. I wouldn’t be who I am without them. Here is a picture of some of my family, but not all.
My family has inspired every part of who I am and what I do! On the athletics side, my dad played college football, worked for the Miami Dolphins for 13 years, and has since worked for major sports brands. My twin brother works for ESPN and my older brother was an elite runner...so I grew up in a sports family! On the other side of my profession, my mom is an Executive Leadership Coach. That is just a glimpse of what drew me to this kind of work!
Service
I have always been committed to making service a large part of my life and started volunteering regularly when I was about 13. I believe it is important to see beyond myself and to impact the lives of others in a meaningful way. I’ve been blessed with resources, education, and opportunities that I want to dedicate to giving back to my communities. I’ve included a page dedicated to causes I care about and have a personal connection to.
Athletics
I started playing softball when I was just 7 years old and my dream of playing in college started early! As I grew up, I was fortunate enough to travel and play for some of the top nationally ranked travel organizations in the country. After being recruited to play at NC State, I continued to play softball in college until my injury in October 2021.
I continue to stay involved in athletics, working out almost daily at Body Fit Training (BFT)!
Education
I am extremely passionate about education. I grew up wanting to become a teacher and had the opportunity to student-teach preschool, elementary, and high school classes as a junior and senior in high school myself! My pursuits shifted from teaching to social work, but I remained passionate about both education and mental health as I earned my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Social Work from NC State. I hope to both educate and inspire through my speeches, workshops, and coaching! I also love highlighting educators who changed my life. Featured is a picture of me speaking to Oklahoma University’s Academic Advising Department about supporting students.
Goals
My goal is to make a positive impact on the world. I hope to continue speaking, coaching those who want to use their voice for good, writing, and advocating for education and mental health!
On the horizon, I plan to write a book and apply to deliver a TED Talk!
