Daily Inspiration: Meet Kelsie Jeffords

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelsie Jeffords

Hi Kelsie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Boulder, CO as a competitive dancer, and spent the majority of my time in the studio training. During my senior year of high school my team competed on America’s Got Talent, and ultimately ended up placing second on the show. We spent 3 weeks during the live taping living in LA which ended up having a huge influence in the steps I took after graduating. During our time on the show I was fortunate enough to get to share my story about living with Cystic Fibrosis. This gave me a huge platform to reach others who were facing their own life battles, and showed me just how powerful TV and media can be in telling stories and connecting communities. This inspired me to pursue a degree in film & media studies and communication during my next chapter at UC Santa Barbara. Living in Santa Barbara was a dream. I had amazing opportunities both on and off campus to grow as a dancer, as well as in my professional career. With LA just a short drive away, I would spend my summers doing internships in the entertainment industry, while continuing my dance training. After graduating I immediately moved to LA, with the dream of being a professional dancer. I would continue to do various jobs in brand representation, social media management, and live events, while simultaneously going to auditions and continuing my training. I have now lived in LA for eight years and have seen many ups and downs, but one thing that has remained true since I was 18 is my passion for storytelling and using creative platforms to inspire. I currently am working as the National Program Manager for a non-profit that provides hip hop and street dance classes in low income communities, as well as a social media manager for various creators and brands. My role and goals in the dance industry continues to evolve, but I am currently excited about diving more into the world of creative direction, with the hope of finding new ways to reach new audiences with new stories.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t know if you’ll find anyone pursuing an artistic career in LA that will say it has been entirely smooth sailing, but I think that’s what makes it beautiful. The hard times make the amazing times even more fulfilling, and every bump in the road has only made me stronger and wiser. One of my toughest struggles had been living with Cystic Fibrosis. I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, a life threatening hereditary lung disease when I was a newborn. It has played an enormous role in my life for as long as I can remember. When I was born the life expectancy for someone with CF was 31 years old. I spent large chunks of my childhood in the hospital, for weeks at a time doing IV medications and intensive long therapies to keep me healthy. As a kid, being “different” never felt good. While I was spending 2 weeks of the summer in the hospital, my friends would be out at waterparks, and as you can imagine, for a 10 year old that felt very unfair. However as I got older, I learned the power I had to make the most of my situation. I learned that complaining about my CF wouldn’t change it, and that embracing it would allow me to live a much happier and longer life. I think the biggest impact my CF has had on me is that it has challenged me to live big. My motto has always been: I have CF, CF doesn’t have me. I am a competitor at heart, so I am always looking for ways to show all the amazing things you can do with your life, even if you have CF. I’ve run half marathons, climbed mountains over 14,000 feet in elevation, and chased my dreams, all while facing the daily battles of CF. I am now 30 years old, and the life expectancy for CF has doubled since the day I was born. I truly believe that if someone came to me today with a magic wand and said, “I can take your CF away so you can do life all over again without it” I would say no thank you. My CF has made me stronger, taught me how to advocate for myself, and given me opportunities to connect, inspire, and share with others in ways that I wouldn’t have been able to without it. Everyone faces different battles and obstacles in life, whether professionally or personally, but those are the moments that also challenge you to dig deeper to find your “why.” My why hasn’t always stayed the same, but it continues to be what I look for when the going gets tough.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m really grateful for the variety of works experiences I’ve had while living in LA. I’ve done everything from front desk customer service, to social media management, to touring the world. I believe the qualities that have led me to some of the greatest opportunities I’ve had are my grit, persistence, genuine desire to connect with others on a human level first, and knack for putting myself out there. One of the biggest moments of my career thus far was back in 2019 when I was hired to work as the touring choreographer for the Kidz Bop World Tour. This was a dream job for many reasons, but one of the most impactful reasons was that I was hired by someone I’d looked up to my whole life, Nick DeMoura. I had reached out to Nick a handful of times over the years (persistent is key), offering my help in any opportunity that would get me more hands on experience in the world of creative direction and choreography. When the timing was right, we were finally able to connect, and he offered to bring me on as his assistant for the creation of the world tour. Not only was that job a huge opportunity to learn from one of the best in our industry, but it was also a major catalyst in finding my confidence and discovering how much I’m capable of. Since 2019, I have seen my career and goals evolve, however a few common threads have remained. I love working in creative live production spaces, I love working with kids, I love traveling, and I love telling stories. I’ve let those threads, along with my ability to put myself out there and ask for opportunities, to weave me through different industries as I continue to explore which path brings me the most fulfillment.

The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Two of the biggest takeaways I had from the pandemic were my priorities. When all of the noise, hustle, and superficial elements of life were stripped away, it reminded me what I truly value and want to prioritize in my life… my family, friends, and health. At the end of the day what jobs you book or don’t book don’t matter, it’s the people you meet and relationships you build along the way that do. I was fortunate to spend some extra time back home in Colorado during the pandemic, and that time was really grounding for me to be surrounded by the foundations and people who helped build me, and it brought me back to my “why.”

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @kelsie_jeffords

Image Credits
@alissarosestudio
@devinshotme
@shotbytal_