The backup plan I once questioned opened doors, relationships, and experiences I would never trade today.
Kelly Campagna · In Her Own Words
In Conversation
Kelly Campagna for Bold. Brilliant. Unstoppable.
Read the transcript
Kelly Campagna: The opportunities that we create, and the lasting impact we have on the people that we support.
What does being an Influential Woman mean to you?
Kelly Campagna: To me, being an influential woman means leading with authenticity, confidence and purpose while creating a positive impact on those around you. It's about using your voice to advocate for others, breaking down barriers and empowering people to reach their full potential. As a recruiter, influence is rooted in the relationships that we build every day. It's about earning trust, listening to people's goals and aspirations, and connecting talent with opportunity, and helping individuals take meaningful steps in their careers. Some of the most impactful moments come from guiding someone toward a role that changes their life, or by helping a leader build a team that drives success. True influence isn't measured by a title. It's reflected in the connections that we foster, the opportunities that we create, and the lasting impact we have on the people that we support. An influential woman uplifts others, inspires growth, and leaves every person and situation feeling better than she found them.
What's one piece of advice you would give to younger women chasing their dreams?
Kelly Campagna: The advice I would give to younger women chasing their dream is to believe in yourself before anyone else does. Don't wait until you feel completely ready because growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone. Be confident in your abilities, embrace challenges as opportunities to learn, and never be afraid to take up space and share your ideas. As a recruiter, I've had the privilege of hearing countless career journeys. And one thing that I've learned is that success is rarely a straight path. And that lesson truly resonates deeply with me because my own career journey certainly wasn't linear. I earned a degree in chemistry. I began my career in customer service and sales, and eventually I found my passion in recruiting. Each step taught me a valuable lesson and taught me valuable skills, expanding my perspective and really prepared me for opportunities that I couldn't have imagined at the time. It's a reminder that your path doesn't have to look like anyone else's to be successful. The people who achieve their goals are often the ones that stay resilient, build meaningful relationships, and remain open to new opportunities. Sometimes those unexpected turns lead you exactly where you were meant to be. Your network, your reputation, and the connections you make along the way can open up doors that you never imagined.
Her Story
About Kelly
Kelly Campagna is a Senior Talent Acquisition Manager at The Aspen Group (TAG), based in Baldwinsville, New York, where she has spent nearly a decade shaping the organization's approach to corporate hiring. Since joining the company in December 2016, her responsibilities have grown from staffing the Aspen Dental call center to leading recruitment across a broad range of corporate functions, including HR, finance, construction, facilities, marketing, insurance, and revenue cycle operations, as well as executive-level searches at the director, vice president, and senior vice president levels. A 2014 graduate of St. John Fisher University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Kelly brought an analytical mindset from her scientific training into an unexpected career path, first gaining office and client-facing experience in sales at Sedgwick Business Interiors before moving into recruitment with Prudential Financial Services.
What distinguishes Kelly in her field is not the volume of placements she has made, but the depth of the relationships she builds along the way. Having once stood at her own career crossroads, unsure where her skills might lead, she approaches every candidate conversation with genuine empathy, viewing each person as someone working toward a future rather than simply a line on a resume. This philosophy has made her a trusted partner to hiring managers and candidates alike, and she considers the greatest reward of her work to be the "full circle" moments: staying connected with people long after they're hired and watching them grow into their roles.
Outside of her professional accomplishments, Kelly has remained active in her community, serving as a Team Leader for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer since 2014 and previously coaching girls' basketball at both the modified and junior varsity levels. Guided by a commitment to transparency and integrity, she continues to bring the same values to her recruiting practice that she encourages in the next generation of professionals entering the field: to own the process, lead honestly, and seek out organizations worth believing in.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kelly
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to empathy. Early in my own career, I felt the same uncertainty that many of my candidates feel today, and that experience taught me to see beyond a resume to the person behind it. I also credit the culture at The Aspen Group, where genuine investment in people's growth has allowed me to build lasting, meaningful relationships rather than simply filling roles.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would tell young women to own the interview process from start to finish. Lead with transparency and integrity in every conversation, and take the time to find an organization whose values you genuinely believe in.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Transparency and integrity guide everything I do. I also place a high value on building genuine, long-term relationships and staying connected with the people I've helped, so that I can watch them grow and succeed well beyond the hiring process.
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