Where are they now? Pendleton Foundation Trust scholarship recipient, Kelli McBee

We have the honor of giving funds to students from Pendleton High School, so they may further their education and make the world a better place. There are few things more inspiring than young people and so we like to check on our recipients to see what they’ve been up to since high school. Kelli McBee received the Jiggs and Maxine Fisk Scholarship of $5,000, ten years ago! See below for a Q&A with Kelli!

PFT: What year did you graduate form PHS?

KM: 2009

PFT: What clubs, athletics, extracurriculars were you involved in at PHS?

KM: I enjoyed staying busy between academics and extracurriculars, so there was never a dull moment! I was involved in ASTRA Club (President); Key Club (President); Varsity Track & Field, Volleyball, Cross Country; ACappella Choir (President) and Swing Choir member; Miss Oregon Teen 2009 & Miss Oregon Jr. Teen 2007 (National American Miss) and community event planning. I enjoyed anything creative and challenging, as well as opportunities to develop leadership skills! 

PFT: What type of job did you want to have growing up?

KM: I’ve always been very curious about all different things in life, so my career interests changed often while growing up! I wanted to be a landscape architect, then a hotel/restaurant architect, then a nurse, then communications and broadcast journalist. I ended up focusing the majority of my college applications toward public relations and communications and have served in industries that satisfy all those different passions and interests of mine in one way or another. 

PFT: Where did you attend college?

KM: Boston College

PFT: Where did you attend graduate school?

KM: University of Houston (MBA and MS in Hospitality Management dual degrees)

PFT: Do you believe growing up in Pendleton helped you succeed in life thus far? Why?

KM: Absolutely, and in many ways that I didn’t realize until adulthood! Living in a small town instilled in me the values of service for others, the importance of community involvement and the learning that even one person can make a profound difference in society. My awareness of these mindsets would not have developed in the same way if I had grown up in a big city without Pendleton’s small town values and charm. Our distinctive western way of life that is filled with genuine care and concern for neighbors, peace that comes from connecting with nature and wholesome perspectives toward life and business has helped me succeed by bringing that indescribable “extra element” to interactions in other regions of the country. Pendleton also enabled me to think creatively and innovate while appreciating what’s really important in life. 

PFT: Can you tell us how this scholarship helped you?

KM: Receiving the scholarship was truly an honor. In addition the Foundation investing in my education through financial assistance, for which I am so grateful, being selected as a high school student encouraged me to continue fighting the good fight and striving to make a difference in the world through college and beyond through their support. I was able to begin college knowing I had an invisible army of Pendletonian support as I ventured into new territory to explore new concepts and ideas, push myself to new heights and discover where I could create impact by empowering and leading others.

PFT: Tell us about your career!

KM: My career has been an evolving adventure that I never would have expected! I am blessed to have had doors open up that I’ve had the courage to say “yes” to, because taking those risks has ultimately led me down a very fulfilling professional path. 

After graduating from Boston College with a BA in Communications focusing on Public Relations, I moved to Houston, Texas, and began working at Edelman, the largest PR firm in the world. I honed my marcomm skills through B2B and B2C clients in industries ranging from oil and gas to consumer packaged goods and healthcare to hotels. While I dappled in all areas of PR and communications, media relations and securing spots on TV, radio and in newspapers for my clients became my specialty. Working with reporters, writing all sorts of copy for content, organizing and publicizing events and thinking outside the box to make stories come to life provided invaluable experiences.

I realized that I was thoroughly enjoying the hospitality, consumer packaged goods and food and beverage client accounts and decided to jump into in-house marketing with Landry’s, Inc., a major restaurant and hospitality group, where I marketed four Downtown Aquarium properties. Between handling the social media pages, websites and billboard and print promotions and event organization at the aquariums and restaurants, I was equipped to take on a bigger role.

Having agency and in-house experience, I made my way back to one of my favorite former clients, a Black Angus cattle and steaks producer, 44 Farms, and began as Communications Director. This was a blast as I oversaw all events, sponsorships, partnerships, design, media/social/public relations, customer branding, content creation, and essentially anything that had our logo on it. Working with hundreds of talented chefs using our product and trying to gain new business for both the steaks and cattle teams provided an exciting environment in a dynamic capacity.

I began my MBA and MS in Hospitality Management dual degrees last fall to hone my business skills and perfect my food and beverage knowledge. During this time, I interned at a foodservice consulting firm, during which I helped restaurateurs open their businesses and assisted with everything from site selection and interior design to menu development and grand openings.

PFT: Do you have any advice for this year’s senior class:

KM: This is not the end, it is a very exciting beginning! Throughout high school and my twenties, I felt like every single decision was a make-or-break for the rest of my life. Boy, was I wrong! Every decision only opened doors or led me in a different direction that then became my norm until I was ready to open another door. This is the time to take (smart) risks! Join the club you have absolutely no experience in. Ask the person who catches your eye on a date. Sign up for study abroad or something crazy out of your comfort zone. Push yourself, because it will only make it easier the next time around. The next time around, the stakes might be higher, so the more practice you can get pushing yourself, the easier the courage will come. 

My other advice is to take good care of yourself… not only physically, but mentally. I would put so much pressure on myself that I didn’t end up actually enjoying some experiences because I had psyched myself out or knew that I wasn’t already really good at whatever the task was. You’re about to walk into college or a job or a new situation that is unfamiliar to you. Be kind and gentle with yourself as you learn a new skill or take on something that is seemingly impossible. You’ll be amazed at what you’re capable of if you give it a shot! Over time, I’ve realized that when you’re in a healthy environment, both with others and within your own head, failure is welcomed as a learning experience instead of… failure. There are so many changes ahead of you for the next few years. Failure is absolutely inevitable, but what failure really means is that you put yourself out there and tried. Embrace every day for its successes and failures and endeavor to persevere!