David Kelley

David Kelley's keynotes are brimming with insight on how companies, industry and individuals can unlock creative potential. As a designer, educator and venture capitalist, Kelley is well acquainted with creative problem solving.

Shortly after completing a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering at Carnegie-Mellon University, he began working for Boeing as an engineer. After a few years in the product design field, Kelley was inspired to return to school and develop his skills further. In 1978, he completed his Masters Degree at Stanford University from the Joint Program in Design.

Kelley went on to found David Kelley Design, which would later be merged with three other companies to form the design and innovation consultancy group IDEO. Ever busy, Kelley serves as the chairman of IDEO as well as the Donald W. Whittier professor at Stanford's Mechanical Engineering program while still managing to find the time for speaking events.

This lifetime of innovation and creativity has earned Kelley a number of awards including: the Edison Achievement Award for Innovation, the David the Sir Misha Black Medal, National Design Award in Product Design from the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, and the Chrysler Design Award.