Kelly started her accounting business in 2006 and retired in 2021.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Mathematics.

Kelly first learned about bitcoin around 2011 after hearing about it in the news. Her investments were in the stock market at the time. She became curious about bitcoin in 2013 when the price started rising. As the housing market crash of 2008 proceeded to wipe out up to 50% of her partner’s 401k, the life changing potential of bitcoin and crypto became intriguing. She bought her first three bitcoins for $250 each on Coinbase in June of 2015 as an experiment.

Now came the exciting part, where to spend it? At the time no place in her hometown accepted bitcoin. But she did eventually find an owner of a computer repair shop, who sold her a used laptop for one bitcoin. The transaction at the time wasn’t as exciting because Coinbase allowed users to send coins to each other by just typing in an email address, but, nonetheless, a laptop was purchased…and as time passed, that ended up being one expensive laptop, as bitcoin did briefly hit $20k at the end of 2017. Speculating in crypto currencies is not for the faint of heart but is very exciting.

Her research and experimentation led Kelly to create a Bitcoin Basics training for tax accountants in the fall of 2007 and it was met with high reviews, lots of questions and solidified the fact that there is a great need for this information among both tax professionals and individuals who hold cryptocurrency portfolios.

Kelly is currently a Crypto and Blockchain Educator and teaches tax professionals about crypto and taxes through live trainings held at professional Tax Organizations like the Oregon Association of Tax Consultants and the Oregon Society of Tax Consultants. Her passion is to teach everyday people how to buy their first piece of a bitcoin.

In her spare time, Kelly enjoys Tai Chi as well as hiking and camping with her life partner and dog, Tucker.