Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelli.
Hi Kelli , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
With over three decades of leadership across hospitality, corporate recruitment, and healthcare staffing, Kelli Christina has become a respected voice in business leadership and a driving force in permanent medical placement. As the founder and CEO of KD-Staffing, she has built a nationally recognized contingency firm specializing in hard-to-fill positions for hospitals and medical practices across the United States. From nursing departments and directors to mid-levels and specialized roles, Kelli’s firm stands out for its white-glove approach to recruitment, offering far more than just resumes.
Kelli’s journey began in the restaurant industry, where she managed her first team at just 19 years old. After earning a hospitality degree from the University of North Texas, she spent over a decade in leadership and training before pivoting into healthcare staffing. In 2007, she launched KD-Staffing during one of the most volatile economic periods in modern history, the 2008 recession. Despite industry headwinds, she carved out a niche in hospital-based permanent placement, earning a reputation as a medical industry advocate and unofficial lobbyist pushing for fair business practices and ethical recruitment.
What makes Kelli stand out is her fearless combination of business savvy and moral clarity.
As a two-time best-selling author and public speaker, she is best known for her award-winning book “Riding the Executive Roller Coaster—Medical Staffing Cases,” which chronicles both her rise and the challenges she faced, including whistleblower experiences and industry-wide legal battles. Her books blend memoir, leadership insights, and legal thriller elements to educate professionals on how to build success the right way: with transparency, operational systems, and an unwavering commitment to doing what’s right. Kelli has a third book called “In Good Faith: A Whistleblower’s War Against a Broken System” coming to the bookstores nationwide this year. You can order through Pre-Sales at Barnes & Noble now and the actual Pub Date is July 7th, 2026 for all bookstores.
Kelli’s author brand and current focus revolve around her second company called KDC-Making a Difference LLC, A portion of all her book sales this year will go towards “Habitat for Humanity.” She dedicates her time to government reform efforts, exposing unethical practices in publishing and speaking out on national legal issues. She has worked pro bono with government officials for over a decade and is not afraid to shine a light on hidden industry abuses, from author royalties to fraudulent celebrity fan clubs. Her entrepreneurial resilience, particularly following reputational challenges and high-profile lawsuits, reflects her core belief: that rebuilding is always possible when your mission is clear and your values are strong.
Today, Kelli Christina continues to coach teams and speak on leadership, legal preparedness, and ethical entrepreneurship. Her philosophy is simple but powerful: “Win your success doing the right things.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ms. Christina is known to be a best-selling author of real-life stories based on her own life. She is often called the “great survivor” and her story outlines inspirational testimony towards overcoming challenges in both life and business. Kelli spent 18 years in a life program that teaches you about “Life is 10% about what happens to us and 90% how we react and/or respond and handle it.”
As an entrepreneur and company owner, Ms. Christina has experienced many golden years with amazing success mixed with some horrible and troubled times where you are forced into survival mode. “Tough times don’t last, tough people do.” In the very chapters of her third book “In Good Faith, ” the readers learn about Kelli’s life experience losing everything and going homeless after being an innocent victim of a large lawsuit in medical staffing. She had money her entire life and career until she was forced into homeless and rebuilding. Through her faith and belief in God, she would learn the lesson about “doing what it takes” to rebuild. Kelli would be forced to humble herself, take multiple jobs, create multiple plans and think outside the box towards problem solving. She believes that problem solving is a “one day at a time” or “one week at time” process.
The road to success doesn’t come easy and it requires a lot of sacrifice, discipline and responsibility.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about KDC-Making A Difference, LLC?
Ms. Christina produced a new plan and legacy with her newest book project “In Good Faith” and it is coming to the bookstores in 2026. She decided it is time to make a stronger impact in this country. She asked herself “how can KDC-Making A Difference, LLC” make an impact the next couple of years? Kelli is a small company owner that has endured serious company damages backdated to the pandemic year. But at some point, she believes that an individual must pull out excuses and create new affective plans to move forward. Kelli’s newest book project will support a worthy charity and help “Habitat for Humanity” through her publisher Morgan James Publishing.
Ms. Christina poses a great question: “How many people have forgotten ideas towards “making a difference” through difficult, cruel, and tough times called life?” Every person alive can make a big or a small difference to other people’s lives. For those that cannot offer money for others through charity and donations, service work is free of charge. Service work requires giving your time and efforts towards other’s behalf and it is giving to other people.
In the chapters of both “Riding the Executive Roller Coaster” and the newest edition book “In Good Faith” coming in 2026, then a life testimony and story is told about a successful medical executive that loses everything through lawsuits. While the main character Katheryn had money her entire life, then she loses everything and is forced to walk on the other side of life with the homeless and underprivileged. This is an inspirational testimony and life story about “how God humbles us” in periods of struggle and challenges. She learned many important life lessons through the extreme loss and trauma of falling, losing everything and then the stages of rebuilding one step at a time. The readers of this book may personally ask themselves “what is like to be homeless and helpless?”
Kelli is the CEO of KD-Staffing that was founded in 2007, and she would rebuild her staffing company in these chapters of the book. In 2018, she opened a second company for books and public speaking purposes and the future. Please sign up and contribute through “In Good Faith: A Whistleblower’s War Against a Broken System.” The book’s Pre-Orders and Links are out through Barnes& Noble.
Please help KDC-Making a Difference, LLC contribute to a worthy cause and donations for the next upcoming years. Kelli looks forward to this book’s success and high sales. However, she would like to share the profits with those that still need help. Help support “Habitat for Humanity” will be stamped in every copy of her book.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Ms. Christina’s personal happiness often is based upon the people that surround her. Relationships in life, love, family, business and friendship are a basic foundation for happiness. Both business and social networking are healthy and important.
She believes that maintaining a healthy lifestyle with a better attitude towards life includes diet, exercise, healthy supplements and daily motivation and/or meditation. She also is very passionate towards career and successful results. If you’re going to spend many hours at work then “why not enjoy your job?” as much as possible.
Reflecting on daily life and a gratitude list can help a person reflect on a positive attitude versus obsessing on “what is wrong or missing from our lives.” Why not wake every day with a list towards “what is going right?” versus negative obsession towards problems that have to be solved. Don’t make problems your entire life. Don’t wait to choose to be happy when goals hit. Choose to be happy today because life is too short.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kellidenneheychristina.com
- Instagram: Kelli Dennehey Christina (@kelli.christina)
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kelli.d.christina/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-dennehey-christina-326ba12a/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@kellidenneheychristina
- Other: https://kellichristinaauthor.com/
Image Credits
Original photos are taken by Angie Dawn photography. All photos are owned and designed by Kelli Christina
