Communications | Marketing | Event Production | Musician
Kelsi Walker serves as the Director of Communications at the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, where she is instrumental in crafting and conveying the organization’s message to the entrepreneurial community and beyond. With a flair for strategic communication and a deep understanding of brand storytelling, Kelsi ensures that the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center’s initiatives and successes are effectively communicated through various channels.
In addition to her professional role, Kelsi is a talented singer-songwriter. Her creative pursuits enrich her approach to communications, allowing her to blend creativity with strategic messaging. Her background in music provides a unique perspective on storytelling and audience engagement, which she applies to her work in shaping the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center’s narrative.
Kelsi’s dual expertise in communications and music reflects her versatile skill set and passion for connecting with people. When she is not producing events, connecting others to opportunity in the startup/arts ecosystems, or making music, she is most likely getting into shenanigans with her beautiful partner, Emily- cooking, writing musicals together, or hanging out with their dogs and cat.
Projects and Achievements
Southern Skies Festival 2024 + 2025: Stage Manager and Festival Planning Committee Member
Southern Skies Music Festival welcomes 3,000 attendees to Knoxville’s Worlds Fair park every May. Curated by the Dirty Guv’nahs, Southern Skies welcomes top-tier talent like Old Crow Medicine Show, and 2025’s headliner, Charlie Crockett.
“Dogwood Arts, a non-profit arts organization in Knoxville, knows how to stage a music festival.” -Atlanta Concert Reviews
Kelsi directs all outgoing messaging for the nonprofit’s audience. She manages a team of Social media managers connecting with a total of 20K+ followers and markets to 10K+ people through email campaigns, writes for the blog, consults startups, maintains the nonprofit’s website and coordinates outreach.
Knoxville Entrepreneur Center: Communications Director, Programming Strategist, Business Consultant
Knoxville Entrepreneur Center is a business accelerator located in Market Square that serves as the front door for entrepreneurs in our region, and a resource for anyone looking to start or grow a business here. By nurturing and supporting a culture of entrepreneurship, we are fostering innovation, creativity and job growth within our community.
Dogwood Arts Festival: Talent Curator, Stage Manager, Artist Liaison
Established in 1961, the Dogwood Arts Festival is one of the most celebrated cultural events in Knoxville! The festival is held on the beautifully redesigned Performance Lawn at World’s Fair Park and features over 100 fine art vendors, live music, entertainment, children's activities, food & beverage vendors, and more.
Voted #3 Best Art Festival in the Country according to USA Today's 2024 Reader's Poll
Chris McCreary’s Hot Nostalgia: Producer, Music Director, and Marketing Lead
Blending comedy and drama, in this solo show Chris dives into the deeper meaning behind pizza, happiness, and what happens when the planet explodes. Recorded live, Chris brought his solo show back to Knoxville, where it all began at a Free Women Waltzing Club Listening Space. You can watch the full-length, sold out show HERE.
'“Hot Nostalgia is a warm and engaging show that is both deeply reflective and hilariously irreverent, representing the best of Knoxville’s local arts scene and the community efforts and spaces that make it happen.” - Arts Knoxville Review
The Maker City Summit 2023 + 2024: Communications Director, Summit Planning Committee Member, Tech Coordinator
The Maker City Summit brings together local entrepreneurs, makers, and creatives to celebrate creativity, collaboration, and community. Through expert-led workshops, engaging discussions, and networking opportunities, attendees leave empowered to grow their ventures and contribute to a thriving maker ecosystem.
Young Professionals of Knoxville Impact Awards 2023: Connection Award Winner
For over 10 years, Young Professionals of Knoxville has honored local organizations and individuals who are impacting young professionals at work or in our community. The Connect Award is given to an individual, organization, or business that works to welcome and unite the community through an event, action, or space. This award is focused on the opportunity for personal connection and growth that comes with human interaction.
SouthKnoxville Pride Festival 2024: Talent Curator, Stage Manager, Artist Liaison
SoKno Pride began in 2021 on Sevier Avenue as a simple drag show brunch. From there it quickly expanded into our South Knoxville neighborhood coming together to support our LGBTQIA+ community. The festival welcomes over 7,000 people to their event where they host live music on 6 stages, support over 100 local vendors, and promote several Drag Shows.
Rhinestone Festival 2023: Talent Curator, Stage Manager, Artist Liaison
Rhinestone Fest celebrates the East Tennessean hero, Dolly Parton in all things Dolly-themed art, music, and community. Welcoming 9 different diverse musicians to their main stage, in specifically 2023, Rhinestone Fest was a champion of local art. Having since deciding to regurgitate the same old, same old white men playing instruments that make them feel like unlawful kings instead of disrespectful, mediocre wash-ups, Rhinestone Fest will be remembered as that thing no one actually went to, and as the festival who promised to make room in the budget for the talent curator “next year.”