The Missing Middle Housing Fund is fortunate to have a growing and diverse group of business and community leaders working together to create more workforce housing solutions. Our hope is that you will learn a little bit more about each of us - our backgrounds, interests, and passions – and how we are united by a shared sense of purpose and commitment to creating more affordable workforce housing.
Meet Kelli Bagby, Owner of Truly Bookkeeping, and Finance and Accounting Lead for MMHF.
Kelli Bagby, the MMHF’s Finance and Accounting Lead, spent her college summers working at day camps for kids. However, instead of leading arts and crafts or lifeguarding at the pool, she worked in an office behind a computer, doing what she loves most. “I wanted to be at a desk managing money and organizing accounts,” she said. Those skills and interests, along with an MBA from the University of South Florida, have served her well over the course of her distinguished career of twenty plus years. Today, Kelli leads her own business, Truly Bookkeeping, where she serves nearly forty clients, and specializes in non-profits like the MMHF. Her mission is to help communities thrive through flourishing businesses, and we are pleased to be in a position to help realize her vision.
Kelli has a passion for working with non-profits because it combines her love of math and organization with a desire to help people and be a force for good in the world. By managing the books and finances, Kelli allows her non-profit clients to stay focused on their mission-oriented work at hand. She admits that there is an added layer of complexity in accounting for non-profits to ensure that money received from grants and donations is used appropriately. She enjoys bringing order to the process by providing the tools, technology, and guidance that make it easier to operate in a cost-effective manner.
We are thrilled that Kelli, and her colleague Bethany Lashbrook, are part of our team. They bring incredible expertise and a service-oriented culture that help us grow and run more efficiently.
Get to know more about Kelli:
Why were you drawn to the Missing Middle Housing Fund?
Most of my clients really care about groups of people that society often overlooks. With the MMHF, middle class workers are this group. Every time I hear Nate talk about the ongoing struggles of employers to attract and retain talent so they can grow, along with the workers who struggle to find an affordable place to live, it makes so much sense that this is a big problem we must solve.
What role do you play on the team?
My team and I serve as the finance and accounting team for the MMHF. We ensure that funding and resources are managed appropriately so that the MMHF wheel keeps moving forward. We assist with financial reporting, budgeting, vendor payments, and overall accounting guidance. Our interest is in making all these activities as seamless as possible so that the team can stay focused on expanding the reach of the MMHF to more and more communities across Oregon.
What are some of your interests and passions?
As a mom of three kids (ages 14, 12 and 7), and two French bulldogs, my personal interests and passions are a bit limited at the moment! However, whenever I can find time, I enjoy hiking, reading, and traveling with my husband. One of our latest trips was taking the family to Great Wolf Lodge in Washington, where we all enjoyed swimming and playing.
Why is the development of more workforce housing so important to you?
It’s so important for people to be able to afford a home and live near where they work. When families can spend more time together, they can stay together. This keeps our businesses flourishing and helps our communities thrive.