In the world of comic books, origin stories inform the reader of the identity and motivations of heroes and villains (thankfully, we only have the former here). Like Spider-Man or Captain America, your origin story is important as it defines who you are today. Learn about the experiences, people, and influences that shaped Concord's Kelsey Thayer by reading below!
I was born in Minneapolis, and my family moved to Massachusetts just before I started elementary school. We settled in Newburyport, a historic New England oceanside town, so I had access to the beach and mountains, while still being close enough to a big city. It was a perfect place to grow up!
Probably just being together. We’re a very tight-knit, lively bunch. Card games, walks by the river, musical jam sessions during the holidays (anything can be an instrument), a sporting event on TV, and big spreads of food on the table.
My grandpa. He was a child psychologist and had a calm, thoughtful way of guiding people without being overbearing. As a kid, a teenager, and even as an adult, I would sit with him and talk through a problem while he mostly just listened. Eventually, I would work my way to an answer myself, only later realizing he hadn’t said much at all. That approach has deeply shaped how I show up as a friend, a parent, and probably as an HR leader too.
Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. It’s an incredible network of walking trails through lush green forest, surrounded by aquamarine water, waterfalls, and wooden bridges. It’s one of those places that doesn’t feel real, even when you’re standing in the middle of it.
During graduate school, my advisor was involved in SHRM and asked why I wasn’t more engaged with our local chapter. I told her honestly that I had attended one meeting and didn’t feel like I belonged. She asked if I would be willing to share that feedback with a few board members who were trying to attract more young professionals, and I agreed.
That conversation led to new program offerings and a board nomination the following year. I joined as Membership Chair, focused on welcoming new people and helping the chapter feel more inclusive. A few years later, I joined the Executive Committee, and in 2024 I served as Board President. Looking back, it’s striking to see how I went from feeling out of place in my HR community to helping lead that same organization, and how powerful it can be to be the change you hope to see.
A big bowl of pasta with Rao’s Arrabbiata Sauce. I love it so much that one year I gifted jars to my entire family, and now they’re all obsessed too. If you like a little heat and haven’t tried it, please do and let me know what you think!
After being laid off from a risk management consulting role, I was intentional about finding something I genuinely connected with, rather than just taking the next job I could find. I had always been curious about HR but didn’t see a clear path in, so I looked for an HR admin role where I could learn from the ground up.
I found a position that was part Office Manager, part Executive Assistant, and part “light HR.” It quickly became clear that the HR work was closer to full-time, and I absolutely loved it. I leaned heavily on brokers and vendors at first, but I also wanted to deepen my expertise. I earned my Master’s in HR Management while working full-time, eventually moved into an HR Manager role, and graduated from the University of Richmond in 2017. The rest is history.
Riding bikes with my son. I got an e-bike in 2024, and it completely changed how we move through the city together. I used to ride him to preschool on a buddy seat, and now that he rides on his own, we do weekly group rides around Richmond. It’s fun, practical, and gives us a sense of freedom and connection to our community that we wouldn’t have otherwise. Everyone should ride a bike!
Every time I see my child laugh or smile, I feel like I must be doing something right.
I’ve had a lot of jobs, from ice cream scooper to grocery store clerk to prep cook to working on a fishing boat. Every role reinforced my belief that everyone should work in a customer-facing job at least once. You gain a lot more empathy for people in those roles once you’ve been in their shoes.
I may have accidentally helped make the 2001 Super Bowl halftime show happen. In college, I worked at a Boston radio station and once drove a golf cart backstage with Britney Spears and members of *NSYNC. They wanted to meet Aerosmith, so I introduced them. A few months later, they all performed together at the Super Bowl. Coincidence? Maybe. Or not!?
You’re never going to have it all figured out, so you might as well enjoy the ride.
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