Kelsey Louie, MSW, MBA
Chief Executive Officer, The Door & Broome Street Academy
A native New Yorker and the proud son of immigrant parents, Kelsey Louie serves as the Chief Executive Officer for The Door and Broome Street Academy (BSA) Charter High School. He oversees the organizations’ combined $40 million budget, as well as the vision for strategy, operations, fundraising, policy, and programmatic initiatives. Prior to his tenure at The Door and BSA, Kelsey served as CEO of GMHC, the world’s first HIV and AIDS service organization, from 2014 to 2021. His leadership approach combines a rigorous data-driven management style, sophisticated evaluation processes, and commitment to staff development.
Under Kelsey’s leadership, his organizations have garnered numerous awards, such as the Gold Medal Winner for Organizational Excellence from the Non-Profit Coordinating Committee and New York Community Trust. Additionally, Kelsey has received many personal accolades, including being honored by Notable LGBTQIA+ Leaders, Crain’s New York Business (2022, 2023); Pride Power 100 Honoree, City and State (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021); Judith Peabody Humanitarian Award from GMHC (2022); Above and Beyond: Gen X, City and State (2023)—and many more.
Kelsey has appeared in the media on NY1, ABC News, WCBS Radio, and 1010 WINS Radio. He has been featured in articles for Crain’s New York, POZ magazine, and Plus magazine, and has written op-eds for the New York Daily News, The Advocate, and other New York City and national publications.
Kelsey also served as the COO and Chief Program Officer of Harlem United Community AIDS Center, Inc. from 2007 to 2014. Before that, Kelsey spent his early career in youth services, managing a foster care prevention program at the NY Foundling, running a community-based substance use prevention program for adolescents at Veritas Therapeutic Community, and practicing as a children’s therapist at the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services.
Kelsey holds an MBA from Columbia University and an MSW from NYU, where he is presently an adjunct professor.