Dele Downs Kooley

Connector, Entrepreneur, Life mentor, Parent, Philanthropist

Dele Downs Kooley is a speaker coach, leadership strategist, and longtime contributor to the TEDx community. She has worked closely with TEDx speakers and organizing teams to support the development of ideas, stories, and experiences that reflect both the rigor and spirit of the TED platform. Over the past several years, Dele has served as a volunteer, speaker coach, and co-organizer for TEDxBellevueWomen, supporting speakers from early idea exploration through final stage delivery and contributing to the planning and execution of the event. This work has given her a deep appreciation for the care, collaboration, and responsibility required to bring a TEDx event to life. Beyond TEDx, Dele brings more than two decades of experience in leadership, communication, and organizational development across large global organizations and community-based work. Her approach is grounded in clarity, thoughtful preparation, and respect for the power of ideas when shared with intention. Dele is drawn to work that sits at the intersection of ideas, people, and possibility. She believes meaningful change begins when individuals feel supported to articulate what matters to them and to share it with confidence and integrity. Her involvement with TEDx reflects a commitment to stewarding spaces where diverse voices, lived experiences, and well-developed ideas can be heard and valued. She continues to engage with the TEDx community as a collaborator, mentor, and advocate for thoughtful idea development, guided by a belief that ideas worth spreading are built through care, curiosity, and shared responsibility.

I am deeply motivated by my children and the responsibility I feel to contribute to a world that is worthy of them and of the generations that will come after us. My work, my choices, and my community involvement are guided by a simple but enduring belief: you have to be there for your community, or someday your community won’t be there. I am passionate about showing up — not just when it is visible or celebrated, but in the steady, often unseen work of building trust, creating space for others, and contributing to something larger than myself. I believe strong communities are formed through care, consistency, and shared responsibility, and that each of us has a role to play in shaping the environments our children will inherit. Much of what I care about lives at the intersection of people, ideas, and possibility. I am drawn to work that helps individuals find clarity, articulate what matters to them, and share their perspectives with honesty and intention. I believe ideas have the power to shape culture and create connection when they are developed thoughtfully and offered in service of the collective rather than personal recognition. I am also passionate about modeling presence and courage for my children — demonstrating that leadership is not only about achievement, but about integrity, care for others, and a willingness to contribute even when the outcome is uncertain. I want them to grow up seeing that fulfillment comes not from standing apart, but from standing with others. At its core, my passion is rooted in legacy — not in the sense of accolades or titles, but in the quieter, lasting impact of showing up, telling the truth, and investing in people and communities with care. I believe the choices we make today shape the stories our families and communities will tell tomorrow, and I am committed to doing work that leaves things stronger, more connected, and more humane than I found them.

Strong communities don’t happen by accident — they exist because ordinary people choose to show up consistently, long before it’s urgent or visible.

Clarity in Complexity, Communication & Expression, Community Building & Stewardship, Confidence Built Through Preparation, Leadership Through Change & Transition, Organizational Insight & Culture, Resilience & Integration of Lived Experience, Storytelling & Meaning-Making

I had been a long-time fan of TED and TEDx ideas and talks, but my connection to TEDx didn’t begin with an ambition to be involved. It began with showing up for someone I loved. A close friend — someone I had started a nonprofit with — asked me to attend her TEDx talk. She mattered to me, and when she asked, I was there whenever possible. Before the event, my business coach encouraged me to go and set an intention for magic. As I often do, I prepared in my own way. I looked up the event to learn about the organizers and speakers, and I sent notes on LinkedIn letting them know I was excited to attend or looking forward to hearing them speak. On the day of the event, I made a point to introduce myself in person — to put a face with my name. Only a few people followed up before the event, and a few connected afterward. One of them was an organizer who suggested we meet for coffee. After the event, I told my coach that I had set the intention for magic — but I had no idea what magic, if any, had taken place. Four months later, after a series of conversations, I was invited to serve as a speaker coach. Four years after that, I find myself surrounded by three extraordinary mentors in the form of the founders and original organizers, a powerful network of mentors from other TEDx events, and an incredible community of speaker alumni. I’ve had the privilege of speaking with members of the Bellevue community and hearing firsthand about the impact the event has had on them. What began as a single act of showing up has grown into something deeply meaningful — and it continues to unfold. This past year, I was invited to step into an organizer role and attended my first TED conference. There, I had the opportunity to meet Misty Copeland and Shonda Ross. Meeting Misty was especially meaningful; her journey reflected my own experience as a young brown girl taking dance classes in the basement of the Presbyterian church down the street from my grandparents’ home — a beginning that sparked my love of dance and ultimately carried me to college on a dance scholarship. Shonda and I connected over shared experiences, including growing up with well-known parents and a mutual connection to the Rastafarian community and its music. What continues to draw me to TEDx is not a single moment, but the cumulative power of presence — of showing up for people, for ideas, and for community. What started with supporting one person has become a living example of how intention, care, and consistency can create opportunities far beyond what we imagine at the outset. To me, that is the magic — and it’s still unfolding.

I come off as a bit serious, but I have an insane ability to pull song lyrics out of most situations and can make up a song from just about anything. I don't do it under pressure; it's just something that is always happening. My soundtrack from life is a constantly changing and updated playlist based on my whatever is happening around me. It makes life fun and interesting.