One of Us: Kelly Altosino-Sastre

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Kelly Altosino-Sastre is the president and CEO of KAS Consulting Services, LLC and the charter president of the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra, which meets every Tuesday morning at the Coastal Oaks at Nocatee Clubhouse.

Can you please briefly tell us about your background?

I was born in Oak Park, Illinois and moved to Coral Gables, Florida in December when I was in eighth grade. I clearly remember the day we moved. There was an incredible snowstorm while the moving truck was being loaded and it was a very cold day. Moving to a new state was an adjustment for me as a teenager, but the warm weather in South Florida helped a lot. I got married right after high school and had three children in less than four years while attending college, working, coaching youth sports and volunteering in many nonprofit organizations and while volunteering at my children’s schools. I have an undergraduate degree in elementary education with endorsements in early childhood education and child development, and I have a master’s degree in administration. I am also certified in board governance.

What’s the story of KAS Consulting Services, LLC?

I have spent my entire life in the nonprofit sector in one way or another. I served in leadership positions in public and private nonprofits that were charitable, civic, trade, educational, faith-based organizations and governmental at the local, state and national level. I like to say I have served on both sides of the nonprofit board of directors table as both a volunteer and executive paid staff of nonprofits. It was while I was serving as the president of the Miami Chapter of The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) that I decided to leave the CEO position I had at a nonprofit to start my own business consulting with nonprofits. With more than 35 years of experience, I had pretty much seen it all in nonprofit organizations. I knew that I could share my expertise to strengthen other nonprofits. To me, nonprofits are critical to any community and to our society. 

You are the charter president of the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra. What’s it like to start a club from the beginning?

First and foremost, it is tremendous honor to be asked to be the charter president of a Rotary Club. We were chartered in April. It has been rewarding to help build the leadership of the club, mostly made up of people new to Rotary and together develop a strategic plan that is our road map to a vibrant and successful club. I served as president of a large club in South Florida in 2003-04, but this has been a very different experience because it is a small club and because out of our 25 members, only five were former Rotarians. Additionally, as a nonprofit consultant, helping nonprofits flourish from an idea on paper to reality is what I do, so starting the new club was just another day at the office, but with an organization I am most passionate about.   

What makes the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra different?

Every Rotary club has its own unique personality, and I think we are still finding our personality. The members are mostly young professionals with young children and to make Rotary work for them, we have to look beyond what a traditional Rotary club looks like. We are taking Rotary International’s call to “Reinvent our Wheel” (in reference to RI’s wheel logo) to a whole new level. Every day we find something new to incorporate in the culture of our club to be more inclusive and relevant for our members and to attracting new members to our club and to Rotary.

 

 

 

What are your goals for the club?

We have many, but the short-term goals are to continue to strengthen the infrastructure of our club so we can focus on our strategic plan. That plan is for community and global service and helping each other’s businesses thrive while growing our club to 50 members by June 30. We also plan to sponsor two more Rotary clubs in the next five years in Nocatee. For more information on the Rotary Club of Ponte Vedra, visit http://www.pontevedrarotary.org/.

What do you enjoy most about living and working in Ponte Vedra?

My husband Aristides and I have lived Coastal Oaks in Nocatee for five years and every time I drive through the gate I am in awe of its beauty and the beauty of Nocatee and all of Ponte Vedra. I learn something new about Ponte Vedra every day and have met incredible people. This is a very welcoming place to live.

What do you like to do in your free time?

If I am not doing something with Rotary or on the soccer field watching one of my grandchildren playing, I like to try new restaurants. At home, I like to spend time in my scrapbook room.