Women's History Month Spotlight: Following Kelly Puspoki's Leadership Journey to Cote Hospitality
Great leadership doesn't start with having all the answers. It starts with asking better questions. That belief has guided Kelly Puspoki throughout her 25+ year career and now shapes her role as Vice President of Marketing at Cote Hospitality. Her focus is driving awareness, demand generation, conversion and brand equity across Cote Hospitality's premier destinations, including Grand View Lodge, Tanque Verde Ranch, Camp Lincoln for Boys and Camp Lincoln for Girls. With a leadership journey style grounded in empathy, curiosity and excellence, Kelly is equally passionate about building powerful brands and high-performing teams.
Kelly Puspoki at Tanque Verde Ranch
A Career Rooted in Purpose
Kelly's career began in the fast-paced world of marketing, communications and advertising agencies where she spent decades developing brand strategy, creative and multi-channel campaigns for major consumer brands. At global firms, she led large teams; built strong client partnerships; and created award-winning work—ultimately serving as Vice President of the Consumer Marketing Practice and Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing.
While she and her teams consistently delivered meaningful results, she found herself most energized at the intersection of performance and purpose. That passion came to life through her work leading Allstate's teen driving safety efforts. She and her team developed multi-audience strategies and campaigns, helping reduce one of the leading causes of teen fatalities by 50 percent over seven years. It was a career-defining experience that blended strategic thinking, creativity and meaningful societal and business results.
Later, she made a pivotal shift into the nonprofit sector, serving as Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Greater Twin Cities United Way. There, she led efforts addressing food insecurity, housing instability, economic inequities and fundraising—particularly during crises such as COVID-19, which impacted people experiencing poverty the most.
"That experience elevated how I lead, as it reinforced that business results and human impact are inextricably linked."
A Full-Circle Return to Hospitality
Kelly Puspoki, Former Camp Lincoln & Camp Lake Hubert Associate
Kelly's leadership journey to Cote Hospitality is more than just a career move. It's a return to her roots. As a college student, she spent summers working at Grand View Lodge as a server, Camp Lincoln for Boys as an office manager and Camp Lake Hubert for Girls as a head counselor and activity director. Camp Lincoln holds particular significance, as it's where she met her husband Marvin, a former head counselor.
These experiences shaped Kelly's perspective on hospitality, community and connection at a formative age. When the opportunity to lead marketing for Cote Hospitality surfaced decades later, the decision felt natural. "I didn't just learn these brands, I lived them. And that changes how you grow them."
Today, her personal connection translates into a leadership advantage that blends the perspectives of guest and associate to shape how each brand shows up in the market.
Kelly and Her Family
Leadership That Drives Business and Belonging
Kelly measures leadership by impact, not by authority. "If you think leadership is about knowing more than everyone else, you'll limit your team. Strong leadership creates space for others to bring their best thinking every day." Her leadership philosophy is anchored in three core principles:
Lead with Values
"Values are the foundation for how teams connect and grow. When you understand what matters to someone, you understand how to lead them."
Practice the Platinum Rule
"Treat people the way they want to be treated. That's how you unlock performance and build trust."
Listen to Understand
"Active listening is one of the most powerful tools. It creates clarity, alignment and better outcomes."
Kelly's approach goes beyond culture, directly influencing team performance and the business. "Belonging is a performance driver. When people know they matter, they show up ready to win." By fostering environments where people feel seen, heard and valued, Kelly enables her teams to perform at a higher level.
Building Brand Love as a Growth Strategy
At Cote Hospitality, Kelly's strategy centers on what she calls "brand love" and "soulful attachment." She and her team focus on creating deep emotional connections with guests that go beyond awareness or preference. "At its core, marketing is human-centered storytelling," she explains. "We are focused on creating a sense of belonging for our guests and our teams."
Her team focuses on:
- Expanding brand reach, digital discoverability and demand generation
- Translating brand purpose into compelling, conversion-driven storytelling
- Building emotional connections with guests and employees that fuel loyalty and advocacy
"The same principles that build strong teams—trust, authenticity, shared values and community building —are the ones that build strong brands," Kelly adds.
Developing Leaders Who Multiply Impact
Kelly believes one of the most meaningful measures of leadership is the success of others. "Sometimes leadership is simple. See potential early and make it known." Throughout her career, she has mentored individuals who have gone on to become senior leaders at Target Corporation, General Mills, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Way and more.
She recalls mentoring an employee who initially doubted her ability to lead a large team. With coaching, support and opportunity, that individual ultimately grew into a leadership role, eventually stepping into the leadership position Kelly once held.
"Leadership is creating opportunities and building confidence so others can reach their potential."
Navigating the Real Challenges of Leadership
While strategy and vision are important, Kelly believes the true challenge of leadership lies in understanding people. "The hardest part of leadership is adapting your approach to unlock each person's best performance." Kelly also emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and resilience. "You don't build strong teams by pretending to have all the answers. You build them by making it safe for others to contribute," she says. She also believes balancing transparency with optimism is essential.
Leadership Legacy
Kelly's journey reinforces a powerful truth: Business results and human impact are deeply connected. Through her work at Cote Hospitality, she is shaping brands, building teams, fostering belonging and developing future leaders.
As the hospitality industry continues to evolve, leaders like Kelly are redefining how leadership, brand strategy and guest experience align to drive growth, loyalty and long-term success. "Great brands don't win because of strategy alone. They also win because of the committed people who bring their passion to work every day."
Grover Puspoki