Stephanie Kingsley is a director at ScottMadden and has been with the firm since 2013. She began her career as an analyst and has grown alongside the firm, supporting clients across a variety of engagements while also contributing to recruiting, training, and firm initiatives. She holds a B.S. in Environmental and Natural Resources Economic Policy, with minors in Economics and Business, from Clemson University, and an M.B.A. from UNC Kenan-Flagler.
Finding the Groove
Stephanie was born in Connecticut, but at just one month old, she was exposed to international life when her parents moved to London, England, for her dad’s work. Her family lived in Richmond Park, just a few houses down from Mick Jagger, and during their five years there, they also welcomed Stephanie’s younger sister, Kenzie.
Travel was constant throughout Stephanie’s childhood. Her parents had previously lived in Nice, France, and frequently took the family back to Europe. By her own account, her “body had been all over the world” long before she was old enough to remember many of the trips. French was spoken at home, and she participated in a French exchange program where she spent three weeks living with a host family.
Eventually, her family settled in Cary, North Carolina, where Stephanie spent most of her childhood. She remains close with many of her childhood friends and neighbors, and her parents still live in the same house. Much of her time growing up was spent outside, especially at her family’s lake house on Lake Gaston. There, Stephanie learned to wakeboard and eventually competed throughout middle and high school, often traveling along the East Coast for tournaments. Those years also helped spark her love of the outdoors and environmental stewardship. She later interned with the North Carolina Forest Service and the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, helping mark trees for logging operations and protect stream management zones. “I’m a tree hugger,” she says.
Between the Headlining Acts
When choosing a college, Clemson University felt like the right fit; it was a close enough drive from home but still far enough for her to be independent. After attending a Clemson football game, Stephanie knew she had found her place. The school also had an environmental program that allowed her to continue pursuing her passion for the outdoors through a degree in Environmental and Natural Resources Economic Policy.
After graduation, Stephanie moved to Atlanta and joined ScottMadden. She was drawn to the firm by the sustainability work within the energy practice and began her career on the energy side before growing through the ranks and eventually specializing in Corporate and Shared Services, primarily serving on human capital management projects.
Later, Stephanie earned an M.B.A. from UNC while continuing to work full-time during the days of constant Monday-through-Thursday travel. It was, by her own account, an intense season: classes from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. followed by more project work. What helped her through was the support of her project team, who made sure she could get to class and even dropped dinner and wine at her door during long nights. Looking back, the experience reflects both the pace of consulting at the time and the culture that has kept her at ScottMadden long beyond what she originally expected: “The culture of ScottMadden, the fact that even though it’s changed over the years, it still has that underlying base of community and friendship on top of work; that’s the reason why I’ve stayed this long,” she says. In fact, she originally expected ScottMadden to be a three-year stop. More than 10 years later, she is still here.
No Set List Required
Outside of work, Stephanie is happiest when she is with people she loves. She and her husband, Matt, met through a mutual friend in 2015, and the two have built a life never shy of friends, breweries, music, and city events. They recently welcomed their son, Brody, who joined their goldendoodle, Roo, as a part of the family.
One of Stephanie’s favorite traditions is attending Bonnaroo (“The Farm”), the music and arts festival she has attended for years. The experience has become such an important part of her life that it was the inspiration for Roo’s name. What keeps her coming back is not just the music but the atmosphere. “It’s very freeing,” she says. “You can wear whatever, do whatever, just be whoever you want.”
Today, two personal mottos help guide her perspective on life. The first is “Radiate Positivity,” a phrase she adopted from Bonnaroo. The second is “Be Free,” which is a reminder to enjoy life and not let the non-important things weigh her down.
For someone who keeps a detailed planner and thrives on organization, that lesson may seem unexpected. For Stephanie, the goal isn’t to have every detail figured out. It’s to make room for the experiences, people, and opportunities that make the journey worthwhile. After all, some of life’s best moments aren’t on the planned setlist. They’re the ones you discover along the way.