Some people have a natural ability to make the world around them feel a little lighter. For Kelsey Patterson, that quality has shaped her life, her career, and the way she serves others.
A fourth-generation Colorado native, Kelsey grew up in Steamboat Springs before making Colorado Springs her home more than 20 years ago. She originally came to the city to attend Colorado College and, shortly after graduating, became Vanguard Skin Specialists‘ very first employee.
Nearly two decades later, Kelsey leads a fundraising team at Compassion International, where she works with major donors to mobilize resources for children living in extreme poverty around the world.
Kelsey’s path from Vanguard’s first employee to nonprofit leadership may look unexpected, but service has been the thread connecting both chapters of her career. Her time at Vanguard helped shape the values that continue to guide her today.
Finding Her Calling: From Vanguard to Compassion International
When Kelsey joined Vanguard, she was still trying to determine what she wanted her long-term career to look like and where her sense of purpose would ultimately lead.
Then came a conversation with Leisle Chung.
“She shared with me, ‘We would love it if long term, you’re at Vanguard. But if it’s not Vanguard, we think it’s Compassion.'”
At the time, Kelsey already sponsored a child through Compassion International, but she had never considered that her passion for serving vulnerable children could eventually become her life’s work.
That conversation stayed with her.
“I’ve just had a very tender heart for a child who doesn’t know the value of their life, or that they have purpose, that there is meaning behind their life,” Kelsey says.
Eventually, she realized Compassion offered an opportunity to help children recognize their worth, discover their potential, and build brighter futures within their own communities.
For Kelsey, the work is about much more than fundraising. She sees herself as a bridge between people who want to make a difference and an organization equipped to turn that generosity into meaningful change.
“It’s just such a beautiful blessing of getting to be kind of a broker of joy.”
One Story She’ll Never Forget
Over the years, Kelsey has traveled to 11 countries where Compassion International works. But one recent visit to Ethiopia continues to stand out.
During a trip in November 2025, she met a 16-year-old boy named Bereket and his mother, who lived on the outskirts of a major garbage dump in Addis Ababa. Their circumstances were among the most difficult Kelsey had encountered during her years with Compassion.
Bereket had grown up in poverty, but through Compassion’s ministry, he had been given stability, opportunity, and hope. At 16, he was at the top of his class, encouraged other teenagers to stay out of trouble, and dreamed of becoming a journalist.
His biggest dream was simple: someday, he wanted to buy a home for his mother.
When Kelsey and the group asked him about the biggest challenges he faced each day, she expected a difficult answer.
Instead, he paused and said:
“I don’t have any.”
The answer stopped Kelsey in her tracks.
“Just the number of things that I complain about in my own life,” Kelsey remembers. “He just has this perspective that he has so much hope.”
For Kelsey, the moment became a powerful reminder that hope can change the way we see our circumstances. It also reinforced her appreciation for the opportunity to play even a small role in stories like Bereket’s.
The Little Moments Matter, Too
Kelsey’s definition of making a difference isn’t limited to major accomplishments or life-changing moments.
“If I just know that there’s something that I’ve done each day that has made someone else’s day a little lighter, a little brighter, or I’ve been able to somehow instill joy or hope in someone else’s journey, that’s a good day.”
Sometimes, she says, making an impact can be as simple as stopping to ask someone how they are doing, finding a way to serve them, or sending an unexpected note to someone going through a difficult season.
“We’re just not quick enough to encourage one another,” she says. “It doesn’t always have to be a big thing.”
That belief in the power of small moments is something Kelsey carried with her throughout her time at Vanguard and continues to carry into her work today.
Kelsey Patterson’s Place in the Vanguard Story
As Vanguard Skin Specialists has grown throughout Southern Colorado, it is easy to focus on the physicians, medical assistants, and teams caring for patients today. But the story of Vanguard also includes the people who helped build its foundation.
Kelsey was there at the very beginning as Vanguard’s first employee.
She experienced the practice’s earliest days firsthand and saw the importance Leisle and Dr. Chung placed on creating a culture centered around people, service, and making a difference.
“I just remember so well the desire not only to care for and help women feel their best, experience the joy of healthy skin and the confidence that can come from that, but then allowing it to really be such a blessing unto the world.”
For Kelsey, that philosophy was meaningful because it connected patient care with something bigger.
The goal was never simply to provide dermatology services. It was about creating an environment where people felt cared for, valued, and supported.
That idea—making a positive impact on patients, the community, and the world—remains central to Vanguard’s mission today.
A Legacy of Purpose
Although Kelsey’s professional path eventually led her away from Vanguard and into nonprofit work, the connection remains.
Her story is a reminder that careers do not always follow a straight line. Sometimes, one opportunity leads to another. Sometimes, a conversation changes the direction of your life. And sometimes, the values you discover early in your career stay with you long after you move on.
For Kelsey, those values have centered on service, compassion, encouragement, and helping others recognize their own potential.
And that is a legacy we are proud to be a small part of.
At Vanguard Skin Specialists, we believe caring for people goes beyond treating a skin condition. It means taking the time to listen, making patients feel comfortable, and building relationships that can last well beyond an appointment.
Kelsey’s story reflects that same belief: meaningful change often starts with one person, one conversation, or one small act of kindness.
Sometimes, making the world a little brighter really does begin with one person at a time.
