Kelly Dolese McKinney

VP, Risk Mitigation , LHPH Capital

Kelly Dolese McKinney is vice president of Risk Mitigation for LHPH Capital. She came to LHPH Capital with a diverse background of lending to non-bank consumer financial institutions which includes buy-here, pay-here dealerships, indirect auto lenders and traditional consumer finance lenders.  Prior to joining LHPH Capital, Kelly spent over 15 years working for commercial banking financial institutions within specialty finance lending teams.

Kelly plays a key role in all risk aspects of LHPH. She enhanced the full credit risk management program at LHPH Capital with emphasis on reducing underwriting turnaround times, enhancing portfolio management, and creating best practices to provide a remarkable customer experience.  She also implemented a third-party risk management program and is working on an enterprise-wide risk assessment. 

Over her 20+ year risk management career, Kelly has held roles as a credit analyst, underwriter, portfolio manager, and managing underwriter. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in finance and a MBA from University of New Orleans. She maintains her Credit Risk Certification (CRC) through the Risk Management Association. She also has an Operational Risk Management competency certificate from RMA as well as a consumer lending compliance certificate from National Auto Finance Association.

What advice would you offer to woman just starting out in the industry?

Embrace learning new things. You will find success and fulfillment in learning something new each day.  Seek to understand by asking questions and speaking up. Start small, if needed, by asking questions of individuals in a one-on-one setting after a meeting or conversation. Find your way of retaining what you learn, whether it be a journal or an app.

What do you know now that you wish you knew in the beginning of your career?

I would tell my younger self to be open to all possibilities and stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone.  The journey is truly where life happens.  Early in my career, I was so focused on a specific job I wanted and completing the prerequisites, that I was slow to notice or even missed opportunities to enjoy the journey along the way.  My current ongoing five-year professional and personal plan allows for flexibility and opportunities that may not be known today.  Be open to opportunities as a different path may provide greater success and happiness.

What role has mentoring played in your career?

Mentoring has played an instrumental role in the woman I have become. I have had and still have mentors. They are my biggest fans and greatest promoters. As I have developed in my career, I have taken the opportunity to mentor others.  Mentorship provides counsel in career advancement decisions or tough conversations while providing wisdom to another person based on one’s own journey.  I encourage all readers to look around yourself today and find someone who inspires you. This is a valuable person to reach out for guidance or support. 

What do enjoy most about your role?

My current role is refreshing, invigorating and challenging. I spent my whole career learning the ins and outs of credit and operational risk management. I have a catalog of best practices in all areas from pre-screening to risk identification and mitigation, documentation and portfolio management. In my current role, I have the flexibility to implement the best practices from those experiences. I am also strongly encouraged to seek out new practices or efficiencies.  I am a member of a fascinating and talented leadership team where we each influence strategic objectives.