Keely Cat-Wells
2025-2026 Obama Foundation USA Leader

Founder & CEO, Making Space
Tujunga, California
Keely Cat-Wells is the founder and chief executive officer of Making Space, an organization that provides resources and opportunities for people with disabilities to engage in meaningful careers and support their own leadership. Prior to founding Making Space, Keely founded C Talent, where she represented 85 artists with disabilities and connected them with jobs on over a thousand projects, including with major brands like Nike, Disney, and HBO. A disability rights advocate and speaker driven by her own life experience, Keely has published and been featured in major outlets such as Time, The New York Times, and The Washington Post and has spoken at the United Nations and the White House.
Meet the 2025-2026 United States Leaders
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Leaders
For emerging leaders who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the common good.
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- The Center
- Building the Center
Join other Obama alumni in coming together to support the naming of the Water Terrace at the Obama Presidential Center in honor of the life and legacy of President Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham—as a gift for the President’s 61st birthday.
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- Watch
- Barack Obama
Watch President Obama share his vision for the Obama Presidential Center during a surprise visit with supporters and stakeholders—a vision for a public space that will honor history, help revitalize the South Side, and connect people throughout the communi
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