Kelly Hyles was born and raised in Vryheid’s Lust, Guyana. She later migrated to the United States, and in 2016 she received international recognition after being accepted to 21 U.S. universities, including all eight Ivy League schools. She went on to graduate with honors from Harvard College, where she concentrated in Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology. Kelly earned her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business in June 2026 and is now in her final year at Stanford School of Medicine as an MD/MBA student.

Gears for Success began from a simple question: Why should students in her village not have access to the same curiosity-driven learning experiences she encountered abroad? In 2026, Kelly received the Queen Elizabeth II Commonwealth Trust 100 Young Leaders Award in London, recognizing her work with Gears for Success and her dedication to expanding educational opportunities for students in underserved communities across Guyana.

Kelly believes access to education and healthcare should be the standard, not the exception. Her work bridges global training with local responsibility.