About

Kelly E. Carter is an award-winning author, renowned journalist, and trailblazing voice whose work spans the worlds of sports, celebrity, travel, and wine. She co-authored the New York Times bestseller Come to Win: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors, and Other Visionaries on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession with tennis icon Venus Williams. She also earned the prestigious Lowell Thomas Award for The Dog Lover’s Guide to Travel, published by National Geographic and featuring 75 of the best places in the U.S. and Canada to vacation with a dog.

A travel aficionado, Kelly has explored more than 40 countries across five continents, embracing transformative experiences that continue to inspire her writing. Now based in Napa Valley, she channels her deep connections and insider knowledge into Napa Valley Noir, a luxury concierge service specializing in bespoke wine country experiences. In her forthcoming book, Bellini for One: A Singleton’s Memoir – My Love Affair with Italy, Napa Valley and Myself, she shares her two enriching years living la dolce vita as an expat in Italy and her soulful journey to Napa Valley. Kelly is also currently writing After I Said Ahhhh: My Year of Resilience in the Face of Cancer, a healing guide that chronicles her 2023 diagnosis of a rare oral cancer and the treatment journey that followed. Today, she is thriving and embracing life with gratitude.

The Los Angeles native majored in journalism at the University of Southern California and, at just 28, made history as the first female beat writer to cover the Los Angeles Lakers, paving the way for women in sports media. Her distinguished career includes reporting from NBA Finals, Super Bowls, Grand Slam tennis tournaments, NHL Stanley Cup Finals, NCAA’s Final Four and beyond for various media outlets, including USA Today and on-air for CNNSI. Moving from locker rooms to red carpets, Kelly served as a staff writer for People magazine and USA Today, covering Hollywood’s elite. Her work and expertise earned her features on Good Morning America and in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Ebony, and other leading publications. 

Kelly’s immersion in Napa Valley’s wine culture spans more than a decade. A holder of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 3 certification, she champions diversity in the industry as a proud mentor with Wine Unify. During her seven years as a director at Napa Valley’s esteemed Alpha Omega winery, Kelly was selected for the Napa Valley Vintners’ first Napa Leadership Program and chaired NVV’s Public Relations Committee and Collective Napa Valley Community Celebration.

Through her books and life’s work, Kelly continues to captivate audiences with her signature blend of curiosity, passion, and storytelling finesse.

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