Kelly A. Raney serves as Executive Director of Innovation Operations for Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO), a division of Louisiana Economic Development (LED), where she leads capital programming operations, driving access to funding for high-growth companies across the state. In this role, she oversees Louisiana’s portfolio of loan and equity capital programs, including SSBCI-backed initiatives, as well as the Angel Investor Tax Credit Program to stimulate private investment in Louisiana-based startups. Raney manages the Louisiana Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) Board of Directors, which governs these capital programs, ensuring strategic alignment, fiduciary oversight, and impactful deployment of capital to support innovation-driven economic growth. Her work directly advances LA.IO’s mission to build a robust innovation ecosystem and expand access to capital across Louisiana, which complements traditional economic development activities.

Raney brings a strong foundation in financial strategy, capital access, and business advisory, shaped by nearly two decades of experience working with businesses and entrepreneurs. Since joining LED in 2020, she has played a key role in developing and managing complex incentive and capital programs while helping position Louisiana as a competitive environment for startup and growth-stage investment. Raney earned $113 million in federal funding for small businesses across Louisiana through the re-authorization of SSBCI under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Prior to her work in economic development, she served as a Wealth Advisor in the private wealth management space, advising business owners across the Greater Baton Rouge and Acadiana regions on cash flow management, succession planning, and long-term financial strategy—experience that now informs her approach to structuring and scaling capital programs for entrepreneurs.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management and a Master of Business Administration from Louisiana State University, along with a Certified Wealth Strategist (CWS) designation. Raney is a graduate of Berkeley Law Venture Capital University and the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute, and is working toward earning her Certified Economic Developer (CEcD) designation. She also holds a Louisiana Life & Health Insurance license and Long-Term Care certification, and formerly maintained a FINRA Series 6 Securities license before leaving the banking industry. Her combined expertise in finance, lending, venture capital, and economic development positions her to lead the operations of Louisiana’s innovation capital strategy and expand opportunities for entrepreneurs statewide.

+ Email Kelly