Kelda Roys

A born risk-taker and big dreamer, Kelda has been a passionate real estate maven for 25 years since getting her New York real estate license to help pay for college. Her clients say she is tireless, tough, entrepreneurial, and fun to work with.

In addition to running OpenHomes, Kelda serves in the Wisconsin State Senate, and is appointed to the powerful Joint Finance Committee, which oversees the state budget. A native Wisconsinite and cheese lover, Kelda returned to Madison for law school , where she served on the Wisconsin Innocence Project. After law school, she ran a statewide women’s health advocacy organization. At 29, she became the youngest then-serving legislator in Wisconsin, serving two terms in the State Assembly, including one as  Democratic Caucus Chair, where she helped lead the historic Act 10 labor protests. She later ran for Governor of Wisconsin, coming in a strong third and garnering international news as the first candidate to breastfeed in a campaign ad, breaking barriers for women and moms running for office.

Kelda spent several years as a commissioner for Madison’s Community Development Authority and the policy chair for the Clean Lakes Alliance board. She has served on many other boards, including TEMPO Madison, ACLU of Wisconsin, Madison Repertory Theater, Common Cause, Wisconsin Women’s Council, and many others.

Kelda founded OpenHomes in 2013 to build a real estate company that was relentlessly focused on serving our clients, using the best technology and skilled, ethical professionals to make the experience as convenient and enjoyable as possible for home buyers and sellers.

When she’s not drafting contracts and negotiating deals, she loves to bike, travel, cook, be on the water, and make music with partner Dan and their kids. They live in a Tudor revival home that looks like a gingerbread cottage.

Dream home: Historic lakeside cottage somewhere with a long growing season and lots of hydrangeas