The Kelley Kitley Podcast

Since being named DePaul men's basketball head coach on March 14, 2024, Chris Holtmann has led one of the nation's top turnarounds - taking the Blue Demons to their best BIG EAST finish in program history in 2025-26. A two-time Naismith National Coach of the Year Award Finalist, three-time conference Coach of the Year and 2026 Skip Prosser Man of the Year, Holtmann has established himself and the Blue Demons program as one to watch in the BIG EAST. A former BIG EAST Coach of the Year, Holtmann arrived in Lincoln Park with over 25 years of coaching experience which included 13 as a head coach. Prior to DePaul, Holtmann had amassed a 251-170 (.596) record and eight postseason appearances across three different institutions. Holtmann had an exceptional stretch of 9-straight 20-win seasons and 8-straight NCAA appearances, including five most recently at Ohio State where he tallied a 137-86 (.617) record. After a stellar turnaround in year one, Holtmann and the Blue Demons took another step forward in 2025-26 as DePaul tallied its second-most BIG EAST wins in program history and the teams best finish in the league standings since joining the BIG EAST in 2006. In 2025-26, the Blue Demons ranked 32nd nationally in defensive efficiency while also being top-50 in assists per made field goal, opponent turnover percentage and opponent two-point field goal percentage defense. For the second-straight year, Holtmann led a DePaul team to a top-10 program number of made three-pointers, tallying 230 on the year. The Blue Demons picked up a number of other program firsts, including a season sweep over Creighton for the first time in school history. Holtmann entered the 2025-26 season, showing his knack as not only a coach but a program builder. The Blue Demons returned the most starters of any school in the BIG EAST and returned the second-most players, behind only reigning National Champion UConn. CJ Gunn earned Preseason All-BIG EAST accolades ahead of the 2025-26 season, making him the first Blue Demon to do so since 2020. In his first season at the helm of the Blue Demon program, Holtmann led an immediate turnaround that included a 11 win increase from the previous season and saw DePaul return to the postseason for the first time since 2018-19. DePaul recorded the greatest improvement in KenPom rankings nationally from the end of the 2023-24 to the 2024-25 seasons of over 180 spots. The 2024-25 season set a new program record with 314 made three-point field goals, shattering the previous record of 273. The team also totaled 524 assists which ranked fourth all-time in program history for a single-season. Under Holtmann's guidance, the Blue Demons ended the regular-season with back-to-back wins for the first time since 2006-07. DePaul carried it's momentum into the BIG EAST Tournament where the Blue Demons defeated Georgetown, 71-67, in the first round before dropping a double-overtime game to Creighton in the quarterfinals. DePaul ended its season as a part of the inaugural College Basketball Crown, marking the first postseason appearance since 2018-19. In just one season, the transformation under Holtmann was evident on and off the court, including the success in the classroom. Isaiah Rivera became the fourth all-time DePaul men's basketball player to earn College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District honors, and the first since Max Strus in 2019. The Blue Demons have also received back-to-back Team Academic Excellence Award's by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Prior to DePaul, Holtmann led an immediate rebuild and resurgence of an Ohio State squad where he would lead the Buckeyes to five tournaments in his first five seasons. Over the course of his tenure, Ohio State spent 63 weeks in the AP Top 25 and had five-straight 20-win seasons. In Holtmann’s first season, the Buckeyes were picked no better than 11th in the preseason polls. Ohio State stormed out to a 9-0 Big Ten record before finishing second place in the league. Under Holtmann’s tutelage, Keita Bates-Diop was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Holtmann earned 2018 Big Ten Coach of the Year. “I am very excited about this opportunity to be the head men’s basketball coach at DePaul,” said Holtmann when he was hired. “During this process, I was extremely impressed with the commitment, eagerness and vision of DeWayne Peevy and President Manuel to build a successful BIG EAST basketball program. My wife, Lori, and our daughter, Nora, look forward to getting to Chicago and spending time in the DePaul community. We can’t wait to get to work!” In 2018-19 at Ohio State, following the departure of an experienced squad, Holtmann displayed his recruiting expertise and led a young team to their second-consecutive Second Round appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Ohio State was poised for a strong postseason run in 2019-20 after putting together a 21-10 record that included wins over four top-10 opponents and four eventual conference champions, before the season was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Buckeyes climbed to as high as No. 2 in the polls after an 11-1 start to the season. In 2020-21, Holtmann was named a Naismith National Coach of the Year finalist after leading the Buckeyes to another 20-win season and the championship game of the 2021 Big Ten Tournament. The Buckeyes national prominence continued in 2021-22 as the Buckeye staff guided E.J. Liddell to a consensus All-America selection and Malaki Branham to become the eighth Ohio State player to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and first round NBA Draft pick. Before his time in Columbus, Holtmann spent three seasons (2014-17) at the helm of the Butler program where he led the Bulldogs to 22 or more wins in each season and secured a NCAA Tournament win. With a 70-31 (.693) overall record, Holtmann won 34 conference games, never finishing below fourth in the league standings. His 12 conference wins in 2014-15 and 2016-17 remain the most by Butler since joining the BIG EAST. In his final season in Indianapolis, the Bulldogs advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2011. In 2015-16, Butler ranked in the Top 25 nationally, scoring 79.9 points per game. Holtmann is one of only two coaches in Butler history to lead the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament in each of his first three seasons and was also named a finalist for the 2017 Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year Award. He was previously an assistant coach for the Bulldogs before being named interim head coach in October 2014 and being elevated to head coach in January 2015. Prior to his time at Butler, Holtmann served as the head coach at Gardner-Webb for three seasons where he led the Runnin’ Bulldogs to a school Division 1 record 21 victories in his final season after taking over a program that won just eight games in 2009-10. In his last season at Gardner-Webb, Holtmann garnered Big South Conference and NABC District 3 Coach of the Year accolades. Before becoming a head coach, Holtmann served two seasons as an assistant coach at Ohio University and five seasons on the staff at Gardner-Webb. Holtmann, from Nicholasville, Ky., was an NAIA All-American guard at Taylor University, helping guide the Trojans to a 25-9 record, a No. 1 national ranking and a berth in the NAIA National Tournament in 1993-94. After his playing days, Holtmann spent the 1997-98 season as a graduate assistant at Taylor and the 1998-99 season as an assistant at Geneva College before returning to Taylor as an assistant coach under Paul Patterson from 1999-2003. In his last two seasons as an assistant at his alma mater, Holtmann helped lead the Trojans to a 50-16 record, back-to-back conference titles and a ranking in the Top 15 nationally. Holtmann earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Taylor in 1994 and a master’s degree in athletic administration from Ball State in 2000. He and his wife, Lori, have one daughter, Nora.In this episode Kitley and Holtmann disc… This is a public episode. 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Bridget McGuire is a storyteller and stand-up comedian based in New York. Her self-deprecating and conversational humor revolves around her life: anxiety, family, and dating - all said in her hot Chicago accent. In addition to being a co-producer of All That Good Stuff, a stand-up comedy show, she works in advertising for Hearst magazines and has written for Women's Health and Prevention about her life with OCD.Ballet Flats for Dinner is an autobiographical solo comedy show written and performed by Bridget McGuire. A mix of stand-up and storytelling, Ballet Flats tells the story of McGuire's life growing up with intrusive thoughts, a form of OCD. From thinking she was pregnant at age 11, to wondering if she killed her friend's boyfriend at 25, to finally getting help at the ripe old age of 38, Ballet Flats will have you laughing the entire time. In honor of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Awareness Month, Bridget is taking her show on the road! You don’t want to miss her in Los Angeles (10/7), DC (10/15), or Dallas (10/30). Follow her on instagram for regular hilarious clips of her life and future shows. In this candid and vulnerable episode, McGuire holds nothing back by sharing her experience, strength, and hope living with OCD, treatment options including Exposure and Response Prevention, medication, and community support. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

Laura Mayer is Author of Tryhard: A Cautionary Tale of Clocking In and Spinning Out and a Podcast Executive. She worked as the Executive Producer of Podcast Programming at ABC News while she wrote her memoir. She has worked in “Big Podcasting” for as long as anyone can work in “Big Podcasting.” Laura has developed more than one-hundred podcasts throughout her career. She executive produced ABC News’s wildly-popular slate of true crime shows. She co-created and launched The Dream. She also wrote and hosted her own podcast, Shameless Acquisition Target, which inspired this book.For any type-A, high achiever out there, this is the book that sees you. And provides a cathartic, funny, emotionally charged insight into what drives the perfection-oriented.Laura Mayer was born a girlboss. As a child in suburban Illinois, she played “V.P. of Sales” in her bedroom, dictating important memos to her twin brother and swapping Judy Blume for the buzzy business books of the day. While other kids dreamed of being pop stars or pro athletes, little Laura had a single-minded focus: the corporate ladder.Some thirty years later, from a dizzying perch on that very ladder—as Executive Producer of Podcasts at ABC News, with such blockbuster shows as Revisionist History, Bad Blood, and Happier with Gretchen Rubin to her credit—and with an identity shaped by annual reviews, performance indicators, and “executive presence” (whatever that means) a disillusioned Laura is calling “b******t” on the whole work-is-life thing. Sort of.Tryhard is a gonzo memoir for 9-to-5 devotees who have read every business book and C-suite-or-bust instruction manual yet still find we’re burnt out and unhappy. It is also a deeply personal and poignant examination of why we race at all. Laura detangles this delusional mess of priorities we’ve created, rejects the “boss-at-any-cost” culture, and invites us to laugh at ourselves (and her) along the way. She offers the modern office worker a new path forward through her own revelations, and implores us, for the love of God, to chill out a little bit.This is Laura’s messy, somewhat enlightened, possibly transformative, heart-wrenching and always entertaining story—a one-of-a-kind sightseeing trip on the Great American hamster wheel.In this episode, Kitley talks to Laura on the heels of quitting her job, a six week sabbatical from her computer for some rest and relaxation and starting to explore her own consulting business. They discuss Laura’s lifelong journey as a tryhard, growing up in an alcoholic family, anxiety, finding solace in books, her decision to quit drinking at age twenty-six, cross addiction, making amends, being a mom to five-year-old Joanna, reparenting, and how podcasting has changed from 2008-2026. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

Kristina Guerrero is a speaker, storyteller, and former national television host with more than 20 years of experience in front of and behind the camera.She was the first Latina host and correspondent for E! Entertainment’s E! News and The Daily 10, later hosting the nationally syndicated lifestyle show The List. Over the course of her career, she has worked as a host, writer, producer, and creative storyteller across television, film, and digital media.Kristina is also the creator and host of She Believed, a podcast centered around resilience, identity, and rebuilding when life doesn’t go according to plan. She directed the short documentary Walking Through Molasses about her breast cancer journey and is 3 years sober. In this episode Guerrero shares her experience, strength, and hope as a sober mom, breast cancer survivor, and career pivot after her nationally syndicated show was cancelled. This woman is a resilient warrior who has gone from struggle to perseverance on repeat. Her positivity is contagious! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

Bradley Rompza is Owner of the legendary The Burwood Tap, the oldest bar in Lincoln Park and the fifth oldest bar in Chicago. Established in 1933, formerly owned by his grandfather and his father. He is also TEN years sober!This is the first time Bradley is sharing his story publicly in hopes it might help someone else who is struggling with substance use. He’s the second oldest child of five siblings and Kelley’s younger brother. He grew up in the restaurant and bar business and by the age of fifteen, he was helping his dad manage two restaurants and a bar while also attending high school. Out of curiosity, he had his first drink at the age of thirteen by himself, in the basement of the bar. He was immediately hooked and continued drinking heavily, which progressed into drug use. At the age of thirty-five, Bradley had a near death experience that resulted in a multiple day hospital stay and surgery. Once discharged, his family had an intervention and he made the decision to stop using substances. He describes his experience of being sick and tired of being sick and tired. Brad refers to his first three years of sobriety as “white knuckling” (gripping something so hard out of fear, stress, or tension that your knuckles turn white, or trying to survive a difficult situation through pure willpower without real relief) with little support. He eventually chose to deepen his recovery by attending twelve-step meetings, connecting with others in recovery, and created a more supportive environment. Rompza is a true miracle! In this episode, he shares experience, strength, and hope as a man in recovery, his path to deep spirituality, owning a bar business as a sober person, dating in sobriety, and his twenty-one year old dog Johnny, who’s his spirit animal. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

September is National Recovery Month! All month, we’ll be celebrating the lives of people in recovery.Paula Devine founded Happiest Hour, born out of her own journey toward freedom. Happiest Hour offers compassionate, judgement-free support for women who are questioning their relationship with alcohol and seeking more out of life. Through personalized coaching, resources, and a supportive community, she empowers women to reclaim their time, energy, and sense of self, so they can live fully, authentically, and with purpose.Devine offers private sessions and a signature 6-week group coaching program (next one starts 9/17!) called the "Happiest Hour Experience" focused on community connection, practical tools, and self-reflection. She hosts Happiest Hour with Paula Devine, a podcast that features honest conversations about midlife, parenting, and navigating life after alcohol. Paula just celebrated her first year in business and hosts local events and online spaces centered around women supporting women in an alcohol-free lifestyle. In this episode Paula shares her experience, strength, and hope as a woman in recovery, the normalization of mom drinking culture and wine as a “reward” for parenting, the ripple effect of hearing other women’s stories (Devine heard Kitley’s on TODAY), starting a business to help women step out of the drinking cycle, and spirituality. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

James Longman is Chief International Correspondent for ABC News. It’s a job that has taken him to more than 60 countries, reporting on major world events. He’s long taken an interest in mental health, and his book The Inherited Mind looks at the genetics of mental illness, inter-generational trauma and the science of epigenetics.James Longman was a preteen in boarding school when his dad, who was diagnosed with depression and schizophrenia, died by suicide. As he got older, James’s own bouts of depression spurred him to examine how his father’s mental health might have affected his own. He engaged with experts to uncover the science behind what is inherited, how much environmental factors can impact genetic traits, and how one can overcome a familial history of mental illness and trauma.Longman invites readers to reflect on their own stories as he shares his quest to better understand himself and his family. Through speaking to mental health experts, to those who have had similar familial experiences, and about his own life stories, James shows us, with heart and humor, how much our bodies can empower and inform us about our own personal mental health histories.In this episode, James shares his personal experience with depression, how he takes care of his mental health, the importance of finding a supportive environment and community, owning our story, and Guardian Angels, sprinkled throughout his life. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

In 2015, I was a consulting therapist for the writers room on the show Nashville to educate about postpartum depression. Hayden Panettiere’s character, Juliette Barnes was struggling with mental health issues and alcohol abuse after having a baby. After years of working one on one with women in a clinical setting and educating the public about women’s mental health, this was an exciting opportunity to have a large impact. The writers of the show even wrote me into the script as “Dr. Kitley.” Later, I came to find out Hayden was struggling in her personal life simultaneously as her character was with postpartum depression and substance use disorder. She took a leave from the show to engage in treatment. Over the years, as she started to share about her experience, strength, and hope I was drawn to her authenticity and vulnerability. As a licensed clinical social worker and media expert, I’ve observed and experienced the power of sharing our story. We normalize feelings for others and give people permission to say me too. It helps others feel less alone and provides hope. When a celebrity uses their platform, it has a huge reach and changes the conversation for the general public. For the last couple of years, I was communicating with Hayden’s publicist. I was eager to have her as a guest on my podcast and/or collaborate on a project for women’s mental health. In January, she informed me Hayden was publishing a memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning. I could not wait! When Hayden released the book on May 19, 2026 she was going to be in the Chicagoland area on book tour the next day. I wanted to introduce myself, thank her for her important work, get a signed copy of her book, and give her mine. Exactly three months ago tomorrow, two women in recovery met. I felt an automatic genuine connection. We hugged, laughed, cried, and she thanked me for my work. I had a strong feeling we would meet again. Summer has been extraordinarily busy. We just returned from South Carolina, dropping our two oldest off at college, then went to the Jersey Shore for my 26th summer, for a little R & R. It was just what we all needed! Refreshed and ready to get back to work, Monday morning I was driving home and made my first pit stop to fill the car with gas. I opened my phone and my social media feed was saturated with news that Hayden Panettiere died of a potential overdose at the age of 36. I thought it was fake news. Then a gut punch, scrolling for credible information, reminded once again that mental health and addiction is a matter of life and death. The recovery community is mourning. Women saw theirselves in her story. Moms could relate. Millennials grew up with her. This story is so tragic, devastating, and multi-layered, as the news continues to unfold. However, Hayden’s bright light will continue to shine.People in recovery aren’t “recovered.” It’s a daily practice to stay grounded. Say something if someone seems “off.” We have no idea what’s going on in someone’s head. If you’re concerned about who someone is socializing with, tell them. Please check in on one another. I will continue fighting for all of us! Stay tuned for more on this topic as August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day and September is National Recovery Month. Resources: MY self: An Autobiography of Survival, Recovery, & EmpowermentShe RecoversWomen for SobrietyAlcoholics Anonymous This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

Connor Kitley is a junior at the University of South Carolina majoring in Psychology with a minor in Business Administration. He plans to pursue a career in psychotherapy, where he can apply his understanding of human behavior to help clients improve their well-being, while also using his business background to open his own private practice.His experience in the service industry has strengthened his interpersonal and communication skills, which will be valuable in working with clients. It has also taught him adaptability, stress management, and teamwork—skills he applies daily as a student and professional. He’s always eager to learn more and get involved in opportunities related to psychology and mental health. In this episode Connor offers his experience transitioning to college and tools that helped him navigate what can sometimes feel overwhelming. Connor is Kelley’s oldest of four and they discuss the change in family dynamics, his younger sister entering freshman year at the same school, how parents can support their young adults, and the importance of building community. He encourages his peers to use all the resources college has to offer and to never be afraid to ask for help! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com

Keesha Scott is the Co-Founder and National Care Director for Guardian Recovery’s Adolescent Program. In 2008, she helped her husband Josh establish Guardian Recovery, laying the groundwork for the life-changing services the organization provides today. With a Master’s degree in Psychology and over 15 years of professional experience—plus more than two decades of sobriety—Keesha has dedicated her life to helping women and young people overcome the challenges of addiction and mental health issues. When her own teenage daughter began to struggle, Keesha recognized a significant lack of local resources for families like hers. Motivated to create a solution, she developed Guardian Recovery’s Adolescent Program, fueled by her desire to provide compassionate support, education, and hope to teens and their families nationwide. Keesha’s commitment continues to shape Guardian Recovery’s approach, ensuring every young person and family can find the care and guidance they need.She’s also the Host of Cake for Dinner, a podcast for women who are done pretending. It is where founders, experts, celebrities, and parents pull up a chair and get honest about motherhood, marriage, hormones, healing, and the messy middle. No filters. No fluff. No performance. Just the conversations women are actually having in their heads but rarely say out loud. Because real life doesn’t look perfect — and it was never supposed to.Stay tuned for Cake for Dinner, Scott’s forthcoming book releasing in April, 2027! It’s an ultimate guide to ditching curated perfection and embracing the beautiful reality of motherhood. No new parenting systems to master—just the laughter, truth, and permission you need to let go of the plan and trust your gut.In this episode Keesha shares her experience, strength, and hope as a woman in long- term recovery raising teenagers (who are also twins!) while ditching perfection, how German cake saved her, the importance of sharing stories-not instructions, and entrepreneurship. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit kelleykitley.substack.com