Grace Kestler was born and raised in Indiana. Grace is a graduate of DePauw University. While she has always been very involved in her community, it was during college, when she spent 6 months living in Washington D.C. and working for Amnesty International that her civic engagement interest grew.
She has also spent time working at Cummins Inc. in their Corporate Responsibility department, helping employees utilize their skills and talents within the community sector.
Grace has a passion for travel and decided to leave ‘home’ to complete her master’s degree in Culture and Conflict Studies at Alice Salomon University (Germany). There she spent nearly three years working with local non-governmental organizations in Berlin, focusing on integrating refugees with disabilities.
After returning to Indiana, she ran for Columbus City Councilor and was elected onto a majority Democratic council for the first time since the early 80s.
She also takes pride in her advocacy work as the founder of her Accessibility Consulting Firm and as the Executive Director of The Arc of Bartholomew County, providing resources for individuals with developmental disabilities. In 2019, she was named a Columbus Women in Leadership Honoree by the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce. Grace is committed to becoming a resource and a voice for Columbus by volunteering, serving on boards, and engaging with local organizations.