Kentucky to the World Founders

“Kentucky isn’t what people think it is—and we’re here to prove it.”

— Shelly Zegart, Founder of Kentucky to the World

A Vision That Moved the World

Shelly Zegart didn’t just live in the world—she moved it. As the founder and driving force behind Kentucky to the World (KTW), she gave the Commonwealth a global stage, celebrating Kentuckians whose creativity and intellect continue to shape our world.

Born in Pittsburgh in 1941 and raised in Monessen, Pennsylvania, Shelly learned from her parents that conviction and purpose could move mountains.

• From her mother, Thelma, she learned that a woman’s place is wherever she chooses to be.

• From her father, Judge David Weiss, she learned that the work of an advocate is never finished.
  
  

Champion of Art and Ideas

Before launching KTW, Shelly earned international acclaim as a collector, scholar, and advocate for quilts as a major art form.

She co-founded the Kentucky Quilt Project—the first statewide quilt documentation effort in the U.S.—and later helped establish the Alliance for American Quilts.

Her work culminated in the 2011 PBS series Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics, which brought the artistry and social history of quilts into homes across the nation.

A Partnership of Purpose

Shelly shared more than five decades of love, laughter, and purpose with Dr. Kenneth Zegart, her husband, confidant, and co-creator in life. Together, they built a family and a vision devoted to culture and community.

In Kenny’s OB/GYN practice, Shelly’s quilts adorned the walls—turning sterile spaces into places of beauty and dignity. It was a perfect reflection of how they lived: bringing art and humanity into every corner of life.

The “Ah-Ha” Moment

The inspiration for Kentucky to the World began with an unexpected connection.

In 2010, the Zegarts’ daughter, Dr. Amy Zegart, a national security expert then teaching at UCLA, spoke at the Pacific Council on Foreign Relations. During the Q&A, an audience member introduced himself:

“I grew up a block from your grandfather’s drugstore at 7th and Oak in Louisville.”

That man—Rick Smith, a leading international human rights attorney—wanted to connect not through academia, but through home.

Soon after, Amy met Ambassador Tom Graham, who had negotiated many of the world’s nuclear arms treaties. Within minutes, they were talking about the Kentucky Derby. Both men—global leaders—shared Louisville roots.

“That did it for me,” Shelly said.

“There must be other amazing people like them that no one knows about. I wanted to bring their stories forward—to show our intellectual capital, inspire our students, and change how the world sees Kentucky.”

A Legacy That Lives On

In 2012, Shelly turned that realization into action, founding Kentucky to the World. Her mission was bold: to elevate Kentucky’s cultural and intellectual reputation on the global stage by sharing stories of extraordinary Kentuckians—people whose creativity, intellect, and passion drive change around the world.

Shelly proved Kentucky’s people and ideas belong on the global stage.

She understood that storytelling is more than culture, it’s strategy. That our greatest export is our people. And that Kentucky’s story, told boldly, drives pride, development, investment, talent attraction and growth.

Shelly passed away in July 2025, following Kenny earlier that year. Yet their vision endures. Kentucky to the World continues to amplify Kentucky’s most extraordinary voices, a living tribute to Shelly’s belief in tikkun olam—the call to repair the world through art, truth, and action.

Shelly Zegart for Kentucky to the World

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