Kelly joined the Learning and Interpretation department at American Ancestors in 2023. As the Special Events and Engagement Manager, Kelly has produced American Ancestors’ quarterly galas that have honored individuals such as Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie G. Bunch III, former Harvard President Drew Gilpin Faust, Pulitzer-Prize winning Author and Historian Alan Taylor, British Historian and TV Presenter Lucy Worsley, and Academy Award Winning Actor and Director Ron Howard. 

She has been responsible for social events such as our Martha’s Vineyard celebration of the 10 Million Names Project, and a night with former United Kingdom Prime Minister The Rt Hon. Sir John Major. Kelly manages the events for all Wyner Family Jewish Heritage Center occasions, serves as liaison for our Heritage Tours with Curt DiCamillo, and works closely with the Executive department to provide logistics for our quarterly board meetings. She was also part of the committee that produced the 2024 International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences when held in Boston, MA. 

Kelly came to American Ancestors with experience in producing fundraising special events, volunteering with philanthropic organizations, as well as creating and implementing logistics for conferences for those in medical executive administration, government employees in the IT sector, as well as state government employees and legislators. She earned a BA in History from the University of Georgia.