Hope Award Honoree
Dr. John R. Kelly
John R. Kelly is a native Mississippian, having grown up on his family’s farm in the central part of the state. He has lived on the coast for the past 43 years. Since 2006, he has served as the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for Gulfport, Mississippi’s second largest city. As CAO he is responsible for the management and day to day operations of the city.
John spent most of his career as a senior executive with the Department of Defense. At the time of his retirement from federal service in December 2005, he worked as Regional Director for Community and Family support with Navy Region South East in Jacksonville, FL. As Regional Director, he directed the operation of a broad, multi-faceted family support program that encompassed mental health counseling, psychological testing, skills for living training, family advocacy and funeral honors details for service members and their families at 12 Naval installations around the South Eastern United States, Cuba and Puerto Rico.
Kelly has a solid record of community and social involvement. He was elected President Elect of the National Association of State Board of Education in November 2016. He has been twice chosen by the Sun Herald newspaper as one of the Gulf Coast Outstanding Community Leaders. In June 2011 Governor Haley Barbour appointed him to the Mississippi State Board of Education, where he now serves as immediate past Chairman. He served as chairman of the National Board of Directors for the American Cancer Society from 1999-2002. He was the first person of color to chair this prestigious board with an annual budget of more than a billion dollars. He is a former President and Chief Volunteer Officer for South Mississippi’s United Way.
He is married to Dr. Bernell T. Kelly, who is a recent retired principal for the Biloxi School District. Together they have two adult daughters, Felice and Kristi and two grandchildren, Reagan and Dallas.