After graduating from Indiana University in May 2007, Kelly relocated to Charlotte to teach middle school Language Arts through Teach For America, a non-profit organization that places recent college graduates in low-income classrooms across the country. Kelly was named the Outstanding First Year Middle School Teacher of the Year for the Charlotte-Mecklenberg School Corporation this past spring.

When she completes her Teach For America commitment, Kelly plans to continue her education and hopefully assume a leadership role in a public or charter school.