Kelly is originally from West Virginia but has lived in Raleigh since 2003. She is the mother of two boys, Robbie and Ben, and enjoys spending as much time with them as she can.

Kelly attended Campbell University School of Law from which she graduated, cum laude, in 2007. While attending Campbell, Kelly worked for Professor Richard Lord as a Williston Scholar and tutored other students as a Teaching Scholar. She was also a member of Law Review and clerked with the Mast Law Firm in Smithfield. Kelly has always been interested in family law and has exclusively devoted her practice to family law in Wake and the surrounding counties.

Kelly is a history buff who loves all things British. After retirement, she plans to pursue a doctorate in history just for fun.