Calling Los Angeles her home for nearly 20 years, and originally from Belton, Missouri, Kelly attended university with a coveted acting scholarship at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri. During her four years at UCM, she appeared in more than 13 plays, participated in the summer repertory company, and was nominated for an Irene Ryan Award.

Once receiving her BFA, Kelly took the bull by the horns and moved to LA in 1989 where she dived into the local Theater Community. During the next 12 years, she was part of the driving forces behind the development of the North Hollywood Theatre District, the NoHo Arts Festival, and the physical preservation and construction of the El Portal Theatre. During this time, Kelly additionally produced two award-winning plays for the ensemble theatre group once known as “Actors’ Alley”, appeared in five Ovation Award-winning plays at The Road Theatre Company, worked in LA radio as a Traffic / News reporter, and relentlessly pursued a career as an actress, thus acquiring many roles for Television (including HBO’s Carnivale, 7th Heaven and The District), as well as film (including The Changeling and Hollywood Homicide).

Kelly is also an aspiring writer and storyteller, with co-developing / co-writing two TV pilots, five screenplays (two as a co-writer), as well as a children’s book entitled, “Strangers Are Not Your Friends” (which she wrote for her twin boys, now 17). In the last three years Kelly has worked diligently on her Production Company, with partner Joel Mahr, Melody Terrace Entertainment, Inc., which is currently seeking money and fully developing two of her screenplays.