NDI Staff: Biographies
Tom Kelly
Tom Kelly is NDI’s senior resident director in Serbia. He brings to the Institute more than 15 years of experience with campaigns and communications, specializing in message development and media relations for non-profit advocacy organizations, and political parties and candidates.
For seven years before joining NDI in 2007, Kelly helped develop public relations strategies and opportunities for several nonprofit organizations including the Allina Hospital Foundation, Environmental Defense Fund, Hennepin Medical Society, Minnesota Smoke-Free Coalition, Citizens for a Safer Minnesota, Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, National Environmental Trust, American Cancer Society, Grassroots Solutions and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits. Also during this time, he worked with the Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland on strengthening local party branches, and as a media and message advisor for NDI programs in Bosnia- Hercegovina and Serbia.
A native of Roseville, Minnesota, Kelly earlier worked as the communications director for the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor party and a U.S. Capitol Hill reporter for FDC Reports, covering health care and pharmaceuticals legislation. Kelly also held leadership positions in several electoral campaigns in Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa and Northern Ireland.
Kelly earned an MA in American History from George Mason University and a BA in Political Science from Kalamazoo College. He and his wife Laura live in Belgrade, Serbia with their son Carl and dog Max. Their hobbies include soccer, hockey, basketball, golf, camping and hiking.