Dave Kelly Brief Bio for Student Programs
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Dave Kelly is America’s Student Leadership Trainersm and America’s Community Service Advocatesm. As a professional speaker, trainer, motivator, and team builder he teaches students how to develop their leadership skills, run their campus organizations more effectively, and become servant leaders. An expert on leadership, organizational success, and community service, he has spoken and trained more than 700 times on college and university campuses, has performed 250+ virtual programs, and spoken for over 100 higher education and youth conferences and events across the United States. He brings humor, energy, and fun to all of his presentations.
Dave is an associate member of the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) and is a two time APCA Campus Speaker of the Year, 2019 and 2022. He is the founder and national coordinator of APCA’s community service initiative APCA Serves! Additionally, he is an associate member of and keynote speaker for the American Student Government Association (ASGA) and an Associate of the Canadian Organization of Campus Activities (COCA). His keynotes and training programs are highly interactive, content rich, and provide tools students can use immediately!
As a speaker and trainer for student leaders, Dave presents a number of topics including how to best use parliamentary procedure in student governments, clubs, and organizations. Accordingly, Dave is a member of the American Institute of Parliamentarians.
Dave was a professional mortgage broker for 25 years, including ten years as founder and owner of a multi-state mortgage company. He served on the board of directors of the Georgia Equity Lenders/Mortgage Association from 1993 to 2003, including two years as president. Dave also spent more than 20 years in the restaurant industry during high school, college, and alongside of his mortgage and speaking careers.
A native of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, Dave is a graduate of University Wisconsin-Oshkosh (UW-Oshkosh). While there, he was involved in student government as a member of the student assembly, three terms in the student senate, and was Vice President Pro-Tempore of the Oshkosh Student Association (OSA). He also was Legislative Affairs Director for OSA and the state-wide association, the United Council of UW-System Student Governments. Additionally, he is a member of the Alpha Lamda Delta honor society and served as chapter secretary.
He double-majored in political science and speech, with an emphasis in theatre arts, a minor in religion and graduated cum laude. He was named as an Outstanding Senior, recognized as a member of Who’s Who In American Colleges and Universities, and was named an Outstanding Young Alumni by the University in 1996.
While in high school, Dave joined Key Club, a sponsored youth organization of Kiwanis. He was soon elected to the position of Lt. Governor. He won two Outstanding Lt. Governor Awards, one from the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District and the other from Key Club International. Upon entering college, he immediately joined the UW-Oshkosh Circle K club, a collegiate service and leadership organization also sponsored by Kiwanis, and was appointed Lt. Governor. He subsequently became Governor of the Wisconsin-Upper Michigan District and later ran for Circle K International Vice President. After serving a year as Vice President, in 1982 Dave was elected to the highest position in the 14,000-member organization, International President, for which he served a one year term.
A Kiwanian since 1988, Dave is a past distinguished club secretary, president and Lt. Governor. He served as the District Administrator for the Georgia District of Circle K International for nine years and has been working with college students for over 20 years. Moreover, he is a nine-time Circle K International Distinguished District Administrator award winner and a recipient of the Georgia District of Key Club Frank J. Powers Award. He was inducted into the Georgia Circle K District Hall of Fame in 2001, which was renamed in his honor at the same time. Because of his volunteer work through Kiwanis, Dave was selected to participate in the Olympic Torch Relay in 1996. In 2021, Dave received the highest honor that Circle K International can bestow, the Circle of Service Award, for his lifetime of service, leadership, and mentorship of Circle K members.
Dave has been a Lead Facilitator for the Kiwanis International Key Leader program and was also a certified trainer for both Circle K and Kiwanis International. Dave’s experiences with students, in business, and through civic involvement give him a unique perspective and allow him to offer practical examples in his presentations.
Dave has published three books, “Gonzo’s Little Book of Motivation”, “The Sermon on the Mount: The Greatest Motivational Speech Ever”, and “Building Leaders Through Service: The Qualities of Visionary Leaders”, a chapbook, “The Courage to Serve”, more than 350 issues of his weekly “Tuneup Tuesday” for student leaders and advisors, and over 80 editions of his newsletter, “Gonzo Motivation Newsletter”. He has also had more than 25 magazine articles published and posted over 60 blog submissions. A prolific writer, he also regularly submits articles for the newsletters and publications of his clients.
An avid Green Bay Packers Fan and shareholder, Dave is a sports enthusiast. He is married to the former Dia Stokes of Hillsborough, North Carolina and has two daughters: Amanda and Katie. The whole family attends Mount Pisgah United Methodist Church in Johns Creek, Georgia. All are shareholders and, thus, owners of the Green Bay Packers!