Kelley is the Mayor of Turtle Creek and a long-time advocate for people impacted by addiction. She was elected Mayor of Turtle Creek in 2014 and is now serving her second term. She is also a Certified Recovery Specialist.
Her husband, Kevin, is in recovery from heroin addiction and is an overdose survivor, thanks to the availability of Narcan. As an elected official, Kelley has made a point of sharing her personal experience whenever possible in hopes of changing public perception and public policy to better address this health issue. In 2014, she received the Community Partner of the Year award from the Mon Valley Initiative and Turtle Creek Development Corporation, in recognition of her outstanding recovery activism.
As Mayor, Kelley has worked with the local police force and other first responders to recognize citizens who are struggling with addiction and to respond with appropriate resources. She has organized Narcan giveaways, support groups for families, and numerous events to educate her community about addiction and recovery.
Kelley’s colleagues nominated her for this award, saying, “Kelley understands that battling addiction is a community effort.”