Kelly is married and he and his wife have one daughter. He is a small business owner with over 20 years of experience in real estate and over 40 years of experience in the private sector. He also served as a Congressional aide and his focus was on military and veterans' issues. He is a graduate of Appalachian State University and earned the Graduate Certificate in Teaching from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He received an Honorable Discharge from the United States Marine Corps and Reserve.
He currently serves in the North Carolina House of Representatives and currently chairs numerous committees. During his time in the General Assembly, he has sponsored over 20 bills and/or resolutions that became law or passed, respectively.