Jewel Kelly

As the eldest of 18 brothers and sisters from the same parents, I thank God and my parents that l learned from an early age how to care for others. I also learned how to motivate (aka “supervise”) more than a half dozen teenagers to do their chores and to inspire my siblings to complete college. 16 out of 17 of my siblings have attended college, and 13 of my siblings earned college degrees. Sadly, my youngest sister was born blind with cerebral palsy and has never been able to walk or talk. After completing a master’s degree in business administration, I served a decade in the United States Air Force as a Logistics Officer. I joined right after the attacks on our country on 9/11 in 2001. Following my military service, I worked for over a dozen years as an operations manager for a healthcare manufacturer. In 2016, I became a licensed real estate agent and started my own real estate business with my wife, Caren. In 2018, I graduated with a Master of Legal Studies degree from Washington University in Saint Louis, School of Law. In 2023, I obtained my Mortgage Loan Origination License. We have three daughters. I am the co-founder of the non-profit organization A Fighting Chance Foundation, which focuses on increasing mental health awareness. I was also appointed to the Board of Directors for Aging Ahead, an agency supporting individuals through the journey of aging.