Kelly studied sociology and statistics at NC State University for her undergraduate study. She is interested in addressing social and environmental determinants of health, and developing and evaluating implementation strategies through both clinical and community-based approaches.
As a research assistant at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Kelly contributed to projects on cancer prevention in rural China and optimizing treatments for lung cancer patients. Currently, she works as a research assistant at the Duke Center for Childhood Obesity Research. In this role, she participates in studies aimed at improving nutrition, food security, and physical activity among children and adolescents. Her work also explores the critical role of mental health and body image in obesity treatment and prevention.