Jill Kelley (born June 3, 1975) is a Lebanese-American philanthropist, activist, and diplomatic advisor. She is also a former South Korean Honorary Consul, and a former honorary ambassador to U.S. Central Command under General James N. Mattis.
Kelley is president and founder of Military Diplomacy Strategies, an international advisory firm that advises embassies and multi-national companies to foster military, security and economic relationships. She is also the founder of a blockchain company, holds two patents, one biomedical and blockchain, and is on the board of several public companies. In 2021, Kelley was appointed Executive Director of an Australian rare-earth company, to increase their North American presence.
Early life and marriage
Kelley was born Jill Gilberte Khawam on June 3, 1975, in Beirut, Lebanon. She immigrated to the United States with her Maronite Catholic parents in the mid-1970s. The family consists of Kelley, her two sisters and a brother.
Kelley lived in the Philadelphia, PA area until her mid-20s. Following high school, she studied to become a doctor and was a medical researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1999, Kelley married cancer-surgeon Scott Kelley. Following their marriage, the couple moved to Tampa and had three children.
Public life
While in Tampa, Kelley served as a volunteer social-liaison to MacDill Air Force Base. The couple has hosted numerous events for military leaders at their home near the United States Central Command. Her husband Scott Kelley says he and his wife feel an obligation to share their good fortune by showing support for the military.
In 2011, Kelley received the Joint Chiefs of Staff Outstanding Public Service Award.
In 2012, Kelley was an honorary ambassador to U.S. Central Command under General James N. Mattis, then-commander of U.S. military forces in the Middle East.
In 2012, Kelley was named Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea. Due to her connections with both U.S. military personnel and South Korean businesses, she was removed from the position later that year. Kelley believes she was inappropriately removed from the post because she was a key figure in the Petraeus-Broadwell scandal.
Kelley was an honorary social ambassador to the MacDill Air Force Base military community, as well as honorary ambassador to Central Command commander Jim Mattis and Central Intelligence Agency director David Petraeus.
In 2018, Kelley and a senior advisor to the president met with the Polish government to set up a U.S. military base in Poland, to be paid for by Poland, to improve their national security and relations with the U.S. military and the United States.
From 2015 to 2017, Kelley and her neighbor Joe Maddon, former Chicago Cubs manager and current Los Angeles Angels General Manager, cohosted and held Gasparilla parties that aimed to benefit disabled veterans. These events were hosted at her mansion, and had many other celebrities and athletes in attendance.
Philanthropic activity
The Kelley's have held numerous charitable volunteering and fundraising events with organizations such as the American Red Cross, the National Gallery of Art, the Wounded Warrior Project, and Heart for the Homeless.
From 2015 to 2017, Kelley and her neighbor—then Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon—cohosted Gasparilla parties to benefit disabled veterans.
In April 2020, Kelley's husband Dr Scott Kelley, setup a free nationwide COVID-19 hotline, a public service to offer free COVID test and medical evaluation to all Americans. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kelleys funded a free hotline to serve marginalized and economically challenged communities. In this effort, the Kelleys partners weigh longtime friend, NFL quarterback Jameis Winston. Together they set up the hotline, which used artificial intelligence (AI) and analytics to deliver free test kits and/or telemedicine appointments to patients in need.
In 2021, Kelley assisted in the evacuation of hundreds of Afghans from their country when the Taliban seized power. Kelley, whose Catholic family immigrated to the US to escape religious persecution in Lebanon, continues to work through her diplomatic ties to extract more Afghan refugees from danger zones. Kelley has been referred to as "a diplomatic fixer". Kelley also provided support to rescue LGBTQ Afghans and resettle them in Canada and has noted the special risks of these marginalized groups in remaining in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan.
The Kelleys are patrons of the Oxford Philharmonic.