Kelly is a magna cum laude graduate of Wayne State University, a certified crisis communicator, a nationally accredited public relations counselor (APR) and a member of the Public Relations Society of America’s (PRSA) distinguished College of Fellows.

She started her career as an associate producer of TV programs at Channels 4 and 50 in Detroit. Her years as a legislative assistant in the state House and Senate gave her a first-hand look at how state agencies interact with the Legislature and how the Legislature functions. She also held various jobs in the Office of the Governor and at the state departments of Commerce and Labor. In those positions, she gained extensive experience in policymaking, communication strategy and news media relations

Kelly was named PACEMaker of the Year by the Central Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America in 1996. That same year, The Rossman Group (then known as Rossman Martin & Associates) was the only independent firm in the nation to win two Silver Anvil awards, the highest award in the public relations industry. Kelly has been recognized consistently as one of Michigan’s most influential women and has been selected as one of the top 25 women business owners by the National Association of Women Business Owners. In 1999, she was named to the Lansing State Journal’s100 People to Watch This Century.

In 2004, The Rossman Group was singled out as the most effective public relations firm by the MIRS/EPIC*MRA State Capitol Survey. The poll of 406 capitol insiders also ranked Kelly Rossman-McKinney as the most effective public relations professional (MIRS Capitol Capsule, Monday, June 7, 2004).