William W. Kelly, Senior Associate, retired as President Emeritus of The Georgia Foundation for Independent Colleges, having previously served as President of Mary Baldwin College and Transylvania University. As a college, foundation, and association chief executive officer, Dr. Kelly gained invaluable experience in executive search and recruitment. His presence significantly extends our reach.

Dr. Kelly earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Virginia Military Institute, where he was a Distinguished Military Graduate, and his Masters and Ph.D. degrees in English from Duke University. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa. A specialist in Southern Literature, he has taught at VMI, the United States Air Force Academy, and Michigan State University, where he also served as Director of the Honors College.

Dr. Kelly served as Chair of the Board of the Alabama Humanities Foundation and the Georgia Humanities Council, both in affiliation with the National Endowment for the Humanities. He also served as the Presiding Officer of the national Foundation for Independent Higher Education, as well as a Senior Advisor for Connexia LLC and James Tower.