Daniel Kelly’s professional life has involved both Catholic education and law. After graduating from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, Dan joined the first cohort of teaching fellows in Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (“ACE”) program, serving as a teacher in Lake Charles, Louisiana and obtaining a Master of Arts in Teaching. Dan subsequently taught at Trinity School at River Ridge in Minnesota for several years before attending Ave Maria School of Law as a member of its first class.

Dan was the first Editor-in-Chief of the Ave Maria Law Review and clerked for Judge Raymond Gruender on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. In his legal career, Dan headed the intellectual property department of Vista Outdoor, managing the I.P. strategy and assets of such brands as Bell Helmets, CamelBak, Bushnell, and Federal Ammunition, among many others.

Dan served as counsel to Chesterton Academy of the Twin Cities at the time of its founding and later served on its board as well as the board for The Society of Gilbert Keith Chesterton. Dan presently serves on the board Adeodatus, an organization dedicated to nurturing and renewing Catholic liberal education. Dan has been Headmaster of Chesterton Academy of St. Philip Neri in Kansas City since 2024.