Prof Kelly is a psychiatrist and Academic Head of Division and Daniel Family Leadership Chair in Psychosocial Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine Department of Oncology and Psychiatry University of Calgary, and Medical Lead of Provincial Psychosocial Oncology, Cancer Care Alberta based at the Arthur C Child Comprehensive Cancer.
Prior to this appointment he has undertaken clinical, health service and academic leadership roles within the University of Newcastle, Australia, including Head of the Discipline of Psychiatry, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research) (2021-2023); Dean of the School of Medicine and Public Health (2016-2021). He holds a PhD in Psychiatry, Fellowship of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and Fellow of the Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine. His background includes leadership in education and clinical research, including the psychosocial needs in cancer and palliative care, other physical illnesses, health services and population health research, with a focus on rural populations, including leadership of the longitudinal Australian Rural Mental Health Study. Other leadership roles have included Chair of the Psycho-Oncology Cooperative Research Group, an Australian national cancer clinical trials research network. He is Co-Editor in Chief of the Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice, the official journal of the International Psycho-Oncology Society
Previous awards include the Bernard Fox Award from the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) (2018), and in 2023 he was awarded Member of the Order of Australia (2023) for contribution to medical education and professional organizations.