Patrick Kelly is a proven leader who brings meaningful, practical solutions to the Douglas County Commission. As a lifelong educator, workforce advocate, and leadership professional, Patrick has spent his entire career investing in the future of our community.
After graduating from the University of Kansas, Patrick was a music teacher at West Junior High, Hillcrest Elementary, and Free State High School before serving as USD 497's Director of Fine Arts. He was an associate principal at Free State High School and led the establishment and growth of technical training in Douglas County at the Lawrence College and Career Center and Peaslee Tech. He served as the district's Chief Academic Officer before retiring from USD 497 in 2024.
Prior to his time on the Douglas County Commission, Patrick served Douglas County residents as a member of the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Commission and on the PLAN 2040 Steering Committee, which considered what Douglas County's future will look like over the next two decades. As chair of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission, he was instrumental in developing the Lawrence Cultural Arts Plan, which sets a vision to improve the community’s health and economic development through the arts. A graduate of Leadership Lawrence and the Kansas Leadership Center, Patrick now provides leadership training and coaching for the community through Leadership Lawrence, Leadership Douglas County, and the Kansas Leadership Center.
As a Douglas County Commissioner, Patrick has:
His work on the Douglas County Commission has included roles on the Lawrence Affordable Housing Advisory Board, the Economic Development Corporation of Douglas County, the Behavioral Health Leadership Coalition, Peaslee Tech Board of Directors, KU Innovation Park, Heartland Works, and Workforce One.
Patrick’s wife, Amy, is a trademark attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and equally involved in the community. Patrick has two adult daughters, and he and Amy often volunteer in local community theatre productions. They are proud to live, work, and play in Lawrence and Douglas County.
After graduating from the University of Kansas, Patrick was a music teacher at West Junior High, Hillcrest Elementary, and Free State High School before serving as USD 497's Director of Fine Arts. He was an associate principal at Free State High School and led the establishment and growth of technical training in Douglas County at the Lawrence College and Career Center and Peaslee Tech. He served as the district's Chief Academic Officer before retiring from USD 497 in 2024.
Prior to his time on the Douglas County Commission, Patrick served Douglas County residents as a member of the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Commission and on the PLAN 2040 Steering Committee, which considered what Douglas County's future will look like over the next two decades. As chair of the Lawrence Cultural Arts Commission, he was instrumental in developing the Lawrence Cultural Arts Plan, which sets a vision to improve the community’s health and economic development through the arts. A graduate of Leadership Lawrence and the Kansas Leadership Center, Patrick now provides leadership training and coaching for the community through Leadership Lawrence, Leadership Douglas County, and the Kansas Leadership Center.
As a Douglas County Commissioner, Patrick has:
- Fundamentally modernized how Douglas County collaborates with municipalities, state agencies, healthcare providers, and local non-profits. He championed a transition away from traditional lump-sum grants to performance-driven service agreements with accountable, data-driven metrics.
- Provided responsible fiscal stewardship, consistently maintaining Douglas County's prestigious AAA bond rating, guaranteeing that when the county must utilize credit, it secures the lowest interest rates available, saving taxpayers millions.
- Championed a comprehensive model of care that broke down traditional silos and brought county, city, and non-profits together to address the complex challenges facing our most vulnerable neighbors.
His work on the Douglas County Commission has included roles on the Lawrence Affordable Housing Advisory Board, the Economic Development Corporation of Douglas County, the Behavioral Health Leadership Coalition, Peaslee Tech Board of Directors, KU Innovation Park, Heartland Works, and Workforce One.
Patrick’s wife, Amy, is a trademark attorney with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and equally involved in the community. Patrick has two adult daughters, and he and Amy often volunteer in local community theatre productions. They are proud to live, work, and play in Lawrence and Douglas County.
