Gary Kelly, a 38-year career educator in K-12 and Higher Education, retired in 2019 as Superintendent of the DuQuoin CUSD. During his 28 years as a school administrator, he oversaw the passage of four successful referenda and the construction of two new school facilities.  Kelly is a student-focused leader who served as President of the Illinois Association of School Administrators (IASA) in 2011 and was an 8 year member of the IASA Board of Directors. He served as a member of the Statewide Vision 2020 committee that led fundamental change in education policy in the state of Illinois.  Kelly was named Illinois Superintendent of the Year 2019.  At the national level, he has served on both the AASA Governing Board and AASA Executive Committee. In 2021 he was honored in receiving the AASA Distinguished Service Award. Kelly’s dedication and service to his community has been demonstrated by his leadership roles on a number of local and regional boards.  Presently, he serves as an Assistant Professor at Southern Illinois University Carbondale and IASA Field Service Director where he works with both aspiring and experienced school leaders.  His teaching interest in Higher Education includes the areas of leadership, curriculum development, program and personnel evaluation, and school-community relations.