Joy Kelly

Joy Kelly is an educator and school leader with over 30 years of experience as a head of school, principal, associate principal, and teacher. She is a nationally recognized speaker and advocate for positive school culture, known for using practical strategies, storytelling, and relationship-building to help educators navigate challenging situations with courage and clarity.

Kelly is the co-author of Handle with Care: Managing Difficult Situations in Schools with Dignity and Respect, written with Jimmy Casas, which examines a variety of difficult school-related situations and provides tools and techniques for addressing them while helping students and staff feel valued and able to move forward. She frequently speaks and presents on themes from the book, including cultivating school communities grounded in kindness, honesty, compassion, and dignity.