Kellie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance from Western Michigan University, where she was the recipient of Presidential Dance Scholar Award. She obtained her Master of Arts Degree in Dance from The Ohio State University in 1990. Kellie served on the faculty at WMU from 1986-88 and received a graduate assistantship in dance at OSU from 1989-90. Kellie's professional performing and choreographic experiences have taken her as far west as Nevada and as far east as Maryland. Some of her favorite credits include being a past member of the Young Americans and the American Musical Theatre, a guest performer for the Franklin Folino Dance Structure, Chicago and Five Minds Dance Co. in Columbus, OH. While in Columbus, Kellie served as a dance scholar for The Columbus Cultural Arts Center for three summers. She was also a professional ballroom dance competitor in the American Rhythm division from 1988-91 and was a Midwest regional finalist. Kellie performed in the 1991 PBS broadcast of the Ohio Star Ball and also choreographed for VH1 through Quantum Video Productions.
Since moving back to Monroe in 1994, Kellie has been a strong advocate for the arts; she founded the Dance Academy for the River Raisin Center for the Arts in October 1996 and developed a curriculum which includes the best in jazz, tap, ballet, and modern training as well as ballroom dance. Kellie has been a guest artist in many Monroe County schools, helping students explore dance as an art form and guiding them through musical theatre workshops and has choreographed and directed musicals for local schools. Kellie has been on staff for the RRCA Summer Youth Theatre Camp and has successfully directed and choreographed the RRCA's Youth Theatre Productions of Bye, Bye Birdie, Grease, and South Pacific. Kellie is responsible for preparing course curriculum in dance for the Monroe County Community College where she has taught jazz, modern and Dance History. She is also the Downriver Representative for the Michigan Dance Council.