John Kelly

John Kelly was promoted to assistant athletic director for facilities and events at Vanderbilt in January 2024. In his new role, he spearheads game day operations for football and track and field events while also managing FirstBank Stadium, all indoor and outdoor track facilities, and providing support at the McGugin Athletic Center.

Kelly initially returning to Vanderbilt in 2021 as the associate director of facilities and events, focusing on soccer, lacrosse, and football stadium operations. Prior to this, he held the position of business analyst for Vanderbilt Athletics in 2019, where he managed all athletics purchases and acted as the department’s liaison with Learfield.

In between rejoining Vanderbilt, Kelly served as coordinator of facilities at at Miami (Fla.). Kelly’s primary responsibility was overseeing facilities and game operations including the Watsco Basketball Center, Alex Rodriguez Baseball Park and Cobb Stadium for Track and Field. He also managed day-to-day maintenance for all athletic facilities and coordinated home athletic events.

Originally from Memphis, Kelly earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration at Middle Tennessee, while also competing as a defensive back for the Blue Raiders. Following his collegiate career, Kelly transitioned immediately into athletic administration, starting as an assistant director of operations. In this role, he played a pivotal part in the coordination of significant projects such as the $5.8 million Adam’s Tennis Complex and assisting with $20 million in capital facility improvements while also managing events for all 17 varsity sport programs.

Kelly resides in Nashville with his daughter, Ellie.