ABOUT KELLY |
Kelly Gallaher is an award winning artist, activist and community advocate. A resident of SE Wisconsin for the last 35 years, Kelly is the current Chair of the Democratic Party of Racine County (DPRC), first elected in 2023, and reelected unanimously in 2025.
In addition to her responsibilities as party chair, Kelly coordinates the social media engagement and website design for the Democratic Party of Racine County. Her reels and Tik Tok videos on behalf of local Democrats have been viewed over a half million times in 2025 alone.
In 2017, Kelly was proud to receive the DPRC Democrat of the Year Award as well as the Phyllis Dresen Spirit of Democracy Award and the Racine Interfaith Coalition Outstanding Service Award for her work in the creation of the "Turn Up the Vote Racine" voter engagement initiative. "Turn Up the Vote Racine" continues to serve as the national template for voter engagement activities for the Gamaliel Network Foundation.
From 2015 to 2023 Kelly served as a contributor and spokesperson for the grassroots community organization A Better Mt. Pleasant, a local watchdog organization dedicated to exposing the waste, fraud and exploitation of local residents surrounding the failed Foxconn economic development project.
Kelly's work on behalf of a Better Mt. Pleasant was featured in the non-fiction book "Foxconned: Imaginary Jobs, Bulldozed Homes, and the Sacking of Local Government" by author Lawrence Tabak, Reply All's Podcast "Negative Mount Pleasant" hosted and produced by Sruthi Pinnamaneni and in 2024, Kelly was a featured guest on the "Daily Show with Jonathan Stewart"
2017, Kelly was appointed to the Executive Board WISDOM Action Network Political Action Committee, serving as State Treasurer. Kelly represented Turn Up the Vote Racine on the Racine Interfaith Coalition Board of Directors and provided community and social media engagement services to this local, non-profit organization from 2012 to 2018.
Kelly is a volunteer for the Wisconsin Prison Mindfulness Initiative (WPMI) at the Racine Correctional Institution. WPMI serves to promote mindfulness practices for people who are incarcerated and the use of mindfulness as a tool for healing, harm reduction and public safety.
In 2023, Kelly ran for Mount Pleasant Village President winning 48% of the vote as a first time candidate. Kelly's campaign received the endorsements of UAW Local 180, SE Wisconsin Building Trades Council of the AFL-CIO, Racine Education Association, Fair Wisconsin, Wisconsin Conservation Voters and Planned Parenthood.
Kelly has appeared in Rolling Stone, Atlantic Monthly, Reason, Washington Post, the Guardian, Chicago Tribune, New Yorker Magazine, the Verge, Think Progress, Salon, and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Additionally, interviews with Kelly have been featured on the NPR series Fresh Air, NBC Nightly News, Wisconsin Public Radio and Gimlet Media's Reply All podcast and the Daily Show.
Kelly lives in Mount Pleasant with her husband, and has one daughter. Kelly is an avid gardener, a wayward jewelry artist and a practicing meditator.
AWARDS
YWCA Woman of Distinction
Phyllis Dresen Spirit of Democracy Award
DPRC Democrat of the Year
Racine Interfaith Coalition: Outstanding Service Award
Racine Educators Association::Education Supporter Award
Certificate of Congressional Recognition - Fine Arts
BACKGROUND
Education - Bradley University B.A. Studio Art/Painting
Owner/Partner - Great Elk Products & High Horse Mobile Bar
Associate Curator of Education - Wustum Museum of Fine Art
Artist In Residence
Art Educator - Wustum/RUSD
Community Engagement Coordinator - Yes! For Our Children's Future Campaign Committee
POLITICAL TRAINING
Wellstone Action Boot Camp
WISDOM/EXPO
Gamaliel Network
Wisconsin State Voices
WisDems Candidate Training
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Democratic Party of Racine County
2006 — Present
Chair, Democratic Party of Racine County — 2023 to Present
Democratic Party of Wisconsin 1st CD Board Member — Present
Democratic Party of Wisconsin County Chair Association — Present
Social Media Engagement & Website Design — 2023 tp Present
Candidate for Mount Pleasant Village President — 2023
Biden GOTV Canvass Trainer — 2020
Binger for District Attorney Campaign Communication Chair — 2016
Clinton Campaign Volunteer Trainer — 2016
DPRC Annual Banquet Co-Chair — 2015
Mary Burke Volunteer & GOTV Trainer — 2014
Election Staging Location Captain — June 2012 & November 2012
Recall Election Core Team Captain & Volunteer Trainer — 2011
President Obama Town Hall Ticket Distribution — 2008
Obama Team Captain & Volunteer Trainer — 2008 & 2012
Campaign Staff Housing Host — 2008
Senator Obama Primary Town Hall Ticket Distribution — 2008
Mason for Assembly Volunteer — 2006
Wisconsin Prison Mindfulness Initiative Facilitator 2022 — Present
American Association of University Women — Racine Branch
Member 2021 — Present
Member, Exec Board 1996 — 2011
WISDOM Action Network
State Treasurer — 2017
Racine Heritage Ball, Racine
Mistress of Ceremonies 2016 — 2018
Racine Unified School District Diversity & Equity School Choice & Preference Task Force — 2016
A Better Mt. Pleasant
Organizer and Spokesperson 2015 — 2023
YES for Our Children’s Future Campaign Committee — Community Engagement Coordinator — 2014
Racine Interfaith Coalition
Board Member
Community Engagement Coordinator
Task Force Chair
2012 — 2018
Racine Activist Network Administrator 2011 — Present
Turn Up the VOTE Racine (TUTV)
Founder & Coordinator 2011 — 2017
Racine Family Literacy of Racine
Board Member 2011 — 2014
Wisconsin Election Protection Board
Racine Area Representative 2011 — 2012
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Management (ADAM) Drug Court Program
Board Member — 2011
NAACP — Racine Branch
At-Large Member of the Executive Committee 2010 — 2011
Wisconsin Network for Peace & Justice
State Board 2010 — 2011
Community for Change
Lead Organizer 2008 — 2016
Kenosha Racine Milwaukee (KRM) Commuter Rail
Task Force Member — 2007
Victory in Peace Gang Diversion Program — Artist in Residence
City of Racine Main Gallery — Artist in Residence
Great Midwest Dragon Boat Race — Board Member
Families with Children from China — Coordinator
Education - Bradley University B.A. Studio Art/Painting
Owner/Partner - Great Elk Products & High Horse Mobile Bar
Associate Curator of Education - Wustum Museum of Fine Art
Artist In Residence
Art Educator - Wustum/RUSD
Community Engagement Coordinator - Yes! For Our Children's Future Campaign Committee
POLITICAL TRAINING
Wellstone Action Boot Camp
WISDOM/EXPO
Gamaliel Network
Wisconsin State Voices
WisDems Candidate Training
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Democratic Party of Racine County
2006 — Present
Chair, Democratic Party of Racine County — 2023 to Present
Democratic Party of Wisconsin 1st CD Board Member — Present
Democratic Party of Wisconsin County Chair Association — Present
Social Media Engagement & Website Design — 2023 tp Present
Candidate for Mount Pleasant Village President — 2023
Biden GOTV Canvass Trainer — 2020
Binger for District Attorney Campaign Communication Chair — 2016
Clinton Campaign Volunteer Trainer — 2016
DPRC Annual Banquet Co-Chair — 2015
Mary Burke Volunteer & GOTV Trainer — 2014
Election Staging Location Captain — June 2012 & November 2012
Recall Election Core Team Captain & Volunteer Trainer — 2011
President Obama Town Hall Ticket Distribution — 2008
Obama Team Captain & Volunteer Trainer — 2008 & 2012
Campaign Staff Housing Host — 2008
Senator Obama Primary Town Hall Ticket Distribution — 2008
Mason for Assembly Volunteer — 2006
Wisconsin Prison Mindfulness Initiative Facilitator 2022 — Present
American Association of University Women — Racine Branch
Member 2021 — Present
Member, Exec Board 1996 — 2011
WISDOM Action Network
State Treasurer — 2017
Racine Heritage Ball, Racine
Mistress of Ceremonies 2016 — 2018
Racine Unified School District Diversity & Equity School Choice & Preference Task Force — 2016
A Better Mt. Pleasant
Organizer and Spokesperson 2015 — 2023
YES for Our Children’s Future Campaign Committee — Community Engagement Coordinator — 2014
Racine Interfaith Coalition
Board Member
Community Engagement Coordinator
Task Force Chair
2012 — 2018
Racine Activist Network Administrator 2011 — Present
Turn Up the VOTE Racine (TUTV)
Founder & Coordinator 2011 — 2017
Racine Family Literacy of Racine
Board Member 2011 — 2014
Wisconsin Election Protection Board
Racine Area Representative 2011 — 2012
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Management (ADAM) Drug Court Program
Board Member — 2011
NAACP — Racine Branch
At-Large Member of the Executive Committee 2010 — 2011
Wisconsin Network for Peace & Justice
State Board 2010 — 2011
Community for Change
Lead Organizer 2008 — 2016
Kenosha Racine Milwaukee (KRM) Commuter Rail
Task Force Member — 2007
Victory in Peace Gang Diversion Program — Artist in Residence
City of Racine Main Gallery — Artist in Residence
Great Midwest Dragon Boat Race — Board Member
Families with Children from China — Coordinator