Kathleen Kelly spent her formative early years in the Coachella Valley and then ventured east to attend Yale University for college and then U.C. Berkeley’s Boalt Hall for Law School. 

She practiced employment law in San Francisco before joining the full-time faculty at McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific, in Sacramento, where she taught for 17 years and served as Academic Dean. Concurrently, Kathleen served as a neutral arbitrator and mediator resolving conflicts. This work extended over 30 years and addressed a wide range of public policy disputes, including placement of safety net services for the homeless and proper engineering of sidewalks to accommodate the disabled.

Kathleen’s connection to Palm Desert goes back to 1977. She is a member of the Palm Desert Noon Rotary Club, the Historical Society of Palm Desert, and the Palm Desert Area Chamber of Commerce. Her commitment to volunteerism is reflected in long service on the Joslyn Center Board and appointment to the Palm Desert Planning Commission, where she served prior to her election in 2016. Through teaching topics pertaining to sound process and presidency of several non-profit boards, Kathleen brings considerable experience in procedure to her elected office.

Kathleen quickly rose to positions of regional leadership after election to the Council. She recently completed an 18-month term chairing the SunLine Transit Board and was elected by the council members in our six-city area to represent the region at Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), our regional planning agency with great impact on transportation and housing.

For the last 15 years, Kathleen has also been an ordained minister in the Episcopal Church. After serving in the denomination’s Sacramento Cathedral, she became rector of a parish in nearby Hemet for six years prior to retirement from this work. Most recently, she led St. Margaret's Church in Palm Desert through a transition. She has given considerable time to the preservation of Historic Shadow Mountain Golf Club through volunteer leadership during ownership transitions.

Kathleen lives in South Palm Desert with her mother, Mary Helen Kelly, who is also an active community volunteer. She loves early morning walks in South Palm Desert, golfing, cooking, and one or two trips to the coast for surf-fishing every year.

Attend A Council Meeting 

Members of the public are welcome at all meetings of the City Council. Regular meetings of the Palm Desert City Council are held the second and fourth Thursdays of every month convening at 3:00 p.m. for Closed Session and at 4:00 p.m. for the Regular Session and Public Hearings. Information on how to attend or speak at a City Council meeting can be found at this link. 

Contact Mayor Kelly

Email Mayor Kelly
Phone: 760-346-0611

73510 Fred Waring Drive
Palm Desert, CA 92260
City Hall Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday

Palm Desert City Hall is Closed Major Holidays