Kara Kelty grew up believing that public service was an honorable way to serve both her community and her country.

Upon graduating from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts with a degree in Political Science, Kara entered the U.S. Peace Corps serving in both the Philippines and Guatemala. After completing her initial commitment to the Peace Corps, Kara extended her service in order to work as a visiting professor at the University of San Carlos, in Huehuetenango, Guatemala and later worked as a teacher/facilitator with prospective Peace Corps volunteers.

Kara Kelty moved with her husband, a graduate of the University of Arizona, to Flagstaff, Arizona in 1995. For the past 18 years Kara has worked in public service and the non-profit sector in an effort to affect positive change within the community. During the three years that she was Family Housing Director at Northern Arizona University, Kara helped struggling families who were working hard to obtain higher education and provide a better future for their family. In 2001 she received a Master’s degree of Education in Counseling: Human Relations, from Northern Arizona University.

In 2003 Kara became the Director of Success by 6 for the United Way of Northern Arizona, securing grants to fund early education totaling $530,000. Kara also created the Coalition on Economic Empowerment in order to reduce poverty in the region. Kara has also served as the Director for Junior Achievement, and worked for the Flagstaff Unified School District testing children in Spanish and English.

Kara was appointed to the Flagstaff City Council in 2002. In 2004, Kara Kelty won election to a full term on the City Council and completed her term in June of 2008.

Key accomplishments during Kara’s tenure on the City Council include:

• Formed the Community Housing Policy Task Force to increase the availability of homes that families can afford. One of the key outcomes of the Task Force has been to revamp the Land Development Code, currently in process.
• Established the City’s Land Trust Program to create permanently affordable homes for the essential workers that live in the City.
• Oversight of 10 voter-approved bonds for Community Improvements totaling $155 million.
  • Relocation and Construction of Fire Fighting Facilities to improve response times.
  • Construction of the Aquaplex
  • Improvements at Thorpe Park Community and Senior Center
  • Neighborhood Open Spaces and FUTS Land Acquisition
  • Observatory Mesa Land Acquisition
  • Lake Mary Regional Park and other Parks Land Acquisitions
  • Water Rights Acquisition
  • Water Wells
  • Upgrade the Wastewater System and Reclaimed Water System
  • Creation of the Northern Arizona Center for Emerging Technologies
• Creation of a regional economic development approach with emphasis on retention and expansion of local businesses.
• Creation of the Open Space Commission and a stable revenue stream to purchase land deemed worthy of conservation by the public.
• Enacted permanent water conservation measures.
• Kept faith with voters by completing unfinished bond items sold by previous councils such as the improvements to the Thorpe Park Softball facility.
• Development of a Sustainability Program for the City of Flagstaff to meet the US Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement.
• Implementation of International Energy Codes for new construction in Flagstaff.
• Secured funding for Rio de Flag flood control project.
• Created plan for alleviating train horn noise throughout Flagstaff.
• Transitioned to new City management, hired and monitored a new city manager and city attorney.
• Worked with Coconino County Supervisor Liz Archuleta to host the first Southside Neighborhood Meetings to identify critical needs.
• Advocated for the Southside Streetscape Improvements utilizing funding allocated for traffic calming measures.

In 2006, Kara Kelty became a candidate for the Arizona Corporation Commission because she believed strongly that Arizona’s potential to create energy from renewable resources wasn’t being fully implemented. While her candidacy was unsuccessful, Kara received major statewide endorsements including ones from the Arizona Republic and the Tucson Citizen.

Kara Kelty is currently the Director of the Southwest Renewable Energy Conference.