ElevateMeD Awards a Trailblazer Award to Marion Kelly
Marion Kelly to Receive ElevateMeD Trailblazer Award at Explosion of a Dream 2025
PHOENIX, AZ - ElevateMeD announces its fifth Trailblazer Award recipient, Mr. Marion Kelly. The ElevateMeD Trailblazer Award is awarded to individuals/organizations who are making extraordinary contributions within the world of healthcare.
Mr. Kelly, a long-standing advocate for equity in healthcare systems and community engagement, will be honored with the ElevateMeD Trailblazer Award at its upcoming Explosion of a Dream event on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at The Camby. He is recognized for his exceptional efforts to pave the way for the next generation of leaders in health care and for his unwavering commitment to improving health outcomes across communities.
About Marion Kelly
Recently retired, Marion Kelly served as Director, Community Relations within Communications at Mayo Clinic. In this role, Mr. Kelly provided leadership for the organizations’ efforts to build solid neighbor, civic and corporate relationships. Additionally, he was responsible for Mayo Clinic’s external Diversity & Inclusion effort for the Arizona campus.
Marion’s broad experiences are in both the education and political arena. His experiences include teaching elementary education, working in the United States Senate, Indiana University School of Medicine Administration and Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs at Mayo Medical School. Mr. Kelly was an appointee in the George W. H. Bush White House administration as Special Assistant for At Risk Youth Initiatives at the United States Department of Labor, and as the White House Liaison for the Labor Department.
Mr. Kelly holds degrees from Kentucky State University and University of Kentucky. He has completed additional graduate level coursework in Psychology at Indiana University.
He serves his local community as:
Grand Canyon University, Member Board of Trustees
Maricopa County Community Health Partnership, Partner
Coalition of Blacks Against Breast Cancer, Co-Founder
Diversity Leadership Alliance, Co-Founder & Board Member
Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce, Board Member
Marion holds a lifetime membership in Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated and received the Attorney Thomas Bradley Distinguished Citizen Award from Kappa Alpha Psi Western Region meeting held in the summer of 2017. Scottsdale Leadership presented the Frank Hodges Alumni Achievement Award in December 2017, and he was inducted into the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame in 2023.
He is married to Francine Ellison Kelly. They have three adult children, Kristopher, Ericka, Kyle, and more importantly four grandchildren 5 years to 16 years old.
About the event
ElevateMeD will formally present the award during its dinner program at its Explosion of Dream event at The Camby on Saturday, September 20, 2025. The event features a dynamic dinner program featuring live entertainment, an exciting live auction, award presentations, and the keynote address delivered by ElevateMeD Scholar Dr. Kenneth Clark. Learn more in the official event press release.
Limited tickets and tables are available for purchase at dream.elevatemed.org through September 12.
ABOUT ELEVATEMED:
ElevateMeD is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to elevating medicine by providing scholarships, mentorship, leadership training, and financial literacy education to the next generation of physician leaders. Through the Scholars Program, the organization will increase representation in medicine and improve cultural competence among physicians to reduce health disparities. Learn more about the mission and vision by visiting elevatemed.org and connecting on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @elevatemedinc.
Media Contact:
media@pocketpr.net
