Kellems is the president of a consulting company, The Strategy Center. Before returning to Madison, Kellems was the communications director and press secretary to former Vice President Dick Cheney. He also worked as a special adviser and director of strategic communications and director of public liaison for the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He has been in a leadership position for the last 15 years a the White House, Department of Defense, the U.S. Senate, the Ohio governor's office, state government and the World Bank Group. Kevin Kellems holds a graduate degree in national security studies from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and an undergraduate degree in journalism from The Ohio State University.