Kelly Brooks

Kelly Brooks founded The Brooks Element in 2019. He has over twenty-five years of experience in higher education and athletics. Kelly is passionate about facilitating opportunities for individuals and organizations to produce positive transformation in their lives and the lives of others.

Kelly serves as part of the Renaissance Search & Consulting team, headquartered in Los Angeles; whose vision is to ensure today’s workforce represents the most diverse and qualified candidates possible. The goal is to impact higher education institutions and corporations, so there is fair representation.

As member of Forward Progress Athletics Consulting, located in Castle Rock, CO, Kelly leads initiatives to grow and support new and existing business relationships as well as to increase revenue generation. He also has managed a portfolio of institutional clients regarding the planning of professional development activities, training courses, seminars and workshops for staff and student-athletes.

Kelly dedicated eight years of his career at the NCAA national headquarters in Indianapolis, IN. In his role as NCAA Director of Academic and Membership Affairs, he managed the waiver process of NCAA Bylaws in NCAA Divisions I, II and III. He also provided research and analysis of current NCAA Bylaws to recommend rule changes.

Kelly spent time as the Associate Commissioner for the Southwestern Athletic Conference office, an NCAA Division I conference located in Birmingham, AL. There, he provided daily management for the conference office’s internal operations. Additionally, he was the conference sport administrator for football, baseball and men’s and women’s basketball, as well as responsible for coordinating the conference championships in those sports.

As the Director of Student-Athlete Development at Xavier University in Cincinnati, OH, Kelly coordinated the opening of Xavier’s first Student-Athlete Academic Support Center and supervised the center’s staff and student workers.

Prior to his tenure as an administrator, Kelly spent time as an Assistant Basketball Coach at Mississippi University for Women and the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa.

Kelly received his B.A. in Mathematics at Mississippi University for Women and his M.A. in Higher Education Administration at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Kelly is a native of Starkville, MS, and enjoys his role as a Graduate School Adjunct Professor at Alcorn State University, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in his native state.