Conor Kelly, M.A.

Naperville, IL 60565 | (630) 335‑2842 | conork58@gmail.com| Conorpolitics.org

Professional Summary

Offering several years of print and online media experience and a strong work ethic. Well-rounded administrator and political scientist willing to assist, support, and create new projects for the team. Poised and assured, with a strong speaking voice and the ability to conduct on-air interviews. Accomplished in collaborating with a variety of subjects and cross-functional teams to achieve goals in high-pressure situations.

Skills

• Publishing tools

• Strong communication skills

• Problem resolution

• MS Office

• Communications

• News stories

• Interviewing skills

• Film editing

• Creative

• Self-motivated

• Public opinion understanding

• Proofreading

• Audio-to-video synchronization

• File Management

Work History

Political Canvasser 03/2025 to 04/2025 - All United PAC, Illinois

• Increased voter engagement by effectively communicating campaign messages through door-to-door outreach.

• Maintained accurate records of interactions with potential voters, providing valuable feedback to the campaign team for strategic adjustments.

• Cultivated relationships with community members, fostering trust in the political candidate.

• Collaborated closely with the campaign manager to refine talking points in response to the evolving political landscape and constituents’ concerns.

• Identified key issues important to voters through comprehensive survey administration.

• Cultivated relationships with community members, fostering trust in the political candidate.

• Boosted support for political candidates by conveying relatable stories and personal experiences.

Video Editor and Researcher 04/2024 to December 2024 - The Collins Law Firm, Naperville, IL

• Enhanced social media presence on TikTok, increasing the firm's TikTok following to over 4,000 followers.

• Organized and worked with raw footage.

• Delivered edits on time for reviews and final delivery.

• Enhanced video quality by applying color correction, grading, and special effects techniques.

• Streamlined the editing process for faster turnaround times by utilizing advanced software tools.

• Collaborated with production teams to ensure cohesive storytelling and visual continuity across multiple projects.

• Managed multiple projects simultaneously, meeting strict deadlines while maintaining high-quality results.

• Developed creative solutions for complex editing challenges, enhancing the overall narrative impact of videos.

Fellow 09/2024 to 11/2024 - Progressive Turnout Project/Casten for Congress, Naperville, IL

• Networked and built a strong presence with peers to facilitate professional relationships.

• Collaborated with the team to optimize workflow and achieve objectives.

• Canvassed and phone-banked to advocate for the Sean Casten campaign.

• Used MiniVan to organize door-to-door canvassing strategies.

• Networked and built a strong presence with peers to facilitate professional relationships.

• Collaborated with team to optimize workflow and achieve objectives.

• Demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities while managing multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines without sacrificing quality or accuracy.

Political Canvasser 01/2024 to 03/2024 - Qasim For Congress, Naperville, IL

• Increased voter engagement by effectively communicating campaign messages door to door throughout the district.

• Improved voter registration numbers by organizing and attending community events promoting civic participation.

• Trained new volunteers, ensuring consistency in messaging and efficiency of canvassing operations.

• Collected valuable data on voter preferences, enabling targeted follow-up efforts by campaign staff.

• Cultivated relationships with community members, fostering trust in the political candidate and party.

• Identified key issues important to voters through comprehensive survey administration.

• Boosted support for political candidates by conveying relatable stories and personal experiences.

Operational Excellence Intern 08/2021 to 12/2023 -Department of Central Management Services, Springfield, Illinois

• Established, enforced, and optimized internal policies to maintain efficiency and responsiveness to demands

• Moderated and assisted with interagency summits

• Wrote critiques of the Rapid Results Portal website and suggested changes

• Edited, wrote, and maintained a quarterly newsletter.

• Sorted and organized files, spreadsheets, and reports.

• Gained hands-on experience in various software programs such as SharePoint and Excel, increasing proficiency and expanding technical skill set.

Staff Writer 09/2021 to 12/2022 - UIS Observer, Springfield, Illinois

• Conducted research and double-checked all facts to maintain a high standard of journalistic integrity

• Set up and conducted interviews with knowledgeable people about the topics covered in each story

• Wrote articles and news stories for online publication, coordinating images and layout to ensure a professional appearance

• Consistently produced the required number of words per article

• Conducted research and wrote concise articles for the student newspaper's opinion section.

Student Intern 02/2020 to 04/2021 - Center for Dubuque History, Loras College, Dubuque

• Digitized and maintained primary sources

• Indexed the works of students and staff throughout campus history

• Used primary source documents to create a history guide for further use by historians.

Opinion Editor 04/2018 to 04/2021 - Lorian Newspaper

• Oversaw opinion articles and research

• Provided concise guidelines for standards of publication and assisted staff writers with argumentative structures

• Supported, trained, and worked with newspaper staff, including the paper's current opinion editor

• Analyzed source usage and bias in sourcing.

Campaign Intern and Campus Organizer 12/2019 to 02/2020 -Warren for President

• Assisted with day-to-day canvass operations and phone banks

• Wrote research articles to support the candidate's position

• Provided support through event planning

• Upheld strict security protocols to protect and maintain critical information.

Intern and Social Media Operator 02/2018 to 03/2018 -Disability Rights Iowa/Lynch Learning Center

• Wrote articles informing the public about disabled voting rights in Iowa

• Provided educational materials to students about Iowa's disability policies

• Managed social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook to draw attention to Iowa's privatization of Medicaid

• Registered students to vote in Iowa elections.

Education

University of Illinois Springfield, Springfield, IL - Master of Arts, Political Science, 05/2024

• Honoree and member of Pi Sigma Alpha

Loras College, Dubuque, IA -Bachelor of Arts, Political Science and History, 04/2021

•   Honors: Graduated Cum Laude

Accomplishments

  Won awards for opinion writing in Iowa.

• Selected for the highly competitive Graduate Public Service Internship at the University of Illinois Springfield.

• Eagle Scout with Troop 507

• Wrote and published an award-winning piece on the rise of COVID-19 in The Lorian.

• Won the Auge-White award for academic excellence in history.