Dr. Kelly A. McBride has spent much of her career helping people find the right words at the right time. Her professional journey has taken her through politics, government, corporate leadership, public relations, and higher education, where she has spent more than a decade teaching others how to communicate with clarity, purpose, and compassion. But some stories are about more than finding the right words. They are about finding your way back to what matters most.
Kelly is the author of Mountain Mercy: The Incredible Story of the Health Wagon, a moving story of faith, compassion, and the extraordinary people bringing health care to some of the most underserved communities in Central Appalachia. Through the lives and work of nurse practitioners Dr. Teresa Gardner Tyson and Dr. Paula Hill-Collins, and the enduring legacy of Sister Bernadette “Bernie” Kenny, Kelly brings readers into a world where hardship is part of everyday life, neighbors care for one another, and faith is often expressed through the simplest acts of kindness. The book celebrates the power of service, the resilience of the human spirit, and the difference one person can make when called to serve others.
A communications professional and educator, Kelly holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Immaculata University, a master’s in education from Alvernia University, and a B.S. in Business from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania. She has taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at La Salle University, Virginia Tech, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, and York College of Pennsylvania. Her professional experience includes leadership positions in corporate America, government, and politics. She is also the author of Media Relations: Tactical Preparation for Life and Seven Spheres of Social (New) Media: Theorizing Integrated Marketing Communication. Although her academic writing explores communication and its influence on society, Mountain Mercy reflects a more personal side of her work as a writer—one grounded in the stories of real people, the power of faith, and the lessons we discover when we step outside our own experiences.
Kelly's own journey has brought her to a deeper appreciation of the simple gifts that make life meaningful. Once caught up in the pursuit of status and the things she thought would bring happiness, she has come to treasure sunsets over the Gulf, the pure air of the mountains, a smile from a stranger, and the quiet moments that remind us of God's presence in our lives. Her Catholic faith has shaped the way she sees the world and strengthened her belief that we are called to recognize Christ in one another, especially in those who are struggling.
When she isn't writing or teaching, Kelly enjoys traveling, beaches, reading, golfing, and the beauty of the natural world. Through her writing, she hopes to share stories that stay with readers long after the final page—stories that invite us to look beyond our differences, recognize the dignity of every person, and remember that sometimes the most extraordinary acts of grace happen along the least-traveled roads.
