President and CEO, John Kelly discusses the accomplishments at Meeting Street and the upcoming Telethone, Jan. 31, 2026.
John M. Kelly, President & Chief Executive Officer: John has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Meeting Street since 1998 and served as a member of its Board of Trustees from 1990 to 1997. Prior to accepting the position of President at Meeting Street, he was General Counsel for Cornish Associates, L.P., a real estate development company headquartered in Providence. In that role, he also served as the lead staff person for the Coalition for Community Development, a community organization formed to implement the revitalization of downtown Providence. Before joining Cornish Associates in 1995, John was a partner with the law firm of Tillinghast, Collins & Graham in Providence.
John is the former chair of The Highlander Charter School, The Providence Revolving Fund, The Genesis Center and the Providence Zoning Board of Review, the former Vice Chair of the I-195 Redevelopment District Commission, and a former member of the Board of Park Commissioners for the City of Providence. He currently serves on the Board of the Rhode Island Public Health Institute and is a member of the Rhode Island Foundation’s Blue Ribbon Commission for RI public schools. A Pittsfield, Massachusetts native, John received his bachelor's degree in government from Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and his law degree from Boston College Law School.