Hi! I am Dr. James Kelley! The Dr. was achieved in 2010 when I completed my Ph.D. at The University of Western Australia, where I researched international consumer behavior. What does that mean? I studied why, when, what, and how often consumers buy and their attitudes and behaviors. 

Before receiving my Ph.D., I lived in Japan, traveled across the U.S.A. on a train, opened an ad agency for Nationwide Advertising Services (NAS), and slowly went bald.

After I received my Ph.D., I taught Higher Education at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA, and at United Arab Emirates University in the UAE. Along the way, I was part of a team of researchers who published several articles on human behavior change. In 2020 I decided to leave academia (arguably the most secure job ever) and launched a startup (arguably the most insecure job ever). 

The startup (qChange) was based on my research of leaders, their adversity, and how it shaped their view on leading others in the flow of work. More specifically, how academic research (e.g., nudge theory, learning theory and self-determination theory) can have a direct and immediate impact on leaders and teams' soft skill behaviors. There have been many, many, many lessons on this journey. I recently left qChange (July 2023).

In 2018 a book was born after traveling to Peniche, Portugal, on the family summer holiday. I spent 6-weeks living at a local coffee shop reading, writing, and completing The Crucible's Gift while the rest of the family played at the beach. 

After all of this, I am a dad of four kids and a husband to one. We are very fung shui at the Kelley house as every male is older than the next female—very intentional family design. We reside in beautiful Bend, Oregon.