Kelly Adamson is a Benedictine oblate, lay minister, preacher, spiritual director, mom, and wife. Kelly has 25 years of campus ministry experience, most recently serving as the Senior Director of Faith Formation and Spiritual Accompaniment and as the Director of the Campus Ministry Graduate Assistant Program at the University of Dayton. She is pursuing a Doctorate of Ministry in Preaching from the Aquinas Institute of Theology.

Kelly has a certificate in Spiritual Direction from Benet Hill Monastery, an MA in theology from Xavier University, a post-Masters Certificate in the Practice of Spirituality from Boston College, and a graduate certificate in liturgy with an emphasis in preaching from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago.

Kelly has preached for US Catholic Magazine, Catholic Women Preach, and faith communities across the country, and has frequently presented at ministry and higher education conferences. Kelly is a co-convener of the Catholic Women’s Preaching Circle. She serves as co-chair of the Higher Education Coalition on Synodality and has served as a leader in the Catholic Education Network Engaging and Resourcing Synodality (CENTERS).

Kelly’s Benedictine spirituality and Marianist influence at the University of Dayton come together in her understanding of preaching as the fruit of listening with the ear of the heart that results in birthing the Word in and for the community. In her preaching, she frequently reminds communities of our creation in Genesis – we are made in the image and likeness of God and breathed into life by the very breath of God.