Michael Kelly

Mike leads USAA’s military advocacy initiatives and serves as deputy of Military Affairs. His team builds collaborative relationships focusing on a national dialogue surrounding important veteran and spouse issues such as financial readiness, navigating successful transitions into the civilian workforce, and building supportive and impactful military spouse communities. He also manages enterprise-wide programs and projects that sustain relationships between USAA, strategic external partners and military leaders/influencers to promote and enhance USAA’s brand and reputation. He’s been with USAA since 2003 when he established USAA’s military communications program, later building a comprehensive military influencer program and establishing USAA’s national leadership role as a military-friendly employer.

Mike spent 25 years in the Air Force, both as an NCO and officer before retiring in 2002. While in the military he served as a photojournalist, newspaper editor, chief of public affairs and staff officer at the base and major military command levels. He also served as a communications associate professor at the Defense Information School where he taught future military public affairs communicators. He has multiple deployments to the Former Yugoslav Republic for Operations Able Sentry and Joint Endeavor as a member of the implementation force and supported international media communication efforts for Operations Deny Flight, Deliberate Force and Provide Promise.

Mike was selected as a 2018 We Are the Mighty “Mighty 25” influencer for his work in the military-veteran community where he dedicates his time connecting, equipping, and inspiring opportunities that benefit the military community at large. He is a 2019 George W. Bush Veteran Leadership Program scholar and also a recipient of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s annual Hiring Our Heroes Colonel Michael Endres Leadership Award for Individual Excellence in Veteran Employment. Mike currently serves on the national Hiring Our Heroes Veteran and Military Spouse Employment Councils, which focus employer actions addressing the unique employment challenges veterans and military spouses face. He now serves as a member of the Society of Human Resource Manager Foundation’s Military Advisory Committee focusing on helping employees build knowledge, awareness and change in the policies, practices and culture that can hinder the success of the military community in the civilian workplace. He also serves on The American College of Financial Services Center for Military and Veterans Affairs Advisory Council and acts as an Association of Defense Communities advisor on the annual selection of the nation’s Great American Defense Communities He served for three years on the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce executive board where he was chairman of the Chamber’s Military Affairs Council.

He has a BAAS degree with an emphasis in journalism and public relations from Southwest Texas State University and a master’s degree in Human Relations from the University of Oklahoma.