Kelly Bailey is a dedicated school counselor at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School who believes that academic success begins with a strong social and emotional foundation. Originally from Ohio, Kelly moved to Peoria with her husband after he was hired by Caterpillar. She earned her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education from Ohio University and went on to receive her Master’s in School Counseling from Bradley University. Prior to joining our team, Kelly enriched the lives of students at Peoria Public Schools District 150 and Dunlap Community Schools.
Kelly’s faith, nurtured from childhood by her family—especially the memories of her grandfather serving as an usher at weekly Mass—and further deepened by a transformative Cursillo weekend, is at the heart of her work. Her journey took an inspiring turn when her daughter was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes, reinforcing her trust in God’s plan. This personal experience has also fueled her advocacy on the Parent Advisory Board at OSF’s Pediatric Diabetes Resource Center, where she educates and supports families navigating the challenges of this condition.
A firm believer that every child’s well-being is intertwined with their social and emotional health, Kelly brings her personal witness of faith into her counseling, guided by her favorite prayer—the Guardian Angel prayer—and the intercession of St. Gerard Majella, the patron of motherhood. Outside the school setting, she enjoys hiking, yoga, golfing, traveling, and most of all, cherishing moments with her husband and three children.