Alan Kelly is an award-winning entrepreneur, strategist, lecturer, author, and political analyst based in Maryland. He is the Founder and President of Playmaker Systems, LLC, a strategy and analytics company that provides services in management, strategy, marketing, sales, advertising, PR, public affairs, and information warfare. His work focuses on decoding and managing influence through a unique system of elements that he developed, which is described in his book, The Elements of Influence. Kelly is a sought-after speaker and contributor to the media, having published several papers and articles on various topics, including analysis of Vladimir Putin's strategy, communication, branding, public relations, and fake news. He received a patent for his work, and his expertise spans across different fields.

Kelly has also taught at various universities, including The George Washington University and the University of Maryland, where he served as an Adjunct Professor and taught graduate courses in Political Strategy and Simulation and Strategic Communication, respectively. He is a frequent lecturer in Strategic Communication at the University of Maryland.

Before founding Playmaker Systems, LLC, Kelly founded and led Applied Communications, where he gained recognition for his company's quantitative grounding and innovative expertise in competitive communications. He earned a BA in Public Relations from the University of Southern California and an MA in Communication Research from Stanford University, where he served as the elected national chair of the Public Relations Student Society of America. He is also a passionate sailboat racer and resides in Maryland with his wife.