Charlene Kelley is a native of Mountain City, a small town in East Tennessee. She received a BS in history from East Tennessee State University in Johnson City and later received an M.Div. in Campus Ministry from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY, in 1981. She has been married to Kyle Kelley for 41 years; they have two adult daughters, Frances Kelley and Sarah Kelley. Sarah is married to Alex Pace and they have a daughter, Maggie.

Charlene and Kyle began attending Peace Camp in 1992 and have been a part of many gatherings throughout the years. Their daughters grew up attending Peace Camp, and both have served on the Board during their college years. The BPFNA has had a major impact on their Christian lives and helped them to focus on many peace and justice issues.

She is a retired English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher with the local school system. Currently, she teaches ESL part-time at a local charter school. She is a member of Church for the Highlands in Shreveport, LA, where she currently lives. At church she chairs the Welcome Committee. In the community she serves as President of the Caddo Bossier League of Women Voters, Vice President of Caddo Retired Teachers Association, and on the Board of the ARC of Caddo Bossier.